Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-07-30
to herself and sayin' all sorts Of
things about the family. Then the

Jefferson! never wuz go sur
p.,e,i in my lifel He was all fixed up,
and he didn't take no more notice of
us than ef we waren't there. In
minute | saw why; he'd come to call
on young lady, and wuz so taken
up by her he hadn't eyes fur nobody
else. ! didn't mind, but Jane did.
They sot on a sofa and talked until
In came a gentleman and asked Jack
son Jefferson what he wuz there fur,
and told him he didn't want no low
down poor folks comm after his
daughter.
Now, there ain 'tnothin' fires grand
per up so as anybody lookin' down
on his family, and he riz up from his
seat like a flash. He is six feet two,
is grandper, and his hair is white and
grows real long. Hekin be seen quite
a distance. Everybody looked at
him so pleased they had to laugh.
"Hullo, you'll" says he. "You, I
mean, talking to Jackson Jefferson
es Ell he wus the dirt under your feet.
I'll hev you know that the Binghams
and the Whittakers air as good fam
lilies as you kin find anywheres.
jackson Jefferson is quite good
enough for that gal of yourn,
and as fur bein' poor, I've got
considerable. to leave myself; and
eff hadn't, his pa is forehanded, and
his ma had a torty-acr farm of
her own. Jackson Jefferson can
marry Squire Maltby's darterf fur the
askin', andef Twas him l wouldn't
have a gal that would go round with
the back OF her waist split down so it
amt decent, Wien she could patch it
with the trail of her dress and leave
plenty to spare to trip folks up on"
Grandper always kin talk eff he
wants to, and the folks they all jest
set and laughed to hear how good
he gave it to the old gentleman, and
he never SO much as answered up,
and we couldn't hear what Jefferson
said for the noise; but he went out,
and the young lady had just tainted
dead away. I was sort of sorry for
her. But Jane said she was sure she
painted, for she saw white on her
nose, and then pa he jest walked
about and talked to himselfuntil she
came to, aud then he told her she'd
got to marry somebody or other-1
forget names SO easy that l can't tell
you who he was-and she said she'd
die fust. and went onto her knees.
Then folks called, and they all had
tea, and nobody so much as pulled
the shade down, and some ladies that
came they talked, and a gentleman
he made love to the young lady
Jackson wanted, and it was real in
teresting, but there warren tho horses
nor no dancing, only after awhile
they did pull the shade down, and
the band came out of the cellar doors
and played "gain.
"Perhaps the theaytre will begin
now" says grandper; "but I don't
see no tight rope"
But in little while in the band
went again, and the shade went up,
andy there was Jackson. 1t didn't
look like the same room, and he said
he was Jest home and was tired, and
grandper said:
GAY, ay, you had orter to keep ear
~ hours, jackson.
Then Jackson he said he had the
most awful presentiments of suthin
another dreadful, and grandper said:
Don't fret. my boy. Your ma is
well, and the rest Of the tolkses toll
cradle"
And then jackson laid down on
the sofa and went to sleep and every
thing got blue, and there must hev
been an organ somewhere playing q
hymn tune, and there was somebody
peepin' in at the winder. 1t wus the
gentleman who had hirted with the
low-necked girl, and there wus two
awful tramps with him.
Then one tramp says:
els that our man, master?'
And the gentleman says, eyes"
and told them that he had paid them
we'll and they must not slight their
work.
thought he was going to have the
carpets shook. but when the other
tramp said:
GAY, ay, MASTER! Dead men tell no
tales got skeered, and then the
gentleman went away and the
tramps got in a winder and came
tiptoe down toward Jackson Jeffer-
son. And one of 'em took out big
knife and the other a handkerchief,
and it was Just as plain as anything
they meant to kill him.
Grandper jumped up to his feet
again.
Jackson he holle1s; but ackson
didn't wake up.
"Jackson" yelled Eben, but he
never stirred, and the tramps were
tiptoeing along.
'Come on, grandper.' says Eben.
cay, my boy" says grandper.
Jane she shruck most fearful.
I saw grandper rush up the isle,
clubbing his umbrella, and Eben
doubling his fist. All the congrega-
tion jumped up and laughed and
shrieked, and l saw Eben catch the
biggest tramp by his collar, and
grandper catch hold OF the other one