Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-07-06
a"eRACKER" SKETCH.
A Pen Picture of Life Among the
LovVly In the state OF Georgia.

G0Wly IN the state OF Georgia.
A two-rOom log house, with a low,
dllapidated worn" fence around it,
q ragged hOneysuckle vine at the side
of the door. which is never closed
winter or summer. a few stunted rose
bushes bordering the path of white
sand that glistened blindingly IN the
the sun of a midsummer day, from
the broken gate TO the rickety door
step.
A traveller drew his horse up at the
gate, and after the fashion OF the
country, shouted. s'HellOl'' He heard
a souorOus grOwl from within the
house as if an immense, il-natured
African lion had been disturbed from
an afternoon siesta; then shrill'
shattered voice commanded, ''You,
Watch. git right back thar" and the
great dog Immediately retired to his
favorite couch beneath the high, IN
curtained bedstead.
A few moments later there protrud-
ed from the open door an enormous
corncob pipe, from which the smokewas
curling in hazy blue column. As the
pipe with, it seemed, several sections
of stem, gradually made itself visible,
it became evident that the other end
disappeared in an old woman's
mOuth-a dry, eXpressiOnless mouth,
surrounded with ever widening
circles OF wrinkles, as is the
centre of q tree. which circles took in
a long sharp nose, a hooked chin, two
hrIuhE gnnnTgTfgUn aud fnal fTy
disappeared under the folds of a cot
ton handkerchief bound over snowy
hair.
Then the handle of the pipe was
with an effort extracted from its &C
custOmed place between the old
cracker mothers lips as she called,
"Ole man, here's sum 'un as wanster
see you"
The pipe is replaced and the thin
column of blue smoke curis laziIY I'D
as the stranger sits in silence under
the close scrutiny from the eyes above
the primitive pipe, as we'll as from q
pair Of bright, starry Orbs, djmly Wis
IDLE through a crack between two logs
Of the cabin.
Presently a thick stream of dark
yellow fluid IS projected from around
q corner OF the building with the force
and volume of lawn sprinkler, a
heavy Cud Of tobacco is flung out
among the stunted rose bushes, and
an old man-dwarfed in appearance,
with lean and slender frame, yellow
skin, thick gray locks, from which
projects an aquiline nose and peer
two ferret like and furtive eyes
comes slowly slOuchIng into view
He wears patched and darned brown
Jean clothes, and as it is summer he
does not wear any shoes at all. He
speaks first, saying in breath:
Good even'-tOllable-lig mist
err"
The stranger '1ights" and enters the
house, which, after the glarIng semi
path outside, looks as cool and
gloomy as a grOttO. Then he came
face TO face with the girl Of the starry
eyes, who indeed appear, perhaps from
the contrast with her hOmely sur
rOundings, a rare vision of girlish
loneliness
As the stranger bowed she smiled
bHshfulIv and said Good maWnin',"
though it IS late in the Afternoon. but
no one makes HIM acquainted"
The young lady whom the mother
calls '@SOOnie'' brings him directly a
drink of cool spring water IN q small,
long handled gOurd, which is white
and as fight as cork. and which seems
to impart an agreeable flavor and
sweetness to the water; bat as the
weary traveller meets SOOnie's and in
taking the gOurd and her eyes while
drinking, 1t may be that the virtue
did not all lie IN the gOurd
The mother sits beside the doorway,
knitting, smoking and gazing down
the lonely sandy road as she had
done every day these last fifty years
Along that road. she tells the strang-
er, her old man brought her to this
home the day they we're married
only he wasn't an old man then, but
one Of the finest boys IN the
country; along that road her only son
Benny marched away to zine
Guv'nor Brown" but he never came
one division of Sherman's cOnQuering
hosts as they swept over the already
desOlated country on to the sea, and
along that road some day IN the near
future she will be carried in a rough
pine box, on a jOltIng OK cart up to
the burying ground at New Prospect
Church and laid TO rest. Old man
Stubbs, with similar thoughts, per-
haDs, sits near her, industriO usly
chewing a new tobacco cud and bask-
ing in the sun on the doorstep, and
asking at intervals, like minute guns:
and what did you say your name
Enout be, mister?" though the guest
had not as vet mentioned it.
"And you are frOm-where, mister?''
failing to use the name after obtain
ing it.
And what mOut be your business
mister?" clinging still to his favorIte
title
''And be you a Yankee, mister?''
While gratifying his hosts curiosity
the visitor glances curiOusly about
the room on his own account. About
Aha or,an firarlaca at which The famiIw