Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-10-30
HAPPY PEOPLE IN TEXAS.
Where the Ash Hopper Flourshcis
and Gravy is Plentiful.
THEIR OLD,FASnloNED HOSPITALITY.
ticrd-rrctty starry al n Little
Girl and Her birds.

Caldwell, Texas, october .5,-tSpcclal
Cerrespondenco,)-- There II portion OF
Burleson county that is old Texas yet. In
the post oaks along tho vine-clad hills
Of the Neguas you viii still lind the
Texas OF Houston. Rowie snl Crockett,
tho Lone star people whom the heroes
loved and fought for. ] know them we'll
and love them. With these people wool
pickings," log rollins" 'houso ralsings"
and frolics are things OF today and not OF
yesterday. Here the ash-hopper iiourishes
In the back yard, coon skins ore nailed
against the wall, hounds howl and calYes
are never allowed 10 suck ali the strip
pins"
have been fishing, deer hunting and
fox chasing with these pdople. have
unused" their babies. watched their tur-
keys. herded their geese and minded the
calves on while Aunt Sally mliked old
Spot. You have heard your fathers toll
of the hospitality OF the pioneers. Come
up here In the forks Of tho Yogua and
You will lind that your sires' stories vera
not exaggerated Here the latch string
hangs on the outside. when you ride up
10 a house. whoever salutes you VIII do
II without any tinge OF rapacity or ring OF
motal In his voice. shouting, Hello,
strangeri Oft down, stake out your boss
and come In and YOU need not be sur
prised II YOU hear some one in the kitchen
intlmnting that It would be good idea TO
get the biz punkln' and cut It In two ana
put half OF II IN the strangers boss
trough and cook the other half for sup
per-"
out here the creeks are full OF nah, the
woods are alive with squirrels, coons aud
deer. tho atmosphere II red0lcnt with the
perfume OF Wild flowers and genuine old
fashioned hospitality Is the leading cliar-
aotetistic OF the Inhabitants, Neither
foods drouths nor hard times has any
effect upon the spirits of these people.
They are always gay and lght-henrtod.
Everything IL boomlngl" shouts an old
veteran. There is going TO be a wedding
over ut Lick skillet. preaching ne brlin-
stone Hollor, some twins born ut Shfcr'E,
prayer meeting at the cross roads and
frolic down ut the Bird Song ranch"
Here you can ind corn bread and lye hom-
my, buttermilk and gravy Get down
ON your knees and take a chunk OF corn
bread and sop some OF this gravy out Of
the skillet and your eyes will involuutarlly
close, everything will begin to float IN an
atmosphere OF trnnscendal hllfs, your
bleed will course through your Yelns hot
with Joy and your soul will sway ia &C.
| stacy. rs II rocked by the hand 81 peace
and religion. II you want 10 reap real,
genuine satisfaction while getting outside
OF u skillet OF gravy, sop II direct from
| the skillet. That IL grAvy-the same stun
| that sustained your forcfathprj while
| fighting Indians, killing snAkel and build
way Is an Illusion, humbug cheat aud
II frand-a league with death and cove
| nnnt with he'll In tact. the legislature
ought TO make a law compelling people 10
Hop-but pardon my enthusiasm.
ono pretty evening. while resting undar
the shade OF tho trees at ranch house,
| l witnessed something that would have
| thrilled the soul OF poet and furnished u
subject for u painter that would have
immortalized him, There wns one little
| granddaughter about the home--a pretty
| child with the voice OF an Rngel-the
sunlight playing I'm her curls and heaven
| In her eyes She was an orphan, without
| little plAymaies or companions but mo
idol of tho old people. one evening /
heard ;his pretty little girl In her sweet
persunsive childish voice, saying, Birdie
| birdIc. come here, birdie" AMI thrn /
heard nuttoring OF " lngs and the chirp-
| ing OF little birds, greeted by chtidlsh
| laughter. Imagine my surprise wheE
| looked around tho corner OF the house ana
saw little Maggie playing with mock OF
| wild birds There were little spnripws
cIrcling about her and u redbira was
perehod on her head, while several others
| were on her shoulders. Some were picking
| crumbs from her hands, others were on
| the ground at her feet, while stu others
were nutterlng about her face and pluck
ing at crust OF bread the child held Dc.
| tween nef npts lHlHtll'i W N'NN'' "NH
| eliriosity, I took a step or two towards lhe
| eroup. and then the littlo birds flew away
| into the trees. MY birds are afraid Of
| strangers" said little Maggie. resumed
my seat and she called them back again
| watched them Cor long time AND never
| saw anything much more interesting
| The house lis In the edge Of n great for
est and the yard is full OF trees. This little
girl has grown up with the birds ana
| they know her and love her. From tho
beginning they learned that sho was
their friend and protector. For so'ne nays
little Maggie was sick end her little
| friends chirpped about In tho yard as "
| they were very sad. Old grandmother
| opened the doors and windows ana Nhen
the little birds had nuttersd INTO ms
| room and filled their little crawB with
crumbs, picked from little Mnggie's bed,
\ then they new out Into the trees ana
| made the very Heavens echo WITH music.
| The birds were so very happy that the
| old grandmother was sure that they
know that little Maggie was going TO get
we'll.
| What n monster Is man. He might have
pillowed hts head upon the Hons mnno
and the birds Of the air would have nestled
| In his bosom had his hand not been raised
against all creation from the beginning,
"chndren, bring me my fiddle said
| Unel0 Ike jackson. II want 10 play the
| 'glneral' u tune before he leavef" Uncle
| lite did play us tune In way that set
ua to thinking OF childhood happy hours.
| He played us the ARKANSAS Traveller
and talked ir'-and then as tho stars
came out one by one and hheeted tia
| heavens with a canopy OF diamonds end
| tho full moon rose above the tall oaks,
Uncle Ike told us stories OF old Mars
and stories OF San Jnclnto. He was IN
that famous campaign and was born IN
| Texas on MIL Creek, Austin county, moro
| than 20 years ago. Is he not the Oldest OF
the living native patriots7 In this country
/ he Is revercd like a Washington and chill
dren take on their hats 10 him,
| have hunted tho grey squirrel and the
yellow fox on the blue hills of Salt river.
who're Mark Twain fret opened his
! twinllEg eyer; hunted sage hens, In
dians and buffalo on the deserts OF 'ths
| Platte; hunted quail ana wild goat on the
| catellna islands, hunted horse thieves ana
Mexican brigands and revolntloniSts IN the
| San Moreno moiiniainH hunted RHszly
bear above the snow llns IN the Sierra
| NeyadaS, where the wind signs for tho AZ
gonautA. hunted wolves Ia unacceptable
| Siberian wastes. chamoin on Alpine flopep
| and aquatic fowls on corsioan shores.
rich with the traditions OF the Donapartss.
but never did l hage more fun on lass
nunitionH Of war and bait ~ jug than
| had with fiaTD old pafllulora ana