Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-05-06

K
"John Marryatt, from Albany, don't
you know?" 2.
"Marriod?" squeaked the old man.
"To who?"
"John-Mar-ry-att" distinctly
repeated the visitor. ''How is my
Uncle origen?"
The crooked old man sheltered his
candle flame with one hand and stared
as if he were gradually being trans
formed into one huge eye.
Gland sakes alive!" said he.
Didn't you know? He was buried
yesterday"
Here was cheerful welcome for q
city visitor.
"But what can I do?" said Marry
att, with a helpless gaze down the
darkening mountain-side. 81 came
| to visit him. I had not heard"
"Walk in, walk in. said the old
man, holding the faring candle high
above his head and fattening himself
against the wall. "It's pretty lone
some here; but there's the deceased's
chamber you can sleep in, and I trapped
rabbit in the pine wood this
morning that Isabella's just stewing
up"
"Isabellal" repeated John Marry
att.
"she's tile old woman iu charge
my sister," explained the ancient
warder Of the castle. "Ain't much to
look at, but proper good cook"
''But," said Mr.. Marryatt, 81 don't
think care about sleeping in the
room where-Uncle Origen died"
The old man stared at him with
dull, CLASSY eyes.
"Fh?" said he. "Wy not? You
don't believe in sperritooalism, do
you?"
"Nonsense cried Marryatt.
/ "Then why amt one room as good
as another?"' asked the old man stol-
idly.
"Nevertheless, I would prefer to go
on to the nearest hotel" impatiently
uttered John.
"Ain't none short O. seven mile,
| said the old man. "And that's only a
summer machine. They don't run it
arter the waterfalls friz up. But
there's freight train, with passenger
caboose hitched on, that stops at Cut
ting Corners at midnight"
''Where is Cutting Corners ~
"Eight mile away"
..And how the dickens do you sup
pose lam TO get eight miles from
here wiienit Is pitch dark already e.
/ cried Marryatt, withnot upnataral
irritation.
1There's Jenkins one-hoss wagon, "
mildly suggested the old man. 'I'm
gurn to jenkins Directly arter box
O. stove-blackin' paound O. taller
dips and a quarter of paound O.
green tea for Isabella. I can tell
Jenkens to come round and cart ye to
the daypo, ef ye don't grudge a dol
lar"
"By all MEANS" said Mr.. Marryatt
hurriedly. 'And whilc you are gone
Isabella, as you call her, can give me
some supper. :"
He sat down in the old, low-ceilcd
room, where the rag carpet seemed
neither brighter nor DINNER than it
had twenty years ago, and General
Andrew jackson still brandished his
sword in stained cherry frame on
the smoked wooden mantel, and
warmed his chilled feet before blaze
of swapping hickory logs; while old
Isabella who might have appeared
creditably at any tableau as the
"Witch of Endor" crept around an
iron pot which swung from a.prodi-
gious crane, and got supper after
slow and inefficient manner.
"Pretty gay in Albany this winter"
said old Isabella, brandishing her
spoon over John in the manner of an
incantation, as she watched him eat
the rabbit stew after it was dished.
81 suppose So"
'1'm a-thinkin' of goin' there my
SELF" said Isabella, mumbling her
toothless jaws.
'To take situation?" asked Mar
ryatt, inwardly thinking that he could
not conscientiously give her recon-
mendation as cook.
''Bless your art, no." said Isa-
bella" "I know sea captain there
as amt married; and they tell me the
gals is all pickin' and choosin' for
themselves, now that leap year has
come around. Anyhow, I'm tired o
Cherry mountain, and don't see
why my chance amt as good as
another's.
Mr.. Marryatt stared at her in mute
amazement, while he secretly deplored
the sad case of the unsuspecting sea
captain.
"P'raps yon wouldn't mind keepin'