Evening star., 1896-09-19
MARY AN N---MY GIRL

We growed up together-Mary Ann and
l. Ever since we was 80 high. Fact Is.
our places touch, and our fences run TO-
gether, and her pa and my pa started our
groves at the same time. Its south Floridy
where we live 1 said our fences 1ine. You
see, we built our shacks when there wasn't
anybody else aroun for miles, Now there's
quite big little settlement near us. and
we have a mighty fancy name-Umadtlla,
or some such the northern folks calls 1t,
for they named it, and we've got post
office now. We used to call 1t Horse Shoe
Bend. cause there's bend OF hammock
land aroun our place; but them northern
folks knowed better. of course:
Over at Mary AIMS place there's Big
Chiny berry tree. Its real nice place TO
lie under. the Bermudy grass. and
watch Mary Ann plait palmetto hats She's
real 'peart at 1t. and can do lots OF fancy
things; She made lot OF palmetto nats.
and trimmed 'em with flowers an sich that
she made out of the palmetto. Looked most
as pretty as fish-scale work. She carried
EN- to Orlando. an some OF the northern
spells over EN- Yes. Mary AIMS right
peart. Her pa lows she's his rtght-hand
man. an he don't know what he'll do when
she marres.
wouldn't b'lieve it, no. sir. II l tor you
what work that girls done. Deed, she has.
! though. She plows real clever. Yes. sir,
she put In the crop when her pa was lee
tioneering for Cap'n Shine.
l had the; chill-fever las spring and I
amt been so peart since. Then 1 was out
| wadin' in the flat-woods one night In the
| rainy season, huntin our mare that'd run
away. and l went "gesorg' into a gopher
| hole, and everlastinly bruised my ankle. l
| ain't been no hand at walkin' since. l can
Jest sorter poge over to Mary AIMS; but
| it's right hard pull; yes sir!
|
| anything, Jest to show you 30
! Las week her pa set out to burn fire
line" 'roun' our places. Well. the fire got
! away from him. an was combin' for the
cross fence. when Mary Ann, she saw 1t
from where we sat under the Chiny tree.
She Just kited fur the stable. and before 1
could count twenty she was back again
| with their oil mule an plOw.
| Them she turned over to her pa. and
pitched into tearfn' down the cross fence:
| for if the fire got ahold to the cross fence
there was orange bresh piled all about the
| roots of the trees. and If 1t got caught
af1re. why, they'd everlastinly roast. Yes.
| sir! The fence did catch one place. but
| Mary Ann, she pulled the burnin rails off.
and throwed EN- into the plowed groun'.
| Then her pa tuckered out, and she fin
ished the .are line" just a geein' and a
had, hawln,' big as the cover governor. Then she
never thinkin' OF herself. Mary Ann she
never fuckers out. The heat was awful
| that day. When an OIL Floridy sun gifts to
| hu1npin' 1t can't be beat No. sir! But
| Mary Ann, she never stopped till the line
was plowed. That's Mary Ann, all over
Pa says II 1T hadn't been for Mary Ann
| our groves d been ruint. and her pa says
he can't git along without Mary Ann; but
| reckon he'll have to. cause she's my girl
Ma says Mary AIMS worth the whole kit
an bilin' of We men folks.
| I reckon me and Mary Ann might "stel
off, this fall-maybe. l amt very peart
but Mary AIMS real likely. and strong as
a little mule. l reckon we could get along
right well. Mary AIMS raisin' some hawgs
an her ma says she can have the heifel
that she nursed up when everybody else
said 1t had the salt sick.' and would die
Then there's the harridick (stray cow tina
takened up with they-alrs cows. an
should think that orter to belong to Mary
Ann. She FED it from her own potato
patch. With the shoates an the heifer an
the harrydick. it pears to we nigh
kinder manage. 1 might kind of perk up
an feel like gon' 'lectioneering myself fu
sheriff. and Mary Ann could put in tn,
crop while l was gone. Looks like W,
might sorter git along.