South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1888-01-27

|, Then cried, too John. ! just
broke down ard cried like a baby.
She got me into. The. house. hug
ging and kissing me, and then che
went to the back door and shouted
'George!'
Father came in moment and
from the kitchen asked, What do
+ you want, Car'line3'
Then he came in. lie knew
me i'm q moment. He stuck out
his hand and grasped mine, and
said, stern!y: swell. young man,
do you propose to behave yourself
nowt ts 3cselgl asa
He tried hard to put on q brave
front. but he broke down. There
we three sat like whipped school
children. all whimpering. AT last
supper time came and mother
went out to prepare it. l went
into the kitchen with her. AZ
where do you live. jimmy
she asked.
'In New York; replied. eaa
What are you working al now
Jimmy 2
1 am working in dry goods
store
Then | supp ore you don't live
very high, for hear tell o them
city clerks what don't get enough
money to keep body and soul to-
gethcr. So I'll just tell you, Jim.
my, we got nothin' but roast spare
ribs for supper. We AMT got any
money now. Jimmy. We're poor.
er nor jobs turkey
i told her that 1 would be de-
lighted with the spareribs, and to
tell the truth John. l haven't eat
ell a meal il New York that tasted
as we'll as those crisp roasted spare
ribs dill. l spent the evening
playing checkers with father while
mother sat by telling me all abou,
their misfortunes, from old VIII. te
Mooley getting drowned in the
pond TO fathers signing note for
Il friend and having to mortgage
the place to pay it. The mortgage
was due within n week and not
cent to meet it with-just eight (S)
hundred dollars. She supposed
they would be turned ont Of houee
and home, but in my mind l sup-
posed they wouldn't. At last nine
O'Clock came, and father said jim.
go out to the barn and see if Kit is
all right. Bring in an armful Of
old shingles that are just outside
tie door, and fill up the water pail.
Then we'll go to bed and get up
early and go a-fishIng'
Il didn't say word. but went
ont TO the barn, bedded down the
horse. broke up an armful of shin.
giles, pumped pail of water, filled
the wood box aud then all went to
bed.
Father called me at 4:30 in the
morning, and while he was getting
some breakfast skipped over to
the depot and got my best brass
rod. Father took nothing but Il
trolling line aud spoon hook. He
rowed the boat with his trolling
line IN his mouth, while l stood in
the stern with a silver sinner riggs
ed on. Now, John, l never saw
man catch fish like he did. 1o|
n axe long story short, he caught
four bass and five pickerel, and
never got bite.
AT moon we went ashore, and fa>
Their went home while | went to
the postoffiee. l got letter from
Chicago with check for $1,000 in
it. With come trouble / got it
cashed, getting paid in five and
ten dollar bills, making quite
roll. then got roast joint of
beef aud a lot of delicacies and
had them sent home. The joint
was IN II c oven. Mother had put
on her only silk dress, and father
had donned hie Sunday-go.to-meet
ing clothes, ncue too good, either.
This is where / played q joke on
the old folks. Mother was in The
kitchen watching the roast. Fa-
tber waa out at the barn, and / had
Il clear coast. dumped the sugar
out Of the old blue bowl put the
$1,000 in 1t, and placed the cover
on again. At lat supper was
ready. Father asked a blessing
over it and be actually trembled
when he stuck his knife in the
roast.
We haven't had a piece of meat
like this in five yesrs, jim, he
said: and mother put in with, 'and
wo haven't bad any coffee in a
year only when we went a visitIn'.'
Il her che poured ont the coffee
and lifted the cover of the sugar
bowl asking as she did so: How
mary spoons, JimmyH'
Then she struck something that
wasn't sugar. She picked up the
bowl and peered into it. AHA!
Master Jimmy, playing your old