St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-05-12
A FAMILY AFFAIR.
The Downtrod denest, Mournfulest
Couple in Tennessee.

Just on the divide of a Tennessee
mountain the hind wheels of the buck
board dropped into rut. the axl
broke with smash, and after spend
ing ten minutes in solemn thought, tn,
driver said:
"Well, I'll have to get the consarned
thing down to Tompkinsville for re.
pairs, and you'd better stay all nigh
at yon cabin"
Perhaps they can't accommodate
me-"
There's no perhaps about it. Folks
as has got a house are bound to keep
folks as has broke down."
l went over to the cabin, which was
arude log structure, and the only one
within four miles The woman saw
me coming and stood in the open door.
Her husband saw me coming and sat
down on a log. The five or six chill
dren saw me coming, and arran ged
themselves along the opening in the
brush fence which answered for gate.
AS | came up I approached the man
and explained the nature of the acct
dent and asked to stay all night.
IS ranger, if it depended on me, I'd
say yes. he replied, as he crossed his
legs and tried to put ON an injured
look. But it don't depend on me;
don't amount to shucks around we're
no mo-"
Nov, Ezekiel, what dye talk like
that fur?" demanded the barefooted
wife as she came down to the log
who's said you wasn't boss! Who's
tried to take the lead over you?"
You hev, an right afore the chill
dren, too! You said I WASH fitted to
drive hogs!''
Shoe. Ezekiel! you began it by say
ing | was extravagant. -
oh, yes. I begun it! I allus begin
every thing! Nobody else never be-
gins nuthin', and nobody else is never
to blamei'
But this ere stranger wants to
stay all night. It's comm night and
we can't say no."
well, I calkerlate he kin stay. A
month ago could hev taken him by
the hand and told him to make nv
house his home, but now hain't got
no more rights around yere. I'm only
a sighpher now.''
The wife took my sachel into the
cabin and / sat down on the log with
Zeke and offered him cigar. At the
same time the seven children came
and stood in row before us, and
called out as in one voice:
THE Teller has dun gin pap a |
cigarp'
Yes. children said the old man,
as he scratched match on his star
board quarter and Lit the weed, '.your
pap has got a cigar It's the fust |
cheerin' thing that has come to him
|ur twenty-one years. and it's proof |
hat he hain't quite forgotten by all
The world. What are ye standin' here
ookin' at? Whar's yer mannersP"
''Hain't got noner' called three of
hem at once.
mo. s'pose not, and can't blame
a bit. Children as come up
without any father can't be s'pected
o hev manners. Whar' ye from,
- Bristol"
Right smart huddle, I've heard, but
We never bin thar. Hear 'em say
ny thing about meP''
No"
mop Well. ] s'pose they've heard
t me, but didn't want to saw any
hing to stranger. Tn the man who
ad forty-two biles on his back in one !!
inter-"
you didp'
Yes; and never got the least SYM
athy from my family. I've also had
journalism. lung fever, lame back,
ver-sore. consumption and yaller !,
yer Not one Of the family she'd a !.
arr t
rs it possible!''
"And broke my leg, lost two
ndred-dollar mule by pizen, he'd my :
I'm burn up. lost farm on a mort
age. and buried two children. y
well. you have suffered" :
Suffered? Stranger, excuse these =
ars; but yours are the first kind :,
ords I've heard since the war :
osed.n =
Pap is bellering. maj shouted the :
ildren, as they ran for the house, !
ID the woman presently rushed out ! !,
d said: q
Now thar. Ezekiel, you git, ard .,
u thar, stranger, come in 10 -
lack!' &c
Didn't ] tell you so!'' exclaimed - I,
KEEL, as he made 4 bolt for the woods. y
m the discouragedest downtrod-
nest unfortun ataSt mon ~ III 49,