The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-30
He WAS READY TO POP.
But the Playful Heifer Interfsrez and
Blocked His Little Game.

46 WAS down IN the heart or Florida
where redbugs and razorbacks abound,
and the 'er-ouf-ouf' Of the alligator came
unsteady from the dismal branch in
the Silly nighttime. That same a branch
was the usual meeting place OF these two
lovers, who lived in the nineteenth cen
fury, but who, for simplicity and igno-
rance might more appropriately have be-
longed TO the fifteenth.
She was a buxom lass Of IL, weighing
nearly 200 pounds. Her color was not
rosy, being more Of the color of the olayey
soil Of the county in which she lived. The
brown eyes were small and resem bled
nothing more than her father razorbacks.
She ''batted" them continually, and, to
add to her general charm, she wore upon
her forehead a wisp of hair by courtesy
called a curl She reveled in the name Of
Susannah. Her lover was the ordinary
lanky, verdant, cracker type, tiInid, but
good hearted withal.
Is was sunset, and she was returning
through the long meadow lot from milk
ing, singing q plaintive negro melody
which, ever since her babyhood, she had
heard on the lips of the old NANNY who
scornfuIly designated Suse and her rela-
tions rs s'po' white trash. +"
There was a cracking behind Suse, and
her ''stiddy comp n.y. came beside her.
"Gwine homos'' he asked bashfully.
sWha'd yo' think I wuz gwine wild all
this milk-out fur q yalk?'' scornfuIly.
Say, Suse, does yo' ever think o. me
Wen yo'r sitting thar a milkin o. tibet
thar heilers"
NOW. what'd I be a-thinkin on 20
fur2" in a sarcastic manner ''Is yo' so
purity thst gals heart gVgine rifle arter
yo?'' she ret0rted Yo' must be gone
clean daf6l'
George Washington Sawgrass, common
~ called Bones, or Wash, retreated, blush
ing to the roots Of his hair at the sharp
cut
''Now, say, Suss, . he drawled pleading
", "don't go sn DO thetl"
Do w'otg''
ga pesterin O. me thet away. Yo'
know I love yo' lax a pickanniny loves
cane.
"Yo' glongP'
''Sho', en- do. They amt no gal IN
the county kin hold a later to you.
'Why don yo' do sum'in to show thet
20 dotes on me, then9 Is yo' skeared?''
Wot yo' wants me ter dos''
"P0p. she snid IN a whisper to herself
''yO' does everything but thet, and I amt
gwine ter come down tell go says hitch. %
Then aloud she said: IF yo's ez brave ez
yo' meks out ter be, jes' Eetch tibet thar
razahback wo't Outen's all daddy's taters
ez fas' e. ho kin plant. Thar amt nObud-
dy dars tech thet air hawg."
Bones began TO tremble. He feared that
particular hog as d darby fears the phos-
phate mines. 1t had never entered his
mind that the one thing that stood in his
way to the affections of his idol was that
he would not pop"
Before be could answer she turned again
to him.
Say, Wash. why amt yo' lax tibet thar
twig?''
Give hit up"
s"Cause thet pops wen hits teched. -
And she giggled and put one hand over her
face
pops-w' en- But he
could get no farther. His duh brain re-
fused to see the point she intended.
After be had left the girl he shufaed
along toward home, his head bent, seem
ingly in a brown study.
- Cause - hit - pops 49, wen - hits
techedF' he repeated over and over again
Il clare kaynt see the p'int!'
He sat down by the branch, whose wa
tiers were duh with the tannin from the
palmetto roots and as sluggish as its sau-
rian denizens.
Il clare-I-kayn 't-see- Gee whis-
kersi Yes, / do, too, by goilyp' He jumped
up and struck his heels together and pro
ceeded to execute breakdown.
Sec. but thet thar gals sma'tl And
I'm techad-6eehed with the sugary finger
o. love- thet's purity fine I'll hev to say
tibet ter Suse}-and, by Gemini, I'll popl"
He PUT for homo on the double quick.
Once there, he began to brush himself up
oombed his unruly hair, that persisted in
standing straight in the air, and putting
on q blazing yellow necktie, the only one
he possessed, went out to his supper of
grits and bacon.
Say, NAV I'm gwine ter pOpP
Now, 70 dc Lawdr'
" Yaas. I'm gwine ter pop, and purity
soon Suse and NELL git hitched."
He went down to the branch, where he
was pretty sure of finding Suse. After
few minutes of waiting Suse came along.
Lets go inter the meadow lot, >" no
suggested, preferring to DO out in the
open, where he could "cut and rum after
popping If he so desired.
Suse, " he said, putting an arm around
her waist, that' q mighty pert thing yo'
said bout the twig.'
She deigned no reply.
Now We been tached fur a long time
-teched by-by-by-(d erned of / amt
done t("-under his breath.
"I've been teched by-by-by-oh,
Lawd, some kin of a finger, but anyway,
Suse, I loves 20 morn thet thar heifer
loves grass, en-en-wot-yer-s say
tour
Whir. whizz, bangl 1t seemed as if
young cyclone had been turned loose in the
lot and was tearing things up generally.
Suse stood petri1iad with astOnishment
and chagrin, and Bones, oh, where was he?
There was groan from the depths of
the sawgrass, and Bones drew himself up
painfully, just in time to see that heifor
making of across the lot, heels and tail
high ia the air.
A plaintive voice struck out upon the
quiet air.
En- he wuz jes' gwine ter popl Thet's
the third time thet thar heifer hez los fur
mo. Blamed eff I don e believe II hev ter
wait tell she's dried beef fore I'll ever git
hitchedr
And she went away, knowing only too
well that all desire to pop had been for
ever eradicabed from Bones heart by the
! delusive plavfuluess of that heifer=Chi-