St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-03

A tWO-rOOm log house, WITH low Ill
lapidated "worm" fence around it, a
ragged honeysuckle vine at one side OF
the door, which is never closed, winter
or summer, few stunted rose bushes
bordering the path of white sand that
glistened binding in the sun OF a mid
summer day, from the broken gate to
the rickety doorstep.
A traveller drew his horse up at the
gate. and after the fashion of the coun-
try, shouted,
"Hello!"
He heard sonorous growl from
within the house, as if an immense, i'll
natured African lion had been disturbed
from an afternoon siesta; then a shrill,
shattered voice commanded:
"You, Watch, git right back thar"
And the great dog Immediately re-
tired to his favorite couch beneath the
high, uncurtained bedstead.
A few moments later there prOtruded
from the open door an enormous corn
cob pipe, from which the smoke was
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 dis
appeared in an old woman's mouth-a
dry, expressiOnless mouth, surrounded
with Overwhelming circles of wrinkles,
as is the center of tree, which circles
took in long, sharp nose,
A HOOKED
chin, two bright. inquisitive eyes, and
finally disappeared under the folds OF
handkerchief bound over snowy hair.
Then the handle of the pipe was with
an effort extracted from its accustomed
place between the old Cracker mothers
lips as she called:
"0le man, here's sum 'un as WanSter
see you"
The pipe was replaced and the thin
column of blue smoke curls laZlly up as
the stranger sits in silence under the
close scrutiny from the eyes above
the primitive pipe, as well as from a
pair of bright, starry orbS, dimly visible
through crack between two logs OF the
cabin.
Presently thick stream of dark yell
low fluid is projected from around a
corner of the building with the force
and volume of lawn sprinkler, heavy
quid of tobacco is flung out among the
stunted 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 fur
tive eyeS-cOmes slowly slouching into
view. He wears patched and darned
jean clothes, and as it is summer he
does not wear any shoes at all. He
speaks first. saying in a breath:
Good even - tollable-light, mis-
ter"
The stranger Sights" and enters the
house, which, after the glaring foot
path outside, looks as cool and gloomy
as a grotto. Then he came face to face
with the girl of the starry eyes, who in
deed appears, perhaps from the con-
trast with her homely surroundings, a
vision of
GIRIIsH LONELINESS.
AS the stranger bowed she smiled
bashfully and said:
Good mawin," 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 small,
lOng-handled gourd. which is white and
as light as cork, and which seems to
impart an agreeable flavor and sweet
ness to the water; but as the weary
traveller meets SOonie's hand in taking
the gourd and her eyes while drinking,
it may be that the virtue did not all lie
i'll 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
Al, hn fol or
old man brought her to this home the
day they were married-only he wasn't
an old man then, but one of the finest
bows in the country; along that road
her only son Benny marched away to
zine Guv'nor Brown" but he
never came back; along that road
later on 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 rough pine box, on
a jolting oX-cart, up to the burying
ground at New Prospect church, and
forever laid to rest.
Old man Stubs, with similar thoughts,
perhaps, sits near her industriOusly
chewing a new tobacco cud and splitting
with deadly precision at the lazy flies
BASkING
in the sun on the doorstep, and ask
ing at intervals, like the boom of minute
guns:
land what did you say your name
mout be. mister?' though the guest had
not as yet mentioned it.
''And you are frOm-Where, mlSter?''
failing to use the name after obtain
ing it.. $500 ,,
mister?'' clinging still to his favorite
title.
"And be you Yankee, mister?"
While gratifying his hosts curiosity,
the visitor chances curiously about the
room OH his own account. About the
open fireplace, at which the family
cooking is done, are ranged the only
cooking vessels known in Crackerdom-
an oven to bake bread, frying pan in
which they spoil about all meats, deep
pot to boil green's" and coffee pot in
which they compound black decOctiOn,
strong and bitter, and of which they
drink enormously, unassisted with
either sugar or milk; strings OF red pep
pers hang in long festoons from the
rafters overhead, along with home-raised
hams, ears of popcorn and bags OF UNI
known contents: on pegs about the
Wills HdIlS JlIS chlhC N'uiOuSo Vi '''i
the family. Two tall beds fill the rear
of the cabin, and under one of these
Watch is growing at the
STRANGERS VOICE
and sleepily Scratching fleas.
Soonie is preparing supper, frequently
casting expectant glances up the sandy
road.
1t is Saturday afternoon and her
sweetheart will soon come whistling
merrily from among the pines, arrayed
in suit of new clothes, with white
and red necktie. and his pockets filled
with peanuts and stick-candy.
She is radiant in a new speckled cali
co dress, with flowers in her hair ard a
knot of red ribbon at her throat that
beautifully matches Yer cheeks. The
old road brings no SO memories to her,
but calls I'D sweet dreams of future hap
ninaSc a wealth Of anticiDatiOn