St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-07-06
WILKINS SET o. GALS.
the Reason Why He Il Not Going
to Kansas.

Job Wilkin was a man about fifty
years OF age, strong. robust and rugged
His sunburnt and weather. beaten face
reminded one of unkept stock. wa:
the new school-teacher in his district
lie was the director. remember. or
one October afternoon just as the sun
was setting. approached his old-fash-
toned log cabin. He was standing in
front of the house watching his boys
feed and put up the stock. and also my
approach down the dust-lalen lane.
The weather was yet warm. Mr..
Wilkin had no coat on his broad back.
His boiy seemed to b, held together by
one broad hone-knit suspender. which
supported e pair of dusty, gray, jeans
trousers. HIS coarse. colored cotton
shirt. ornamented with heavy porce-
lain buttons. was open at the throa,
and displayed a skin as rcd as a turkey
gobbler's snout approached close 10
the bars. for his front fence did not en-
JOY the civilized luxury OF a gaze. and
accosted him with a pleasant good after
noon and the question: lis this Mr..
Wilkin2"
That's my name. Who mout you
be?' lie looked at me as at "A horse he
was buying of a Gypsy.
My name is Smith. I'm the new
teacher who is employed to teach the
Block school"
He looked a. me more closely than
ever
.'Yoo'rc not marriel?'
mo, sir. -
''Whare We frum?"
MAXWELL
'.Eny kin to Billy Smi;h?'
"A distant relative"
''know Doc Slavens"
YES, sir; he is my neighbo:"
He cured Polly Jeemes OF the jan
ders"
Mr.. Wilkin re'apsed into study
which gave me an opportunity to count
thirteen children. six of them young
women; all We're gazing at me from
respectable points of observation like
cattle when they first sight IN ap-
preaching object.
You'll want some place to stop?'
les. sir Nv business is 10 ar.
range 70. a boarding place for the win
ter
WAL. I'll try an 'commodate We for
the night" lie turned and hallooed
toward the house: Amanda Jane, sit
s-,n lat =,
teacher
There was hustliny from the one
window, the open door and other points
of observation as we directed our steps
toward the house. Disappearing calico
dresses and tlaNcn heads could be seen
in a!moS. all directions just then a
large cur dog of the color called 'yal-
ler," which is by no means yellow, but
a muddy white. came up shifting at my
heels. Mr.. Wilkin kicked the dog and
exclaimed: Coon. We rascal, this is
the now teacher"
Take a cheer" said Mr.. Wilkin, and
he placed for me his best chair. which
was covered with brown sleeps skin.
u NNO IOut SoflySa.
He left ne To my thoughts. As the
door opened into the kitchen saw
very long room filed with lodging
faces. then the door swung TO with
machine-likc action. The white hicx-
cry latch. like single iawbone of some
cxtinc: reptile. caught in the no;ched
groove. shook like it was trying its own
fastening powers, then stopped satis-
lied.
Several children were now peerinc
in at the front door. One OF them hit
large hound. which rushed into the
house with spiteful whine. went to
the warm hearth ard shut himself up
as neat as coilei rope could hear
the sound OF subdued voices from the
rear room. the rattle Of pots and pans:
then there fell on my ear an unearthly
sound. rafting of chains. 4 bump.
bump. bump of some solid body. then a
squaking sound like an old wagon, as>
ter this TIE sound OF pouring water
The old man opened the kitchen door.
Come in tur supper. Nancy. bring
the cheers"
arose A large. very pleasant-,ook-
ing. modest young woman catered and
took the chairs. two at time, into the
kitchen and placed them around the
high trough-like table.
This was the only introduction I re-
ceived that day. The dog limped oil
on three legs, yet l could see he gas