The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-08-21
UNCLE ABEL.

Il vas mid-Rinier-Jauuary but IN
South Florida the Frost King had far too
many enemies to admit Of his reigning
The road from Tampa to the inland town
Of Barlow stretched cut in the warm win
1 Ter sunshine, hot, sinaous and sandy.
I 8 gentleman riding leisureIy along the
road smiled to himself as he came upon
a sudden turn where 4 tree had fallen
across the road, and, it being no ones
business 70 removed The trunk, a sharp
detoer had been made. At this point
the monotonous pines gave place to 4
stretch Of beautiful high hammock
( country, and he spied a narrlw winding
path leading from the road into very
thick part OF the hammock. Into this
leafy path he turned, idly woudering
where il led. Many sharp turns it made,
and, finally, as it swept around large
bunch Of palmetto, be found himself at
the very gate Of some ones homestead,
and face to face with a strange figure
A heavy beard proclaimed the figure
to be that Of a man, but the iron-gray
hair was reached" from the forehead in
a bygone school girl fashion, and conin-
ed by a genuine round comb, from which
it fell to the shoulders in loose ringlets.
j Small gold hoops were in bis ears, and
huge bandana was pinned about bis
+ throat with an immense old fashioned
brooch. The man wore loose, short
( trowsers, that reminded one forcibly of
the divided shirt so ardently urged
upon femininity by dress reformers, and
shining brass spurs were attached to bis
boots.
The native leisureIy surveyed the horse
man, and twinkle revealed itself in his
shrewd, brown eve as he noted the stran-
gers evident confusion. He had been
tanning himself with his palmetto hat,
but now he put it on aslant as he said,
cordially
Howdy, Yank2 I'm glad to see We.
Won't ye light and come in for spell?7
4 would ike a drink, the stranger re- /
Piled and yonder old live oak looks
inviting. by name is Rlwson,7 be add
ed, as he led his horse to the gate.
And I'm Abel Hammond or, If We
viii, Uncle Abel Hyer, Sed ito Lad
who approached -. you tend to the gen
tlernan's critterr Then turning to lead
the way to the large live oak which had
attracted the strrnger's attention, he con-
tinued in the drawing tone peculiar to
all the crackers" as the native whites
of the Florida backwoods areeaIled, say
ing
Ye found it purity middling hot,
reckon these yer piney woods amt
much for shade, and this white Fluridy
sands nigh about as hot's the sun, onct
it gifts het up real good"
Two tall, straight backed, hide bottom
chairs stood under the tree, while hang
ing close to the trunk on a low limb was
a curious earthern vessel with gourd
swinging beside it.
Have a chair and drink from the
monkey said Uncle Abel, proceeding to
pour out 4 gourlful Of beautiful, clear
water from a small spout near the top of
the vessel.
His guest evidently appreciated the
good qualities Of the monkey, for he fll-
ed the shining gourd again, inquiring as
he did so if Uncle Abel was a Flori-
dian.
A FIureedian Yeh, I'm genuwine
cracker, born and raised in Fluridy.
Some Of these yer eonsarned e. iits, they
kicks agin being called crackers, but if
you'll show me why 'Flureedian' is such
mighty sight genteeler'n cracker, III
show you a night bioomin' jasmine that
forgits to 20 to sleep in the day time.
This poetic wager from such decided
" prosaic source brought slightly sur
prised smile TO the strangers lips, which
Uncle Abel Immediately noted.
Yer smiling, see. Yethink it's Gurus
that such an ole coon as me 'ud know any
thing bout flowers But, law bless We l
can tell jest where ven find the biggest,
bluest yilets an the sweetest weeny
white uns where the jasmine and haw-
blooms grow thickest, jest when the
sweetgum and maple commences to red,
and where the wild grapes git ripe the
quickest.
How 4 I come to know all this? Well
III tell We. Have you got a little girl to
yore place, with hair jest Ike sunshine,
and eyes like the sky Ye have shake
stranger Fm glad to see ye. But-then
-yore little girl-ain't-blind There
beg yore pardon-but the suns so
bright il kind O. makes my eyes weaken
Reckon III change my seat
After the vigorous use Of large ban
danna. Uncle Abel tilted his broad
brimmed hat slightly over his eyes aud
went on j.
@Yeh my little Sadie's bright eyes.
that look jist ike they could see thro'
the outside and lock right at yer soul
they can't never see nothing 'eepting
what her ole dad talks to her about, and
then she says she sees it in her head
Here he rose and helped himself to a
liberal gourylfai ofthe cool water, and the /
guest took the opportunity to inquire if
his little daughter had always been
blind.
No. she warn't alIus blind twar