Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-02-24
BIG SIS MIDDLETON.

II be had said in glass OF beer the task
would have been easier, or even if he had pre-
scribed a nice little milk toddy; but he is a
strange man, this doctor is, and he simply
said water-plain, old fashioned water.
/ had taken those powders all the evening,
and felt drowsy. just as Twas getting into
a good doze there was a knock at the door,
and when | went out to see what was wanted
the Office boy handed me a note, instructng
me to take the next train for south Georgia.
The command was imperative, as newspa-
per commands usually are, and in fifteen
minutes had my grip packed, and was on
my way to the depot.
The train was on time and / didn't have
time to get a nip before l was aboard and on
the way to my destination.
It was a long, weary ride, and ] went to
sleep on car seat and slept until the brake
man howled out "Doodleville,n and opened
my eyes to find it broad daylight, and in
the heart of the dear old piney woods.
The first thing that struck me was the scent
Of the smoke Of the burning log heaps. and
the chirp of the birds, and the sight Of the
dogwood blossoms, and / just felt too jolly
for anything.
] got off the train and stared around at the
old familiar landmarks and tried to reInem
Der for what they had sent me south. Sud
denly it occurred to me that in my bewilder.
ment had got of at the wrong station, and
turned around ouly to see thetrain rafting
away in the distance.
.When will the next train passF asked
the station master, who was cycling Inc curl
ously.
"Going upgn
'No, going DOWN.
"Why"
'Dad burn it, don't ask me why. I'm in 1
hurry"
"Spos'n you aire Won't do no good"
"When will the next down train pass
pleaseTn
"FreightT
"No, passenger, you-beg pardon, but rv'
got of at the wrong place.
''You have, ehg Don't this town suit you
II il don't, thar's the road. ="
"Oh, the towns all right but / had i'm
portant business further down the road
"Well, thar's the crossties.n
II know, but whom win the noxt trail
passenger train, mean-going downi
"Whyn't you ak me that at fustn'
"Well, its my fault. win you tell M
nowF'
swell, don't mind If do If it's on time
~ VIII DC just ILLS AJuA tS-noAAoh- W ~
time you gotm
"Half-past3 by my watch, answered.
"Do you want to trade that ere turnipr
''No, don't care to trade
"Seems to me ! ought to know you "
seen you somers. in spite o them clothesn
why, Dink Watson, as sure as Pm alivel
exclaimed, as 1 gave the fellow a cleara
scrutiny.
"That's me, old boss whar you ben {
long"
'oh, knocking around. Say, how's all til
folks that we used TO hnowP
Gan bout the same. Big log rollin' n
frolic over to OIL man Dempsey Middleton
today. That is, the frolic's tonight"
is that sofn
ashore to be so. You used to be sort,
soft on Big Sis, didn't you."
Eyes, how is she. Married. guess
''No, she haint mother. Fat an sassy
ever, an jest bout as spry. Looks as your
and dances as good as she al'us did. y
"Well, I'll be hanged if that isn't gos
news.n
"Wanter go to the frolicl You useter
be a hellacious sort Of feller for frolickir
Ricollect them days when you useter wa
jawbone' with the johnson galsi"
"Oh, hush, Dink; you remind me Of 0
times"
"How'd You like to take in thefrolicl Car
git away finn here nohow till this time I
morrer, lessn you walk. I'm agwine, and
you wanter 60 III borry Nathe Mixons bugi
an wen hitch paps cretur to it and jest
asailin'n
aDogged il I don't go, for little viii
anyhow"
Gan right III be ready in jiffy."
While Dink was gone for the turnout I !
down on a stump and INDUCED in some que
"reminiscences. Right around this locality,
years gone by, spent some wild and reckl
days Big Sis Middleton was one Of j
favorites. She weighed l65 pounds, was
plump as a gosling, and dance, Great Cess
True. when She had on her low quarter
shoes. her feet looked like a funeral proc
I sion. but didn't care n cuss for that.
= She could sling those feet around in "
A that would make the German trotters we
/ / got SO absorbed until began whistli
S "Chicken in the Bread Tray and Dink
: 10 veil at me two or three times before
heard him.
Soon as we got away from the little Gle
ing around the station everything began
s LOOK familiar. There were the long aven
v Of mines. carpeted with the dull, gray "
: grass; the glimpses OF old, broom sedge fiel
and now and then log farm house, with
well sweep and the martin gourds-and
Just as | left il.
IS Oh, golyl Happy Why, I forgot t
: there was such thing as a newspaper
earth. Brick walls and stony streets IA
from my mental vision, and the jingle Of
bell on the brindled COW took the place of
,; engine bells
The drive was very pleasant. The
mare went laundering along, and the ricl;
le buggy rocked from side TO side, like shiE
h sra, over the roots and through the mud y
lows; and all the old familiar signs and see
. sfmy boyhood home in the wildwood.
Dink recounted TO me the family histo
Z OF every family in the district, told me '
had died, who had married, how many c
dren they had, who had moved away,
where they had gone 10 and
" "What in the dingnation did you war
n leave here furl Don't you know this is
OF gyarden spot Of the yearthr
as Il don't know, Dinks il is good count
Al and it is going to improvo.n
at Don good 'nough a. it Is. That cu'
w railrosd-if I do work fur it--kil onI
es pspas ilgeiiest yearlins, tother day.
"A, dadlSasted thing, but he'lligit damages,