The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-06-16
SAR' EMMER'S DEFEAT.

"Spec won't git to sol Jes spec WON'T"
These words proceeded, In violent accents,
from heap Of purple cahco lying PROSTATE
under the currant bushes Of Mrs. Crabtrees
trim back yard.
~ low dey neber was SIGH a mean woman
p ole Mis- Crabtree" pursued the voice, after
an interval OF silence. Here she's went an
picked all dem green tomats-wouldn't even
wait till dey was ripe.-an' lowed she'd git
me to skin em dis yer day Picnic In
Lumm's woods, an | sh'n't git to go Ow!
owl owl"
The sufferers wool was too short and pre-
cious to tear, so she vented herself, as was
her wont, upon the queens English instead,
and glanced vindictively at the rows OF shin
ing pals on the back porch, filled to the brim
with plump green tomatoes waiting to be
peeled.
''Sar' Emmer!" called peremptory voice
from the kitchen door.
But Sar Emmer chuckled and never
stirred. "Reckon I'll be def dis yer time"
she muttered Hard o. hearin' an amt got
no trumpt."
Mrs. Crabtree wavered on the doorstep.
"Provokn' thingw she complained; show
long does she mean to keep me here screechin'
after herr Sar' Emmer! Sar' Emmer Mum
sonl"
The currant bushes nodded with a passing
breeze, and Mrs. Crabtree her eye falling
upon them, merely specialized that they
would do better next year. "Here's all these
tomaters waitin' to be peeled, and that gal
traipsn' round, the land knows wherep
"Ke-e" jeered the currant bushes, very
audible to the common ear, but silent as the
grave to old Mrs. Crabtree wont She be
mad eff don't git back time to skin emf
for Sar' Emmer had evidently made re-
solve Now dat woman she's jes went an
picked dis day for servin' tomats count o de
picnic, SOS wouldn't git to go. Now amt
gon' to let Mis- Crabtree so on dis yer way.
Only las night was week was de temprunce
meetin' in de chu'ch. Ebery chile in dis yere
neighborhood went 'cep' me. De presidents
an de vices dey set in de altar, an de joiners
all down in front. lowed I'd be joiner
myself dat night, but Mis- Crabtree she set
dat number seben shoe o hers down, an
'clar'd niggers hadn't no business wi dc
Christian temprunce-'lowed dey was goin'
crazy bout de subjeck-an' fetched out de
collick for me to Earn out de pray book. Is
been comm to dis yer state o min rs in cher
sence dat night. Mis- Crabtree can't be
lowed to 60 on dis way no longer, keepin'
me out o. innocent 'musements, an maxim Inc
b'leve dat pray books all de law an gospil."
Sar' Emmer gathered herself together and
stood up cautiously Old Sukey glanced
alphabetically toward her from the barn
yard, and half dozen fowls cacked their
approval Of her course; COR so, at least, Sar'
Emmer interpreted it.
81 low dis yer sprigged caliker's good
huff to go in," she assured herself, doubt
fully, recollecting the back stairs and the
perils that would attend her should she at
tempt to reach the storehouse Of her finery
"Like's not she's settin plumb up agin dat
star door, now jawin' de cat for lettin' me
git out. No; I'll hab to war dis. Hope to
goodness dat new boy fun Griftith's sto'
won't be darl" and Sar' Emmer cast up her
hands coquettishly, as if exercising certain
charms which she knew how to operate, in
dependent of all accidents Of raiment.
Then she walked slowly out of the yard.
and slammed the gate with Q defiant click.
Wagon loads Of acquaintance were al
ready on the way to Lumms woods, making
flashes Of color along the dusty road, which
Sar' Emmer traversed on foot. "Ten buckits
O green tomats, an she'll have to skin 'em
all herselfl" exulted the runaway. Teach
her a lesson, better'n all the collicks in de
pray book, bout 'vokin' chillun to wrathp
and here she caught sight OF the new boy
from Gritf1th's store, arrayed IN a jacket OF
red and buff flannel, with cap to match.
"Land o lub" thought Sar' Emmer, In a
transport of admiration, "ain't he good
lookini Wonder if he'll hab charge O do
lem'nade bar'l|
She drew off her apron, soiled with tears
and watermelon juice, and flung it Iavishly
into an adjoining field. Now that she had
fairly entered upon the path Of vice and
pleasure. she might as well travel it without
limitation, she thought She rejoiced that
in her fight she had still kept her hold upon
what she considered the climax Of millinery
art; this was a hat, abandoned by Mrs. Crab
tree, and given over to Sar' Emmer who had
trimmed it according to her own devices
and the resources of Grifllth's store
"Wisht I'd a wore dat pink an white
stripe an Mis- Crabtree's man TILL" she
mourned. dis yer hat d go we'll VII de
man till"
Lumm's woods, when she reached them,
were swarming with the kind Of life in
which young person Of color most delights
Gay garments and outlaws of laughter per-
colated through the trees, accompanied by
the clatter of dishes and the odor of clans
set to roast in hot ashes.
$50 ole Mis- Crabtrees let yo' off fur
oncet," they congratulated her. "Law,
chile, yo' ought to pitch in an Joy yo'self."
They were all interested in the refugee.
lie me-" said one 'duce 20 to de new
boy FUN Griffith's sto'. Mister Ricketts,, dis
yers Miss Munson. Hope yoll joy yoselves."
Sar' Emmer scraped her shoes in the turf
and bowed low. "Glad to make yo'r quaint
ance, Mistah Ricketts," she simpered And
ah, how far were green tomats" from her
memoryl
Mr. Ricketts, took off his hat with one hand
and kinked his left arm at right angles with
his heart. He was light colored, with soft
eyes, and was, as Sar Emmer had remarked,
very comedy. He invited her to walk with
him in the direction Of the ice cream benches
and the pair were followed by admiring
eyes. Sar Emmer's alert vanity could feel
their approval sheer through the purple cal
leo and the skirt empowers" which she had
manufactured out of the hoops of cider
keg.
"Must like to feel as if you was settin' on
q corduroy road" Mrs. Crabtree had re-
marked, sarcastically, when Sar' Emmer had