Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1888-06-14

cummings nad more pupils than he
could accommodate with board; so | was
compelled to find board in the neighbor-
\ mood. L did so at the house Of this wo-
man sfather over here. He was q stout,
stald old gentleman, with aldermanio
proportions; strict member of the
church, and regular attendant at the
weekly service. His wife was a little
weazen-faced woman, with a sharp nose,
always red at the point, and an eye as
black as a sloe and as sharp as lancet.
She rarely said much, but what she did
say was sharp and to the point. Their
daughter Ann-that woman over there
was about my age, rosy, plump and
pretty, and amply imbued with the spir-
| it of mischief.
One Sabbath day, Nancy, as the fam
lily called her, was away on visit to a
! nelghbor, where she had spent day or
so. L did not go to church with the old
people, but remained to prepare my
lessons for the morrow. l knew my
tutor, who was the preacher, would rather
l should miss attendance ct church
dozen times than to be deficient in
recitation.
The house was one of those old-faBh-
Toned houses, yet common in Georgia,
with two rooms in front and two rooms
back-shed rooms, you know, with two
rooms in the attic. One of these attic
rooms was Nancy's, one of the shed rooms
was mine. There was passage way be-
tween these shed rooms, bnt none be-
tween the front rooms. The entrance
from the yard in front was from the
| larger of these two rooms.
was out in the yard under the shade
OF an apple tree, in my shirt sleeves,
busily engaged in the mysteries of Vir-
glls Eneid, when stroke from a
switch across my shoulders made me
cry out and spring from my chair, up
setting my little table, Virgil, lexicon
and all, and running away to the house
was Nancy. / was half mad, for the blow
was scorcher, and after her / went
determined on revenge. Through the
house we went Nancy was feet. o, the
country girls of Georgia in that day.
What strapping things they were. They
never saw corset-never wore tight
fitting shoe, and their toes were as free
from corns as their fingers were from
diamond rings.
Nancy had the start, but thought I
had the wind and was determined on
catching her. Around the house we went,
into the bed room of her parents, and
out into the yard. How she laughed,
and how shone her white teeth, and
sparkled her great black eyes. [ was
gaining on her, when she ran through
the house, and into my room. Hollow
ed. 'Leave me alone" she said as she
jumped upon my bed. I followed and
caught her. Quick as cat she slipped
through my arms and leaped to the
floor. "There is Esther and mother, 81
she exclaimed. "What will they say
to me if they find me here in your room
with you2 Jump into the bed and say
you are sick" l had at this warning
gotten off the bed. l did as l was bid,
and lay down, bitterly complaining
She, in the meantime, caught up hel
hair, which, in our scuffles had been
badly tumbled, and running out met hel
parents coming into the house. Gath
er, she exclaimed loud enough for me
to hear, ''cousin Gus is mighty sick. y
She had called me cousin from the first
week of our acquaintance. The old
gentleman came slowly into the room.
He could not, or would not, compromise
his dignity by accelerating his motions
for any consideration. He was Judge
at the inferior court, and that was to be
thought of in all he said or did. Nancy
came in behind him, and whilst he felt
my pulse, she was peeping from behind
him, grinning and winking in ecstacy
over my shamming. 1 could have muir
dered her. Slowly the old man con-
tinued to feel my pulse and to look wise.
He shook his head gravely as he took
his fingers from my pulse.
"Wby Gus, my son." he exclaimed,
you must be very sick, for never felt
such pulse in the worst of fevers. .
There stood Nancy, peeping and wink
ing from behind her father in mockery.
When the old man, with great gravity,
asked, "Gus, how are your bowels?''
Nancy jerked her head behind her father
as | groaned and turned over. Turning
to his daughter the Judge said, "He is
pretty sick, and needs medicine; go you
and get that yaller mug, the big one
put in as much SIENNA as you can grasp
SO, with the point of his finger upon his
thumb) and fill it up with boiling
water"
Nancy went, but upon reaching the
| tcol tulhOu nun w LUX db us,
and putting her thumb upon the tip of
her nose, waved her fingers and darted
away. The Judge slowly left the room,
and had there been any chance for my
escape from the house unobserved, /
would have fed like felon. But was
in for it, and must go through with it.
1t was not long before the Judge re-
turned with the yellow mug, trimming
with SIENNA tea, and Nancy following.
He poured ont tea cup full of the tea.
"Here, my son" he said, ''drink this;
you must take another cup full. "Here,
Nancy, hold this, must go and see the
prescription DR.. Sankey left for your
mother" and he handed her the mug
and cup. This was her opportunity.
She sat down on the bed side and assum-
ing the gravity of her father, asked with
much sympathy, how | felt, putting on
as long face as hypocrite at a camp
meeting, and insisted ON feeling my
pulse. But the Judge returning said,
the prescription of the doctor said two
cups full at first, and one every half
hour after until the bowels were relieved.
Nancy stood behind, with her tongue
thrust into her cheek and her eyes
cleaning with mischief, as she poured
l