Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-08-03
ISR'EL'S SACRIFICE.
lie Might Have Been President II
He Had Only Tried.

So the old lady's been tcllin' you |
might "A been President if | hadn't
wasted myself on the farm, has sheP
Bless her, she can't no more help that
idce abcin' in her head and a-tcllin' of
whenever she gets a chance, than can
help Within when | talk.
Want to know how | missed Twin in
the White House an instead struck
root on II down-east farm? Well, |
don't mind if | tell ye, scein' the cows
is MIXED and the turkeys in and the
old lady can't nowadays think Of
another chore fort least Il mint and II
half,
Never lived on a fMlm, did yc, with
a real smart and ~go-ahcad wife? Well
you'd be s'priscd to see how many
things SIGH a hclpmcct could find to do
after all was done.
But land! Keziah, she's got so lister
midgin me up and I've got so ulster
waitin' to be midgin, that it ed seem
strange like If things wasn't that way.
lo see ! Amt nigh as pudgicky us !
ulster be and things step along first
rate and ca~sy-reckon even the old
notion Of birthstone hereafter wouldn't
scare me much now. I'd sortcr say TO
myself and Keziah, il we've got to be
burned to cinders, we've either got to
gin out some time or be made tough
enough to stand it.
But about my bcin' President. !
was young in them days and was con
sidcrcd good lookin', bcin' five foot
seven in my stockin's and not lackin'
in conccit. May be you've found out
ior yourself that folks value you
pretty much at your own figures, and
to think you're some pumpkins is the
surcSt way to be some pumpkins. It's
strange, but mighty true. Now don't
count for nigh rs much rs | did in
thom days jest because I've sortcr
grown modes, and don't set myself for
ward, llcigho, il it wa'n'tfor Kcziah
! don't believe | would be any count
at all.
But when | had this good fcclin'
about myself lived over there on a
farm jest beyond them hcmlocks ye
see to the north, and Kcziah, she lived
here in the old house, which | may add
want nigh so smart and white us it is
now, Kcziah was Il beauty in them
days, jest like a peach that's all ready
TO drop off n II tree, but if you'll be
lievc me | didn't know it then. had
TO 60 away to larn it.
Ye see ! had growed up with her
and was so used TO takin' her soft eye,
and gentle ways for granted that
didn't think nothing of them in par
t%icular, or if ! did | thought they wa,
part of pretty much all girls, and my
due for bein' 4 superior chap. ustel
carry her to singin' school and appl,
bees and meetin's, but as for lovin
her, didn't know what it meant.
! was ambitious, yc see, in then
days, and cor,dn't give no thought tt
love maxim, more'n an evenin's fun
And Keziah, she seemed never to thinl
about it no more'n | did. She was
easy and gentle, but that was all.
or and on | worked down to tn,
village, and kept a wantin', strongc'
and stronger, to swing out for myself
where there was lots O noise and OK
element. Country ways began t.
seem dull, and country folks no cn'
slow. | got a notion in my head tina
] was meant for a bigger man than
farmer. | wanted to see the city.
Dear me! All boys jest comm int
whiskers and neckties has the sam
feelin's. Sometimes they o an
sometimes they don't-which | take
was the case with Bonyparte, Now
he only hadn't had II relapse he nigh
"a lived several years longer in con
fort and happiness.
/ recovered, but | had EN- prett
bad and needed some master bite
herbs before | got well.
| took to fndin' faults in the oil
folks as had brought me into life an
worked their poor, tired hands in har
knots for my sake. actually bcga
TO see that they eat with their knivt
and didn't care whether they had
napkin or not!
When ! come TO that state, | though
It was time left. An so n Sunda
afternoon | packed up my close, an
tod mother ] was goin' to New Yorl
| don't like TO think about the wa
her wrinkled face looked when | tol
hcr-it was sudden and unexpected, J
see, to her, for | kept my feelin
pretty much to myself. She didn
try to argy with mo not to 60
want that. but IT was the way 81
said goodbye"
Father want so hard-he was
man, and after givin' me some go6
advice, the thing was done.
Then | went to tell Keziah | was o.
hadn't no sentiment about that.
only bad a feelin' that 1t Oughter !
done, and so ! did 1t. l came aero
her at the pasture bars a-drivin' hon
the cows.
..Tm Of to New York to make m
fortune" says ], gay and easy, -
wish me good luck"
She stood still for a mint there
the shadder OF the naples. a holdi
% 70 the post, and lookin' up a. II d
l11ast understand