Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-04-17
Driv From Home.

was resting on log at turn IN
the road which ran along the Yadkir
river, with half mile of the stream
in full sight, when I caught sight Of
a canoe coming down. 1t appeared tc
have broken adrift, and as the current
set it directly towards the marshy spot
in front of me I waited and watched
with some interest. The craft finally
drove into the reeds and came to a
standstill, and a minute later a mans
head slowly appeared to view. II
was the head of real, live native
long haired. sallow-faced, high cheek
bones, unkempt whiskers and yellow
teeth. The head regarded me with
surprise for time, and then body
came into view. It's long arms, dun
colored garments, talon-like finger
nails, stoop shoulders and long neck
proved the presence of native "crack-
err" He gazed and ! gazed, and as
he not seem inclined to be the first to
break the silence, finally said:
"Hello' What are you doing
there
Stranger, I've bin driv from hum" }"
he replied in voice so full of sorrow
that l could almost sec a burying
ground behind him.
Come ashore and let's talk"
He used piece of board to paddle
the craft ashore. A closer inspection
revealed that he was the essence of
sorrow and dirt boiled down and cak-
ed hard. He was six feet tall, loose.
jointed, lanky. and evidently as lazy
as he was long, Had l been sure that
he was 1000 years old l would have
bet 81 to a shilling that he had not
combed his hair or washed his face
for 900 years. He held out a paw
like wash-board and greeted me
with:
stranger, Ell Well, old Bill
Smith bids ye welcome. Last mite he
had hum to take ye to, and cheer
to sot out fur ye, and some pone and
bacon to offer ye, but this morning he
kin only shake ye by the hand. All
is gone-all is gone"
"Has some calamity happened :" !
asked.
"Some calamity has. I've been
driv from hum, stranger, l hain't
got no place to lay my head no more,
'cept in that ere leaky canoe"
That's bad. Who did it2
"Selutha, sah-and nobody else
driv me right away from the hum in
which was born"
"And who's Selutha :"
"My wife-the woman who vowed
to love and cherish and support me.
Married her more'n seventeen years
ago, and we've got five children, and
last mite she driv me from hum !"
"You had fuss, suppose ?"
"Fursei Furse? No. we had no
furse. She jist lit down on me and
pulled hair and clawed, and said she
had stood it long enough. She driv
me out in the cold world and ! went
to bed in the canoe, cast her adrift.
and yere am, stranger, I'm wuss nor
an orfun. Won't you go back hum
with me and argify to the ole woman?"
"How far is it2"
"Six miles, and I'll take you up in
the canoe. Do it fur me, stranger.
Don't stand by and see a husband
and father driv from his hum"
We got into the canoe and he used
the paddle in a vigorous manner. !
sized him up as a lazy, good.natured
native, and it wasn't long before he
gave himself away.
"Are ye a lawyer ?" he asked as we
drove along up the river,
Something Of one."
Good I was in hopes you was.
You can argify the old woman in ten
minutes"
"What made the fuss p
"Jist notion O. hern. l amt we'll
and can't work, and she's got notion
| orter. Jist tell her l look like
man who won't live year. Tell her
that hard work would break me down
in week. Tell her you never felt so
sorry for any one in yer hull life."
We voyaged along for awhile in
silence, and then l noticed that the
man was weeping. He wiped the
The tears away and asked:
stranger, was ye ever driv from
hum ?"
Never"
Then we don't know how it breaks
a feller down. In argifying with Se-
|utha just mention that / wept. won't
ye? She's heavy on tears"
We landed at just below Smiths
cabin about noon. He decided to re-
main in the canoe until / should 60
up and argify. l cut across field to
The road and approached the house