The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1891-01-07
UNCLE PETE.

Uncle Pete was rumina ting. low
ever, this was nothing new, as he had
done but little else since the time he was
mite of darby, watching the sparks
ny up from the burning log heaps scat
tered over "old masters" new ground
and die away in the dusky spring even
ing. He would sit upon stump with
the dark. freshly plowed ground about
him giving forth odors of earth and torn
green roots, while the frogs in the shall
low shining branch, marked with will
lows, sang a happy, monotonous refrain.
bus KINKS were turning from black to
gray and many problem as knotty as
his wool and just as powerless to be
Strengthened had passed through his
brain HIS great passion was wealth
twas the only thing he cared for. He
had dreamed Of it in boyhood- seemed
pity those bog heap sparks were not
real gold-had striven for it in his way
IN manhood, and now that old age had
begun to pay court to him in a sly and
wholly unaccountable manner he still
dreamed of and strove for wealth. When
q boy he would grasp every peculiar
looking rock lying in his path, with the
hope that it might bring him fortune.
Tho sum glancing on a piece of glass
would cause his lazy legs to move faster
than was customary, for perhaps it
might be nugget OF gold lying there
especially for him. But he found to his
disappointment many times that ''all
was not gold that glittered."
< fTurla DaAav. he a -,o,,o-. -.
read, and was too lazy to work hard. In
fact, he shirked dreadfully. Like .'ole
Rrer Rabbit" in those wondrous DAYS
when animals were gifted with speech
Tho recital Of which Ills every childish
heart with the pleasantest emotions-he
did all Of the grunting and comparative
ly no work. He lived with old masters
grandson, Marse Bob, as a cropper, and
invariably came out in debt to him on
an average Of $40 year. Each Christ
mas Marse Bob would storm at him and
threaten to send him away, but Uncle
Peter was sly and would clay low" until
Marse Bob's sweet little wife drove all
angry thoughts from his mi~d, and then
he began to put in his best work, usually
making sTTudry suggestions "'buot de
faesen1ng horgs," and ashes, salt, sui
phur and copperas for the horse. mules
and colts, until Marse Bob finally finish
cd contract with him almost before
the thought of beginning had entered
his mind. It would burst upon him each
time Like thuDderbolt, and with an in
teTnal groan began the turning of new
leaves. But those leaves became dog
cared with too little turning and much
lingering. SO Uncle Peter lived on at
his kind benefactor's, with his progeny
OF grandchildren and one unmarried
daughter, the idol of his heart.
Uncle Peter was eliminating on this
garln. damp January day. The prospect
from his cabin door did not invite very
s ~ o1ghts, but he was paying no
e-.aC gloom.
-4e ntag wet and gray over
sle tiel~s, .ds anl pine grove, wi 81
was the only green spot in sight. A maui
lay before the fire hardening for the next
days work-splitting rails. That was
nothing to Uncle Peter, either, for he
knew very well, the sinner, he would get
out Of half his work by sharpening
wedges for the other hands, making him
self uselessls useful.
Now, If could dig into dat gully and
fine COLE mine, wouldn't be rich9'' he
unused. "Gret big peeses, big as my
hsts-den could set up at the big 'ouse
like folks, and not work my poor ole self
to deth," signing, as he got up to turn
his maEl. "But den OATS Marse Bob's
land, s'pose 'twould be his COLE. Nor dat
amt right, neither. What fine is mine
IF was to fine a quarter out yonder;
Secadn 1t would be my quarter, and dat
gole mine would too" so SCARED his
thoughts to a realm where roads were
lined with gold instead of red mud, and
palaces IN the places of pine trees faced
them, and he was the richest of all in
that country. He was awakened from
those yellow toned reveries by some one
following ''Peter, you Peter-r, why
don't You answer meS'
SIR rousing himself and standing In
his doorway TO see Marse Bob on the
fence some distance away
What are you doing?'
Burning my maui for tomorrow.
"We1, you can do that tonight. You
always get mighty smart at the wrong
time, anyway. Go on to the house and
help the other boys shuck corn"
Uncle Peter got up and crossed the
Said with reluctant footsteps, while
Marie Bob growled to himself on the
laziness Of the ''colored RAGS" in general.
Ssanday morning came and with II
guests at the big house as usual. Uncle
Petsr went UP to black boots and build
tires, Is was his custom-one he adopted
himself and one he invariably kept.
MZSs Bob's wifes brother was there,
and as Peter came IN he asked;
what kind of weather, Peter7"
"Lubly, sir, lubly," was the reply he
always gave, no matter what the weatheu
might be. Hot or cold, wet or dry, Sun
day morning was always ''lubly" tc
Uaeae Peter.
Where did you get that shirt, PETER
came Franks lazy tones from the depths
Of a feather bed, from where he could
just see Peter, whose shoes were shining
brighter than his ebony face, sitting OF
the woodbox rubbing away with brush
and 'baacking for all he was worth.
Bought itr' with proud glance.
You ought to be good citizen with
such shirt as that on. Let me see
stars all over and striped sailor collar
stars and stripes, pretty goodF' Uncle
Peter gave complacent smile as Franz
spoke in a half sleepy, half mischievous
tome.
lows crops? Going to get rich thi,
fan. Srent your
Wen, mobile SO" Frightening up.
10 you think so7 can't say, but
~ one thing, you would like to hav
HAie. as Peter placed both shoes sd
" zoe, ard shut up the blacking box.
mole Peters black features hghte
upin quite marvellous manner as Fran
offered him shat he loved next
nancy
ftVao g. Ia.l