St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-09-21
HOSEA LURVEY.

HUSEA LURNEI.
THAT man with the walking stick
Why. that's Hosea Lurvey, of Brodick
Esq. Looks like he owned the hui
town and part of the next. don't hep"
Not old Hod Lurvey, OF Tick Ridge?
The very same" Hiram Tuclxe
smiled at his companions incredulity
Il don't wonder you're s'prised. if yo,
Secollect how Mrs. Lurvey used to rul
things up at the Ridge. Hod had n,
more to say than that yalier cat dowI
by the wall. But there's many /,
fhange in these fifteen years you'v,
tAeen gone
II should have thought it would have
saken twice fifteen years to make sucf
piece of pomposity out of Hod Lur
vey. He was the worst henpecket
tnsn ever saw" replied Jasper Bur
ioughs, tipping his chair back agains,
ihe wall, preparatory to a long talk
eith his old-time friend and neighbor
II told You about the saddle they
vought, just before l sold ont. didn't 1:
No? Then l must. They come into
the store, and Mrs. Lurvey asked to
look at saddles. of course thought
it was for herself. SO / brought out a
woman's saddle. She shook her head.
IL want a man. S saddle. It's for my
husband
so took them out into the back
shop where there was a lot hanging up.
She looked them over, asked the price
of this, and found fault with that. and,
finally. picked out the poorest and
cheapest of the lot. 1t was a shame,
too. for the Lurveys were well-to-do
folks. and it's cheapest in the long run
to buy good luther. 'Mayhap your
husband might like to see the saddle,
before You pay for it, said, plying
the shamefaced little man.
why. don't you know Mr.. Lurvey?
He always depends on my Judgment.
This is my husband drawing him for
ward. as if he had been a bashful boy.
Make a bow, Mr.. Lurvey.'
He didn't come into the shop again
while / owned it. he was that ashamed,
or else that shrew of his wouldn't let
him come to the village alone. don't
suppose he ever had a cent to call his
own. AnG now you tell me that
pompous old gentleman was Hod Lur-
vey. Why, it would be nothing short
of miracle
Its quite story. Jasper: but if you
don't mind listening. Ill tell you how
it come about replied Hiram Tucker.
moving his chair SO that he could
watch the growing interest in his
friends face. Things got to such
pass betwixt the Lurveys after you
went off that jest couldn't stand it,
SO one day. when Hod was cutting
bushes out in the further corner of the
pasture, well out of sight Of the house.
went over to him. and sez, seq 1:
"'Hod. why don't you assert your in
dependence. and take your lawful
place as head Of your family?'
You orter seen him start and turn
white. If cannon ball had taken
h:s head clean off he couldn't have
been more surprised.
~ mean it, sez /. You're full
grown man, and orter take your place
in the world as a man, not a mouse. to
be scarf by woman. The Scripter |
says man shall be the head of the |
household. There's no earthly reason |
why you shouldn't he of yourn.'
"'Do you think SOP he asked. turn
ing white as a sheet. The idee had
struck him all at once, and had come |
nigh being too much for him. 1t
showed palmer than words could have ,
done how it CALLED him to have things
go the way they had. Mrs. Lurvey
says I'm not to be trusted he added.
hopelessly.
Wen trust you any time sez /.
Come out to the village and get what
you want at airy one of the stores:
they'll trust you till harvesting if
you'll come out like a man and do your
own business
"'Do you know. you've come Jest in
the nick of time?' asked Hod, looking
me full in the face. Mrs. Lurvey has
bargained the farm away. this old farm
that father cleared, and she says Ihave
got to sign the deed to night I'd
ruther sign away my right hand. and
if you'll stand by me won't do it
We'll, the outcome ont was that the
farm warn't sold, but Mrs. Lurvey
packed her trunk in hurry and went
down country to her folks. and left
Hod with everything to see to. and
hayin' jest comm on. There was ten
cows, and seven calves. and five cosset
lambs. and hens, and chickens. and
ducks. and geese. and turkeys. and the
three children. The youngest hadn't
been weaned and the Oldest warn't
more'n ten year old. She thought if
Hod was conceited enough to think he
could run his own business. he nigh,
tend to hern as well. But it was the
best thing that ever happened to Hod.
..He come over and wanted nv Jane
Maria go and keep house for him.
Now, Jane was as capable girl as one
often sees at fifteen. and there was Su-
san to take her place at home so I seq:
Go Then he told Ben-the boy was
growing up as lazy and sassy as lad |
need be-that he'd pay him every week |
II he'd tend to the poultry right up
prime. That kept him and the turks |
both out'n mischief.
Twas surprising how self-reliant |
Hod growed from day to day. He |
didn't ask advice from nobody. but |
went right ahead. 1t seemed as if he |
rrowed taller. He sartinly did hold |
his head higher. He got new suit Of |
clothes, his first boughten suit. and a |
tall hat and a buggy, and sold two old |
cows that had been more plague than |
profit to him, and lot of things that |
he had been bankering to do
THE neighbors begun to hope that |
Mrs. Lurvey had gone off for good. Hod f!
was getting on sd much better with |
out her, when the stage stopped at
their door one night, and ont she got |
Jane had just come TO the door with |
the baby In her arms. He'd was bring. |
ing n the milk,