St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-07-04

] !: ! !
NR wont to shy
NJ -nothin more
and nothin lesl
thnn human
~ flesh and blood
| EMESMWMMsSN and bones. And
| WMMyWNMSM VMM ~ old man Josiah
WN\WMNNMNM Y Jernigan is Z
A'sSSsNSSA' right smart
like the common run of people. He is
one of the deacons over at Bark Log AMI
stands away up yonder in the church
but in the main time he is full-blood
member of the human family.
AsCow Tean and Hot weather.
In q general way know that Josiah
Jernigan is mighty good mana plain
honest-hearted, debt-payin man. who
worships God and loves Lis country
and serves his day and generation to
the best Of his feeble ability. He is q
man of few words and full of business
He never did do any talkin to speak of,
but he most in generally always meana
what he says. He never was a man to
dabble in futures, you understand. II
is all spots with him. And takin him
up one side and down the other, there
amt . better father or q better husband
or q better neighbor, or better citizen
anywheres In the Rocky Greek settle
ment than that same Josiah Jernigan.
But Josiah went to town one day last
week. He went In his wagon and driv
a yoke of steers, and Rlev Scroggins he
went with him. 1t has since leaked out
through Blew that one Of the deacons
of Bark Log church had q rough and
tumble rucus with his steers that day,
wherein his religion got q tremendous
bad shock and strain and shalin up.
And you must keep in mind, long
fering reader, that Josiah was drivin q
yoke Of steers and the weather hit was
sweltcrin hot. maybe mought Be
wrong-I wouldn't make out like I was
always right-but l have always helt
to it that il . man can drive yoke of
steers in hot weather and at the same
time confine his remarks to pure Bible
language he has got more genuine re-
ligion than the man that built the first
church and lined the first hymn and
preached the first sermont.
From the way in which Blew Scrog-
gins has let the cat out of the wallet it
would seem like Josiah and his steers
had been movin along smooth and
peaccable enough till they got down
there to Caney Branch swamp. BY this
time, you understand, the steers had
got good and hot and leg-weary. and
soon as they caught sight of the cool
and refreshin waters of Caney Branch
they curled their tails and reached
their backs and quit the road and tore
of down through the swamp at fast
and furious lick. Blev he jumped the
game and lit out right then and there,
but Josiah froze to the ropes and fol-
lowed his 'cow team" through three
acres Of canebrakcs and bamboo briars.
and he was still with em when they
went down into the water. In maxim
the return trip from the swamp back to
the big road it seems like Josiah man.
aged 90 as to git his foot caught be-
tween . wagon wheel and the couplin
pole. and consequentially in the general
confusionment he got the heel of his
shore tore OF and three Of his toes un-
tinted. It was somewheres along there
from the way Blew tells the news
that Josiah give up the fight. rs 1t were.
and let loose and fell and spoke out:
81 don't want to say til would
ruther not say it-God knows I do raley
hate to say it, and hope he will for
give me-but II must-if have got to
Esy it-dam these steers!"
There has now been some talk around
amongst the members of Bark Log to- the
extent that q church meetin will socn
Be helt, wherein Josiah Jeringan will
have to ''fess up" or either take out
and quit. OF course It is none Of my
business In regards to that. But do
hope they will al remember that Jo-
siah was drivin . '.cow team" while
the weather hit was scandalous hot.
eome ..0ocoad-HanA C1ssin."
That makes me think Of the time
when me and Sam Nettles and Elder
went to town together, and
for the first time in my life heard
some secondhand cussin.
Sah and the Elder went in with their
wagons heavy loaded with cotton, and
had took = seat and went along with
The elder.
Mind you, Il was then in the dead Of
winter. The rains had fell heavy and
and the roads was sloppy and
soft enough to bog the shadow Of . bug
Eard. It was but only ten miles to
town. though at that time II took q
good team to make it through in . day.
Now Sam Nettles was bad and wick
d man, and every time his wagon and
team got stallded and stuck in the mud,
,r struck : steep hill he would put in to
:ussin the mules and poppin his whip
I'LL he made the air blue and they went
nut in . storm.
Understand me now, I don't say itwas
he cussin that got the wagon through.
md know @ wen @ anybody that II
xas wicked and wrong for Sam to be
roin on In that recklessway. Butsome-
low or somehow else he was 20 handy
md % furious with his whip and his
mouth, and kept up such = roarin big
excitement till the mules Jest naturally
rot skeered and took the wagon and
ore out Of there.
Now = TO Elder NswbeI1y, be Wa
ne Of the best and most peacefulest os |
men in the round created world for
COMMON. He wouldn't carry ON very
much talk With his mules, and when he |
Ia it was with . smooth and gentle
piss. So consequentially We didn't