Thomas County cat., 1890-02-20

the men sit out In front OF their stores
In the afternoon and whittle goods
boxes and gossip. Talk about church
sewing society! No association OF
women / ever knew of can compete
with these gatherings of men in our
small towns on Sunday afternoons, OF
on election, or holidays, for gossiping.
Many family feuds have arisen from
these Sunday male gossip gatherings
in the towns and hamlets of the South
which resulted in assassinations and
bloody battles between the families in
yolved for several generations.
l did not care to spend the Sabbath
in one of those small towns, so stopped
at the first inviting house I came to on
the roadside that looked like there
was plenty of provender for my team,
q shelter for my buggy and room for a
stranger" as wayfarers are called in
the provincialism of the country, to
sleep in.
In response to my Hello" an old
lady came to the door. vigorously knit
ting on a woolen sock. Peering over
her steel-rimmed spectacles, she asked
what was wanted
Il would like to stay here over Sun
day, if / can. do not wish to spend
the Sabbath in town, and l am will
ing to pay for my accommodation and
for my horses"
Wall my son Hank amt here now.
but his wife is. I'll fetch her. Hank S
gone ter town, an l low she kin tell
you more about it. Oh, Jinnyw
In answer young woman of about
twenty-five years came to the door
She said l would be welcome to stay if
would put up with what the family
had" as they had made no prepare
tions for company. MY husband will
be home soon," she said
A boy was called, who took my team
to the lot, and went into the house
1t was one of those great double log
houses, "chinked" with cement, and
whitewashed outside and ceiled within
and papered. 1t was a warm day,
about two hours before sunset. and the
flower pots in with native flowers,
which filled the rooms with delicate
perfume. In looking over the album
on the table, came across girls face
Ihad seen in Illinois years before on a
trip to the country As the hostess
passed through the front room, |
asked her if she knew the original of
that little girls picture. She stam-
mered, and said it was hers when she
was small. / then told her when and
where l was al her fathers house, and
I,% l.. L. l.
band, Mr.. Hank Adams, Texas
planter, uncultured but big-hearted,
while he was up there buying some
fine horses: they fell in love at sight,
ana had been happily married more
than year. As she said this. her
beaming face told of supreme happi-
ness and contentment, and in speak
ing of her husband. her voice took on
that soft. low accent and tone which
told of deepest love and entire conf
dence. l mention these things be-
cause l had them forciblv and pain
fully brought back to ME within the
succeeding twenty-four hours
When her husband came In she in
troduced me as an old acquaintance.
whom she had met in her girlhood at
her fathers. in Illinois. BE gave me a
cordial greeting, and l heard him kiss
Ing his pretty little wife in the next
room moment afterwards, and telling
her that nothing was too good for any
one who had known her folks" and
her.
The next morning Hank was called
away early to go to a lower plantation
he had few miles from home to attend
to some breaks in the fences made by
cattle which had broken into his corn
and cotton fields during the night.
Mrs. Adams took the family buggy and
went alone to church few miles away.
es her husbands younger brother
"had ter go and ride ter church
with girl up ther road who he is
strpttin' round his mother confiden-
tally informed me. This left no one
at the house but old Mrs. Adams and
me- Being informed that dinner would
not be ready on Sunday until about