The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-10-02
JARVIS AND WIFE.

l was within mile of the boundary
lliRe between Tennessee and North Caro-.
lima, and near where the Little Tennessee
river crossest the line, when heard shrill
voices on the rough trail ahead Then as
passed sharp curvel came upon man
and woman, and few rods beyond
them was atumble down cabin with three
children sitting on the doorstep
It needed but a glance to show that
man and woman were husband and wife,
and that the cabin and children belonged
to them. The woman had on an ancient
straw bonnet and a faded shawl as if
bound on a journey, and both people were
somewhat excited. My appearance cut
short their conversation, and both gave
me 'howdyg' as ] drew nearer.
1t was the loneliest, gloomiest spot in
all the gloomy spurs of the lonely Cum
berland. Nine miles back was noun
tain cabin in another such cove--how far
ahead to the next could not say. Around
the house was half an acre of cleared
ground. All else was rock and hill and
bush The nearest town was twenty
miles away, and as for schools and
churches the people had scarcely heard Of
them It wasn't so much the poverty
though none could be poorer-but the
sltter loneliness, the seclusion, the cut
ting loose from all the great world, that
struck me. Once month some stranger
might pass that way, There was an awe
soneness about The spot even when the
sun shone the brightest. When the night
came down and the winds sighed through
trees and bushes and the solemn old
mountain sent masses of loosened earth
and rock crashing down the steep slopes
1T must have been maddening
We three looked at each other for a
minute without speaking, Then the man
said:
''Im jist glad on'ti'
Som Il' replied the woman.
',Cause now I'll tell him all about it,
and You'll see If he don't fetch (agree)
with me"
'fNo, he won't, Samuel Jarvisl He'll
jist fetch with me, and he'll tell you to
yer face that ye orter be ashamed of yer
self"
'sIs it a-a family jar?" inquired.
Come ZIP to the cabin" replied the
man.
The clIildren's faces wore an amused
expression through the dirt. They seemed
to be about Z, 8 and IL years old, respect
lively, and soap and combs and towels
were articles unknown to them. They
snickered among themselves as we ap
{ preached, and the oldest said to his
father;
Mann was a.goin' this time, fur suah.
"Shetp' was the brief command of the
father,
dad and nam is always a-fussin',
added the secsnd oldest.
Hiram, you shetP exclaimed thu
mother as she sat down beside him.
The father and sat down upon a loe
at the door, and while he was clearing hi
voice to begin, and reaching out for 8
stick to whittle while he talked, the
woman suddenly broke down and sobbec
out:
Just look around and see how I've had
to live fur the last fifteen years.
"Thars them as slives wuss, replied the
husband
f"What hev we got?" she demanded,
starting up and looking around. "You
could tote our goods on yer back. We've
jist squatted yere, and we don't own
nothink."
Its agin the law to own niggers," he
calmly observed.
"Niggersl What do we want with
niggers2 Niggers would starve with us
We'uns is niggers 'nuff-
sfWell hey a muel some day."
The children cheered.
"A mu-ell Some dayl Oh. yesl "A
real, live mu-ell And a kerridgel And
wen feed him on slivers and splinters
That's bin the talk fur the last dozen
years, and whar's the mu.elP'
ssMnels is high, Nancy"
''Kin wollop him, dadg anxiously in.
quired the Oldest child.
"Ehetp called father and mother in one
voice.
.'It's like this, stranger" continued the
wife after wiping away her tears. eve
don't git along. It's ell his fault. He's
lazy, and he don't lieer fur riches. He's
allus gwine TO do eunthin, but II never
comes Yere We squatted when we got
epliced, and yere we are today. Them
young uns has growed up like heather,
and I've forgotten all ever lznowed. I've
got clean bushed out"
siam's a-bawling" sniclSered the old
eat,