Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-11-22

Cottonwood, catalpa and pecan-trees,
sometimes covered with wild apevines,
and sometimes adorned with scarlet
trumpet-aowers, grew BY the way-side, and
late berries, black and sweet and lucious.
dropped from their thorny vines almost be-
meath the wheels of the wagon.
Ir. Jackson's praises were voluble, but
Uncle Moses assured him that these things
were as nothing compared with the giant
hickory and beech trees upon his home
stead.
"You don't say so, Mistah Bosleyl
wish't eff it wouldn't be a-intruiiD' too much,
that you'd take me TO- bo'dahl You see,
l spects to be in desc parts week er two
| anyhow, as my business is impohtans and
can't be hurried. | is a pension agent,
a-workin' up de claims Oh POI culled men
who was in de wah, and has nebber been
paid yet fo' suff'rin' and dyin' fo' dey oun-
try. Eff my membry is correc', Gubenor
Oglesby tole me you is disqualified fo' pen
sion. Brudder Bosley!'' said Mr.. jackson. in
quiringly.
Uncle Moses hesitated for moment, out
| the love of money was deep in his soul
well, l KANT zactly say as 1 was
wounded, but pears like my rheumatis
wouldn't "a been so bad fo' the las five Y EAR
L
army" he said, the desire for pens.on
stronger than his conscience.
"How long you done dr. " that team, Mis-. ali
Bosley!' said Mr.. Jackson. with an official
| air. ''Be keerful, now! Remember you is
jest the same as on yo' oaf. and wants de
whole troof and muffin but de troof, cease
is one OBJ de gubernment officers, and has
took my Oaf to do my duty' .-n.
f.ric I'D ot
this solemn assertion, and answered, truth
fully: We'll. you see WASN'T really ue5er
soldier at all, but was Jest hired to drive
wagon from Villa Ridge to Cairo, when
Col Wallace was dere with his three-months
men; but it war a awful rainy day, and 1
tux cold that settled in all my bones, and /
dest nearly coughed my inards out"
lob co&e, den de guberment owes you a
pension, Mistah Bosley, and is glad l is heah
to see dats you gifts it. But befo' we goes
any furder with dis business, let me come
straight to de pint, and ak you eff you won't
boa'd me. is able to pay well, and since
Use got 'quainted with you and Mis- Bosley,
pears like couldn't feel satisfied boardin'
nowhars else" Uncle Moses looked at his
wife, and waited until she gave little
affirmative nod before he answered: "We's
deSt POI folks, Mr.. Jackson, and has POI
livin', but eff you kin put up with our grub,
we'll take yCu.''
81 is ever so much obleeged to you, I'm
sho, Mr.. BosleY, but dere is one thing done
forgot to AK about. Does you hold family
wushup reglar, and does you saw grace at
de tablet Case couldn't be satisfied less'n
you did"
Moses assured him that those religious
services were never omitted, and inwardly
set Mr.. jackson still higher in his estima-
ton.
Il b'leeves in bein' strict in business mat
ters so what mout yo' charges be, Mr..
Bosleyl" was the next inquiry.
The two old people considered together in
an undertone for moment, both deciding
that since the agent was so wealthy, they
might as well charge large price.
I'VE thinks about four dOllahs a week
would kiver expenses" said Moses.
Again Mr.. Jackson's generous spirit re-
VOTED against the smallness of the amount
81 couldn't allow you to rob yo'selves dat
away, nohow. De guberment allows me
two dollahs a day for boa'd, and rs not
goin' to be dishones' enough to pay you
only four dollahs week, and keep de res
myself. only axed you fo' fear it mout be
mo- dan two dollahs day." he said.
Visions of more five-cent lawns and new |
hat for herself began to dance in Aunt |
Bettie's brain as she listened, and Uncle |
Moses thought of ''dem shoats he done been |
wantin' to buy for sech a long time from |
Brudder Jake Bowlegs," and whose posses |
sion now seemed almost certainty with |
both pension and board money.
Then Mr.. jackson entered into elaborate |
explanations of his plans of procedure in |
the pension-work and engaged Uncle Moses,
at a salary of two dollars day, to go around |
the neighborhood and introduce him, dis
playing at the same time a voluminous
array of documents bearing so many red |
seals and gilt eagles on their surfaces that
Uncle Moses was deeply impressed with Mr..
Jackson's Importance.
Meantime Aunt Bette was fussing and
worrying inwardly; she was so afraid
Alviry would not be liked up'' when they
got home, and cudgeling her brain for a
plan to avoid having her daughter appear at
a disadvantage before this fascinating
stranger. So she muttered few words in
her husbands ear, and accordingly when
they reached their corn-feld, through which
there was short cut home, she declared
she was too tired to ride another minute
longer, and climbed out of the wagon, de-
Ginning the company of the gallant pension
agent as politely as it was offered.
Aunt Bette came as near running then as
her superabundance of flesh would allow,
and reached the cabin very warm and al
most breathless.
"Alviry you Alviry! whar is you!" she
called, excitedly, the moment she got in
hearing distance of the house.
'Halloa, nanny here is" said lank,
lean girl of about seventeen years. with big
bare feet aud straight bony legs that were
but sparsely covered with her scanty blue
cotton dress. Land sakes, nanny what's
the matter! You look all beat out and
Where's pappyl Did them horses run away
and kill you both!" the girl said excitedly.
mo, no. Run, chile, run, and put on yo'
white dress and yo' shoes and stockings!
Oars gran rich man comm home with
yo' pappy in the wagon. What has you been
doin' to yo'self to look so onery."
Don't look no wuss than usual, reck-
on" said the girl, sullenly. 'I's been a-dig-
GIN taters, as pappy told me; and you
know you'd a scolded me il I'd affixed up to
so into the later patch"
"Well, never min, honey, dest run and
dress as quick as ever you can. There
comes the wagon up the lane now" said the
mother. in honeyed accents, anxious to have
Alviry good-humored upon Mr.. Jackson's
arrival.
The young lady walked away slowly, evil
IDENTIFY much more anxious about the ap>
pearance of the grand gentleman than her
own; and it was only by dint of threats and
that her mother finally hustled
her up the ladder into the loft used as her
bedroom before Mr.. Jackson's elegant figure
at the doorway, and his fluent
tongue was expressing hopes that Sister
Rosley was nnt fafi0ned after her lonc rrnIlr |