Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-08-18

commented on the big cornstubs In the
field. Ma gave another dry laugh,
and s. e:
your sheep will die There amt
enough gras on the uplan's to parster a
RABBIT, and the meders are pizenous
with clills and fevers, and we're sub
ject to pneumonia and mumps and
measles, an it's the worst kind of luck
to move at your time of life anyhow
Mr.. Sage says very gently:
Madam, l respect your felin's,' and
they walked cut on the porch.
Then ma bust out in the pitifulest
sobbin' and cryin' and she and me had
it.
She blamed me her only son, for
in in her old age to turn his ma home
less and houseless, rocfess and a."
my son." she said, ''the air don't
blow SO sweet and pure over no other
piece of Gods earth, and things all so
convenient to my hand. I could go to
my places the darkest night that
COMES"
Though I'll swear you'd have to
travel a nile to go the rounds of her
flower garden, green house, dairy,
WeaVin' house, ice-hCuse and all the
lighthouses and apurtenances. They
were located far apart in old slavery
days to give occupation to the niggers,
[ suppose.
And oh, George, my two babies in the
graveyard, and I'd picked out my own
place by your pas side. Tn like an
old tree, l can't stand transplant1n'
Oh, son, to think of your dom such Il
cruelhearted thing i'll my old age!"
'But ma" | says, t1yin' to defen' my
self
And George, | don't know but it's
wrong to go off and desert our niggers.
The old ones that raised US and the
young ones we raised. It's not their
fault they are set free, and they mind
their old miss as well as ever they did
Il always spilled 'em some), and it's only
the tritlin', nO-account ones gone off
to the YANKEES any way"
Seem [ agreed with her she went
on. There's old Villet with her rheu-
matiz, and Crazy Jane, who's harmless
as a robin, and your mas old drop
sifed butler, and Blind Jim boy, that
used to drive the blooded Morgan hor-
seS when your pa came a-courtin' me.
Who'd physic 'em and scold 'em and
see they don't starve? George! it would
be sin to desert 'em at their times of
lives"
Wnn1nn no ,oo1 OF
hard, SCUM reasonin', but mas a very
pretty talker indeed, and, by grabs, l
felt sorter so myself and downright
aggravated with Mckay. What call
had he to fly off like a potleg in such
a sudden swivel to GUST US from the
generation ever since William the Con
queror, and for aught [ know helped
him to conquer it?
The honor and glory of settin' up in
a stiff-starched collar at the Exchange
hotel, hObnobbin' with the Virginia
bong tong would be but poor COM
pensation for my pack of houn's and
blood horses, and the foxes and birds
and things | was used to. / would be
but alone, lost boy, cast adrift, even if
/ did eat Oysthers three times a day.
''Ain't there no way of gettin' out of
this trap?" says ma, Wipin' her eyes Oh
the long SOckleg.
Il b1eeve I'd die anywhere else"
eff we pay Mckay his commission
and persuade Mr.. Sage to give out the
notion" says l doubtfully.
How much is the commission,
George?" she asked eagerly.
1T amounts to $3.50, but
George" she spoke quickly, IF you
will step out to the stables for awhile
l think [ can compose my mind and
sOlemnize my thoughts!'
The colts came whinnyin' to meet me
and rubbed their noses on my shoulder;
the calves, the pigs, everything in the
yard came at me in body.
| got hamper of nubbins and scat
tered 'em, and somethin' KEEP gettin' in
my eye and l thought l would actually
blow my blamed nose off, and the more
l thought of McKay's officiousness the
I1dueI L SOl. buI Wllcu L SOI DdCh W
the parlor it was quiet as church,
and there was ma out at the yard gate
biddin' the gent'men ''far'well." Such
was her haste to get them off and
away.
My dear old mother! Her eyes shone
bright us Il young girls-she's smilin'
and lookin as pleased as if she'd been
left a fortune.
Mr.. Sage smiled, too, and bowed over
her thin, wrinkled head like a true
hearted gent man.
Ma had carried all her p'ints with
Mr.. Sage, then ran and got the shot
bag she had kep'her egg and chicken
and butter money in for forty years.
She paid Mckay the commission and
begged and plead with him to go
away and never come there on no such
erran' again so long as she was on top
of Gods earth.