Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-08-20
RoMR. SWEET RoME.

| Jne IAN. y e, 'GeOrge, now While the
boom is ragin' in Virginia, now is the
| time we may hope for a livin' price
for our splendid Spottsylvania corn
lan's and magnificent medder bottoms.
George" s e, "sdr your stumps and
| sci the lam"
s. |, 'Ma, when the pinch comes, yon
amt agoin TO get your own consent
to part with the old homestead"
s. e, George, now that the niggers
are free, what is to keep down the
bushes and briars? A lone, lorn wild
ow woman and enc grey-headed boy
of so you know you ere 50,George),
can't manage all the lam and stock
we've got. Sell the Ian, George, and
me and you win board at the Exchanges
hotel in Richmond, with the bong
ting of Virginia, in style
MA" s. 1, ~ don't believe yolfl
| part with yom gums ana goutds, not
I to live with Queen Victoria and cat
oysters three times a day. l think l
know you better'n you know yourself"
Then ma got mad and cried and
said / was 'impident and sassy to her
and I'd oughter carry cut her views
and uphold her."
Pa had never crossed her Twin, nor
nobody else, so it ended in my postiu'
! down to Fredericksburg in the carryall
and putin the plantation, crops,
stock, etc, into the hands of AIcKa.J,
lam agent.
The town was alive with northern
capitalists and visitors gt that time.
Some came to see about their dead,
inferred in the great Union cemetery
there, it bein' soon after the war was
over. 1t was like the verse we used
to say at school
Many came to see the wonder.
To seek for gold and search for
plumber,
and some few to cast their lots with
ours.
Mckay told me of couple that got
of the train that day. Said the man
was polite to his wife and gave Lame
Bill a dollar.
A liam agent knows how to pick a
gentleman right well, though not so
wei as an old Virginia house Niger
The one who used to tote the wood n
for the parlor fire, hang your horse or
carry him TO water and bring your
boots.
Thinks l, I'm drive EN- out, and
show the premises while ma is in the
notion"
so out l 90 with Mr. and Mrs. Sage,
a nice couple, rich and unhealthy,
wanting to try Southern ar,
There was Il cheerful blase on the
parlor hearth. Ma b'leeves in little
blaze, all the year 'roun, though the
weather was very mild lnjun sum
mer
Kesia, the cook, tossed up a little
hot dinner in no time, for we were hun
cry as an army Of locusSes after our
drive. Bmled ham an eggs, fried sas-
sage and hoecakes, and whilst ma pour
ed out the coffee and October peaches
in the gilt saucers l studied her face.
To my establishment she run on about
the fashions-a thing she had took no
stock in since pa died,
She would't catch my eye, and
sorter misuuSted her, but carried Mr..
Sage all over the plantation, and he
was delighted.
"Just what he was In search Of. He
wanted everything as it stood, the
colts, calves, hogs. hat, boots, and all.
Thought he would put a new barn
here and "A playhouse there, and a
vineyard. and double the sheep in
the medder."
Him and Mrs Sage mapped it of
like a picture by the time they were
ready to leave the next day.
OF course, I drove them back to
town, twenty miles o rough roads and
busy time o year.
and Mckay made all the range
ments for the transfer of the property,
and / come on back home.
Still mistrustin' O. ma, | KEEP cle'r O
the subject We both Stunned it, and
durin' the f0llowin' week / smoked a
month sallowance of tobacco, and ma
clicked and ratified her kitten needles
as If life depended en- her gettip' that
sock finished, and III be shot If she
didn't knit the leg a yard long.
Byme-by Mckay came driyin' up in
fine double buggy. with Mr.. Sage, tc
pay down the first installment.
When Cindy ushered 'em in ma drop
ped her long sock leg and her hands
commenced to trimble.
1t was a good sale. We We're git
tin all we askd, and a crackin' price II
was; for ma thought her dirt was q
sight bettern' mother folks dirt Not 8
| hitch-nOwhar.
All Of set tallin' as friendly as you
please round the blaze on the hearth
Little black Joe on his own 'sponsibil
ity hans round waiter Of nader
bulsh apples. and Cindy, the house
gal not to be outdone, gifts out ginsel
cakes and foamin' pitcher OF swee'
cider.
Ma set snakin' and trimbly the