The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-01-19
DRIy FROM HOME.
How the Lost one was Received and
Forgiven.

Il was resting on q log at q turn in the
road which ran along the Yadkin river,
with half a milo Of the stream in full
sight. when / caughtsight Of canoe CON-
ing down. It appeared to have broken
adrift, and as the current set It directly
toward 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. 1t was the head Of a real live ma
tive-long haired, sallow faced, high
cheek bones. unkempt whiskers and gel
low teeth. The head regarded me with
surprise for a time, and then a body
came into view. Its long arms. dun col
ored garments, talon like finger nails,
stoop shoulders and long neck proved
the presence of a native Cracker" He
gazed and l gazed, and as he did not
seem inclined to be the first to break the
silence / finally said:
"Helloi What are You doing there?"
stranger, I've bin driv from hunt"
be replied, in a voice so full Of sorrow
that l could almost see a burying ground
behind him.
He used a piece Of board to paddle the
craft ashore. A closer inspection re-
vealed that he was the essence of sorrow
and dirt boiled down and caked hard.
He was six feet tall, loose jointed, lanky
and evidently as lazy as he was long.
Had / been sure that he was 1000 years
old Iwould have bet one dollar to a shil-
ling that he had not combed his hair or
washed his face for 900 years. He held
out a paw like a washboard, and greeted
me with:
Stranger, ehl Well, old Bill Smith
bids We welcome. Las mite he had a
hum to take We to, and a cheer to sot
out fur ye. and some pone and bakon to
offer We, but this mornin' he kin only
shake ye by the hand. All is gone-all
is gone"
HAS some calamity happenedg" !
asked.
"Some calamity has. I've been driv
from hum, stranger. / hain't got no
place to lay my head no more, 'cept in
that thar leaky canoe"
''That's bad. Who did itY'
"Selutha, sah-and nobody else-driv
me right away from the hum in which /
was born"
Sand who's SeluthaY"
my wife-the woman who vowed to
love and cherish and support me. Mar
RED her more'n seventeen years ago, and
we've got FIVE children. and last mite she
driv me from humr'
"You had a fuss, / SUPPOSE"
Purse? Furse? No, we had no furse.
She jist lit down on me and pulled hair
and clawed, and said she'd stood it long
enough. She driv me out in the cold
world, and l went to bed in the canoe,
cast her adrift and yere l 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 it?"
"Six miles, and I'll take you up in the
canoe. Do it for 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 him
self away"
Gar ye a lawyer" he asked as we
drove along up the river.
Something Of one"
"Goodl l was in hopes you was. You
can argify the ole oma in ten min
utes."
what made the FUSS"
''Jist q notion o. hern. l hain't well
and can't work, and she's got a notion /
orter. Jist tell her that l look like a
man who won't live a year. Tell her
that hard work would break me down
in a week, Tell her you e felt SO
sorry fer any one in yer huh life"
We voyaged along for awhile in ST.
lence, and then l noticed that the man
was weeping. He wiped the tears away
and asked:
Stranger, was ye " driv from
hum
Never"
Then ye don't know how it breaks a
Teller down. In argifying with Selutha
jist menshun that l wept, won't ye:
She's heavy on tears"
We landed at the bank below Smiths
cabin about noon. He decided to re-
main Ia the canoe until / should go up
and 'argify." / cut across a field to
the road and approached the house from
the front. At the door was a broken
gun and three or four steel traps. which
had been pounded out Of shape. | also
saw a splintered powder horn and an old
fur cap, and there was a faint smell OF
whisky from some broken glass. ]
found Mrs. Smith to be a ervo little
woman of 40, and the five children were
like a pair of stairs in height. l was
very kindly received, and after a little
I made bold to say:
II met Mr.. Smith about six miles
down the road"
"Whati My ole Bill, the onery muler
demanded the wife.
Eyes, ma'am.n
"And didn't We shute at himT
"Oh, no."
"You orter. He's the lankest. LATEST,
shuckless man in Moth Carolina run
him out last mite. | sha'n't truck with
him no mo-
..He was telling me about it He felt
very badly"
..N a. p;1l fa14 had .hor+ am.