The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-04


cision, as if he was afraid of pronounc-
ing d word wrong; II see you are COM
ing from the direction Of Mr.. Eilns';
are his people all at home?"
"Look here, Samuel Burns" answer
ed Abram, "don't aggrawate me jess
now; for I feel dat dare's danger III me.
You know very well dat I don't go to
Mr.. Elfns'."
"No offence, I hope" returned the
pedagogue.
"But dare is offence, tell you; and 1
give you fair warnin'. eff you ever skeer
my hoss agin, I'll beat your nose so fiat
upon your face, dat folks will say it was
done wild slidge hammer"
MY dear sir" demonstrated Burns,
II did not frighten your horse, it was
your horse that frightened me, for he
nearly overran 1ne. Indeed, Mr.. Prles-
ter, it is very plain that you are seeA-
ing opportunity to pick quarrel with
me. In your hands, I know I would
be as powerless as lamb under the
teeth of wolf. BY the by, Mr.. Prizes
ter, did you ever read Esop's Fables"
mo, durn your imperdence!" yelled
Abram, his blood growing blacker and
blacker.
son but you must read them; for
thew are most excellent. There's one
of them, Mr.. Priester, would particu-
larly advise you to read. 1t is entitled
the wolf and the lamb. You see, sir, the
wolfsought for an opportunity to raise a
Quarrel with the lamb so that he might
Gevour hir,. So one day they were
drinking from the same rivulet, and the
wolfaccused the lamb of muddying the
water. THAT can't be, SIR said the
lamb, because the water flows from
YOU to me- At that the wolf tore the
lamb to pieces, not because the poor
creature muddied the water, but be-
cause he aggravated one more powerful
than himself"
Samuel Burns" continued Abram,
"You'll 60 on foolin' wild me, ontil
there'll be trouble when you amt ex-
pectin' of it. Did you git the letter l
writ to you Yesterday, givln' you
warnin'?"
"Oh yes, I received it, Mr.. Priester,"
replied Burns'', ha,' ,'ha, ha, it was fine
piece of composition. Why, Abram'
you ought to come to school to me. l
could teach you in two months how to
write a better letter than that. You
surely do not venture to write to the
girls? They would all laugh at you"
At this Abram writhed in his saddle
and made movement 10 dismount, IN
order to wreak vengeance upon the
man who was, as he thought, making
sport of him. His good angel, how
ever, came to his help and changed the
color of his blood back to the clear
crimson of forbearance. In moment
be resolved to smother his rage, and
urging his horse onward be disappeared
from his accomplished rival. Though
scarcely had he lost sight of him when
his blood began to grow black again, as
he reflected upon the mans meanness
in importuning young woman to
marry MIN upon the strength of his
having the good will of her parents.
He turned his horse round suddenly in
the resolution to rush back, and with
out waste of words, infict upon the
person of Samuel Burns condign pun
ishment. The fable of The Wolf and
the Lamb was all that saved the un-
suspecting pedagogue.
Regaining his composure, Abram
threw the reins upon the animals neck,
and sank into a deep reverie. At
length he began to soliloquize.
II ought to take courage" said be,
"for dat same cob-pipe is gwine to be
his ruination. I 'ciare, though, it's too
bad. could make Mr.. Elfins bushel
of sich, and better; but it would be Of
no Use. Wen people git so old dat dey
amt got no more sense; but mus keep
on bodderin and a interfeerin' wild
wat dey amt got de feelins to under
stand, nor to ricollect ennythin' about;
but must keep on bodderin young
folks wat has got to step in deir shoes,
and -and-a-take DER places, wy, IL
I-I-"while stammering away at this
personal pronoun, he had gradually,
while standing up high in his stirrups,
raised his fist high above his head, and,
bringing it down with violence upon
the pommel of his saddle, exclaimed,
s'I-I'll be durn'd eff it wouldn't be right
to put 'em out OF de way"
Beware, Abram Priester, beware!
The schoolmaster proceeded trium-
phantly on his way, and in half hour
knocked at the door of Mr.. Elfins. He
was received with great distinction by
the old man and his wife. The pipe
was offered and accepted with thanks
expressed, 4etta, who was in an ad-
Joining room preparing the table for
the evening meal, recognized the voice
of the visitor; and in an agony of dis
satisfaction petulantly seized the
fre-poker and inflicted a cruel blow
upon a venerable tom cat who was
purring good-naturedly by the fire.
"Dare's dat schoolmaster agin," she
exclaimed,-'dat ugly, yaller-eyed,
pinty-nosed feller, wat daddy wants
me to marry. Now, amt it a sin 2nd a
shame? Goodness gracious! wat sort of
life would I lead wild him? I won't
have him! I won't! I won't! I won'tW