Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1893-06-14
HELPING EACH OTHER.
A Southern Custom That Must Cause tha
Angels to Smile.

a southern Custom That Must Cause the
Angels to Smile.
A gentleman who had travelled ex-
tensively through. the south was one
evening seated in one of those proven
bal corner grocery stores in a small
village talking to the people and COM
menting upon the unstinted hospitality
OF the people. A tall, cadaverous-look-
ing chap, who had listened to him in
tently, interrupted:
That's so, stranger; when a man
comes among we'uns an does what's
right we'uns amt the people to see him
suffer when he's down on his back an
can't help himself; we're Just going to
raise him up"
And they do raise him up" If he is
sick they till his ground, feed his cat
tie, cut his wood and In various WAYS
render him assistance. On the eastern
shore of Maryland and Virginia this
custom is universal, and many a sick
man has silently made His grateful
prayers for blessings on his neighbors
for the great stacks of chips and split
wood that have been gathered about
his yard, and for the hams and flour
and other necessaries that have been
placed in his smoke-house.
Almost in the heart of one of the
dense forests in Accomac county, Va,
Jim German lay on a sick bed in his
cabin, surrounded by his wife and four
children, all suffering from that disease
so prevalent on the eastern shore, the
"chills,"
Luck had been against Jim for some
time, and now that he was prone upon
his back, suffering with fever, with
no one to attend to his wants but his
daughter Sallie, girl of sixteen, and
she barely able to perform that duty,
he was in dire distress.
Up at the Four Corners, four miles
away, gathered about the stove in the
general store, was a group of typical
farm hands, discussing the weather.
When Judge" Watson-the Judge"
was the wealthiest landowner in the
neighborhood-came in he smilingly
greeted them, and. making his pur-
chases, started to go out. He paused
and looked about him. ''Say, boys,
where is Jim German? I've not seen
him for some time" No one knew; he
hadn't been up to the store for a week
Just then Nose Hanson drove up in
his ox-cart, and, all covered with snow,
stood on the steps stamping his feet
and brushing his coat.
"Good-day, gemmens; good ebening,
Massa Watson. Use jest been obber to
see Massa Jim German. He's been nigh
onto def fo' obber a week. l fotch him
some water an cut him a stick or two
OBJ wood an sent de ole woman obber
to kind O. cheer him up"
BLESS my soul!" exclaimed the Judge.
Boys, do you hear what Nose says
about Jim Gorman?"
Thew did.
When Moses started for home it was
with light heart that he jumped into
his ex-cart, for he carried a much larger
amount Of provisions than he was wont
to purchase for his own family. and on
the way down DIR. Harrison, with the
sleigh bells jingling on his horse,
passed old Moses on his way to Jim
Germans. The next night the old
farmers and their men, black and white,
rich and poor, came with cleaning
axes, followed by two-horse wagon.
Lights flashed through the woods
the cord-wood, piled in ranks here and
there, was vigorously attacked, and
the chips few right and left and the
axe-blows kept time to the merry songs
Of the chopper. Here was young
student fresh from a Baltimore medi-
cal college; here farm hand; here a
farmer; with plenty and to spare; here
black man, with brawny arms and
willing hands, all working In unison
for the relief of their fellowman.
When daylight came the wood was
cut, the smoke-house looked like a
veritable grocery store and the medi-
cine administed to Jim had broken the
fever and he was much better.
BILL Allen, you chopped that thar
wood mighty fast" said Sallie, with a
blush.
did I?'' said Bill AN I seed Won
maxim of corn cakes, Sallie; you know
how to do it
The neighbors dispersed as quickly
as they came, Jim was up and about
in few days and Bill Allen and Sal
lie-wen, sometimes the mantle of
charity covers a great deal and un.
looked-for things emerge from beneath
it.-Philadelphia Times.