The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-01-02
ERAsTUs BEMIs.
Uncle Gabe In Reminiscent Mood
Tells a Good Story.

what makes you SO quiet, Uncle
Gabe? Are you sick, or has any one
said any thing to hurt your feelings?" /
asked.
No, boy; I'm jest thinkin' of my own
thoughts; life reminds me Of Method
list class-meetin,, If one were to tell the
true inwardness Of his thoughts what
an experience he would unfold How
Is it with you to-day, Sister So-and-so?
II Sister So-and-so were to tell the truth
Of how 1t really was with her, imagine
there would be good many surprised
looks exchanged In that class.
Now I'm an old man often think on
my youthful days, and the things that
happened years ago are fresher in my
mind than those of yesterday. 1t doesn't
seem more than ten years ago, hardly,
that | left old Lisbon, and If live till
May I'm jest gofn home to old Con-
necticut once more to. see all the old
places Bundy hill, the old farm and all
the rest, please God.
! never told you about Teller that l
knew named Erastus Bemis, that mar
ried Electy Sparhawk, or ruther Lecty
married him, did II Well, it's quite a
tale, and might serve as warnin' to We
not to be rash about enterin''t the holy
state Q, matrimony. as the apostle calls
1t. Erastus Bemis lived over in Hano-
YER parish, lived in Newent, and-we
both on us belonged to the militia and
the same fire company. We allus met
at spring trainin, and faffmnster, and
we had real good times together, for
liked his company fust rate. Rast's pa
wus blacksmith, and he made the best
horse-shoes in the two parishes
allus went over to his forge with our
critters for old man Bemis to tend to
their hoofs, and as Rast helped the old
gent we met quite often. Rast was
tall, raw boned, 1oose-jinted kind of a
chap, and he allus stepped kinder high
from the knee up, with sort OF a tee
term gait Of walking, and that, to my.
mind, aflus betokens close and stingy
disposition, although at that time poor
Rast hadn't much to be stingy with; the
old gent just allowed him enough wages
to pay his board, and If it hadn't been
for old lady Bemis givin' Rast half of
the milk-money (which was hcrs) he
would have Jared sort o. slim, as it were.
Old Mr.. Bemis had been married be-
fore, and at his death the farm went to
the fust woman's son, and what money
the old aman could save he was q bank
in for the old lady If she was left Wild
der. He didn't SEEM to admire Rast
much, and Rast didn't worship the old
gent, nuther, and often sorter high
words passed betwixt 'em, for Rast
didn't know enough to hold his tongue.
Old Mis- Bemis was Bishop, a sister of
the Mr.. Bishop j worked for.@ She was
kind old motherly soul as ever lived.
She was very fleshy and there was no
more shape to her than there is to q
meal-bag. She was scant o. breath, be-
ing afflicted terrible with the asthmv.
She kept a little bound gal to save her
steps, and between the two OF them
they cooked real nice vittels. Their
sassages were jest boss.
Mis- Bemis thought an awful sight o.
me. l want harnsome, to be sure, but
] tried to keep my manners genteel, and
was allus kind and obleegin to the la
dies, and in that way Iget good many
invites out to tea. +
Jining the Bemis farm at the south
east anglewas the fine farm, belongins
to the Sparhawk family. The family con-
sisted Of Mis- Sparhawk, the old gent,
Lecty, Austin, Lishe and little Ned.
Lecty was as smart as streak O light
ming, and jest as sharp She had facul-
ty, and she helped old man Sparhawk
jest like man about the farm. She
could harness the critters, pillow, plant
corn, hoe pertaters and was what the
men call. a regular stayer. Austin and
Lishe were married and had good farms
of their own; and Lecty had her ma well
under her. thumb, and the old lady
didn't dare say her soul was her own
when Lccty was stumpin' round the
house.
Mis- Sparhawk was little bit OF
woman with peach-blossom skin,
bright black eyes, and hair-as white as
snow. she was regular beauty in her
old age, which was seventy-six. Lecty
was consid able over forty, but looked
morn her age from trampin' round the
farm in all sorts of weather, when she
might have been better employed in the
house, a-helping of hernia, although her
ma must have had good time when
Lccty wasuut of doors Lecty was always
cross and fault-finding. and she want
good-looking nuther, being dark COM
plected and stoop-shouldered from work
ing like a man about the place. Her pa
thought she was lovely, however, and
betwixt 'em they piled up the dollars,
and their balance at the savin's bank
must have been consid able.
Old man Sparhawk enj'yed poor health,
but he did a sight Of work, and he was
allus stewing around, fearful that he
would die suddent and that the farm
would r. to rack and ruin. He was allus
. dingins At Lecty to get married, but
the wimmen so outnumbered the men OF
manageable age in Lisbon that no man
offered up to Lecty, so you see she had
no chance, as it were; and as Lecty had
gent she'd jest do her own sparkin' and
choosin' without any of his advice. The
old gent told her to go ahead, but to be
mighty keerful she didn't make fool of
herself
Along in the spring, just as COM
pleted my thirty-first year, ! was work
ing at the mason's trade at Albany; we
were having slack time jest then,
having to wait for brick to complete q
large four-story building that was
bossing. SO ! packed my carpet-bag
and went to Lisbon to make mother a
little visit. jest spent the fust week
after / got to Lisbon a going round
here and there, askin' after MY sick
friends. ! sot up good many nights
with cid man Sparhawk, who had felt
No cruel grip q ths winter fAst, ana Ne