St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-10-12
IERUSALEM'S NARROW ESCAPE.

Price2 Eff you goes foolin' round dat ar
watermillion patch de debble sho to git
you"
Jerusalem hung his head and looked
guilty but he had been threatened with
the s.debble'' ever since he was little fell
Low wearing his sisters cast CIT dresses,
and having escaped his clutches so far, In
his heart secretly defed him. He had
however, wholesome fear of the cowhide
that hung behind the cabin door, and of
His mothers vigorous arm when she ap-
,splied it, so he stood shutting uneasily be-
heath her penetrating gaze, while faint
"Yes'um" came from his grinning lips.
''You needn't be yes uming' me, Jeru-
salem Price, and thinking you is gwine to
fool me, for sho as you steals one OBJ dem
millions, Use gwine to fin it out. Now
member what | tells you; you'n Lemuel
60 straight down to yo' Uncle's and don't
stop for no foolin' On de way. De Lawd
will lay pow'ful heavy han on you, eft
you takes what doesn't long to you"
Aunt Linda shook her he ad so solemnly,
that a little superstitious chill ran up
Jerusalem's back, and he looked with a
shudder over his shoulder into the dark
woods behind him, half afraid to venture
into their shsdowy depths.
Lemuel, who was older and mora OBJ
servant than his dusky cousin, gave lit.
tie cbuckle that startled his aunt, and
aroused her indignation as well.
"Lemuel Tardrop, what you laughin'
'bout2 Amt you 'shamed to not show
mo- disrevence when Use talkin' bout de
Lawd p
"Oh Use dest a thinkin' bout some
thin, Aunt Linda Don't you reckvlec'
that night done stayed here, and Uncle
Bob coined home with three fryin' pullet,
and how he slapped Jerusalem over for
akin where he got 'em, and you never
said muffin, but dest killed de chickens
and picked EN-? And de berry, mex,
mawnin' ole Squire Thomas was ravln'
mad and cussin' cherry thing black and
blue. kase some person done stole his
three fine white leghorn pullets? And de
!, Lawd didn't lay no heavy hand on dat
sschicken thief, nor dem chickens didn't
lay heavy on we un's stomachs, neider"
Aunt Linda replied in q tone Of great
d6everity
y "Boy, what you talkin' bout Dat was
fore yo' uncle done got 'ligion. Squire
Thomas neber ketch him stealth no pullets
agin.
"Dfun't ketch him den elder" said Lem
uel. giggl1ng, dough dey tried hard
enough. Q, golly How dem feeders
did smell when you frowed 'em in de fire
when Uncle Bob seed old Squire comm i,
and laughed till mos fall outen de lof
whar | was hidin,' when de ole gemmen
axed YOU what made sech awful smell,
and you look as inherent as pigeon and
tole him you didn't know what it was,
'thoughtn't it might be a pole cat dat de
dogs driv under the house"
And Lemuel writhed around in agon1es
of merriment. at the picture his memory
had brought before him.
slow smile stole over Aunt Linda's
face, in spite of her attempt to look stern.
t'Dat YVES befo' we come into de fold OBJ
de Amounted, Lemuel, aud de ebil one was
in partnership wifi us, but we longs to
de 1ams now, and we'll eat polk and bacon
"GoIly but yeu'n Uncle Bob mighty
funny ole lams, pears to me! 'spects
YOU b'longs to de black Sheep and
another chuckle followed this bold attempt
at wit.
ssLemuel Tardrop, eff you doesn't stop a
maxim fun of 'ligion and OBJ 20 betters
somefn' awful gwine to come up wifi You
Wit and don want you putin no mis-
cheevous notions into Jerusalem's head
for he's full OBJ 'em now as de summer am
oh hoppergrasses An yo' can laugh and
laugh and roll yo' niger eyes and show
yo' teef like q possum, but certain, sho>
Ell YOU boys goes meddlin, wifi dem water
millions to might, some6n' dest drefful
gwine to happen, SO g'long wifi you now,
and behaves yo'selves like gem'men."
So saving, Aunt Linda turned her portly
form about, and went into the cabin,
where, by the light of q very small and
very smoky coal-oi1 lamp, she proceeded
to wash the snpper dishes.
Meantime the two boys were walking
slowly along the path leading through the
woods to the main road, both OF them
silent awhile, then Lemuel spoke;
8 II amt afeard oh de debble, is you, Je-
rusalema"
J. 81 kant say is but I is pow'ful feard
OBJ nanny If she gets started onst.
eyes. Oh course but she amt gwine to
beat you 'thout'n she knows something to
heat You for. isg8e? and she amt 'bleeged
TO know ebery thing, am shep,
.sN.o / reckon she am not" said Jeru-
salem slowly.
..Well. den, what's the use of we uns
irvine home hungry, when dere's dozens
ob big watermillions lYin' IN de patch at
Judge Martins, and all ives got to do, is
dest to go and git EN-.
can't no reason, guess, only-only-a
Jerusalem hesitated.
s.Only you's splum coward, Jerusalem
Prica. and you knows it. isn't afeard OF
INV nanny nor de debble elder. and Pse
gwina to hab my fill OBJ dem millions, and
don't YOU forgit ii r said Lemnei IN tone
of great braVado.
Now Lemuel had always seemed quite
hero to Jerusalem, and as ne Hsteneo, ms
scruples and fears vanished together.
.sT'se wiIIin' to go eff You is, Lemnel
Use dest hungry enough to eat bushel OF
'em myself" -, -.
a they agreed to loiter along the roae
All hed-tine. then to slip softly into ths
melon. match, where they could gorge them
selves TO their hearts content.
II was the first time they had ever ven
tured upon anything so bold and wicked q
stealing melons, and certain degree o.
timidity and nervousness possessed them
tbonoh neither would have owned IL, 81
aftar awhile when they finally approached
tba melon patch, they were fairly shaking
and the sound OF their owns whispered
yvnrds seemed loud and startling.
lived better not Dof go TO dc same
,,Iace fo' fear we mout git to talk1n ane
isnobi,, n said Lemuel, in whom the spirit
nf strategy was strong. You go on FUR
Sar down Jerusalem, and ri squeeze II
+s-;vt Al rails OBJ de fence right heah
WHEN ives done filed splum up, you
] hin come on back, and well go nome
~ I ems agreed, so half walking, hall
crawling, he edged his way along I'M