The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-12-05
The Man and the Occnslon.

The Man and the Occasion.
There was considerable singin and
cryin and carryin on at the grave
yard that day, but l raley couldn't see
how the people made it fit the case. l
don't see how anybody could feel sorry
Jest simply because old man Steve was
dead and gone. l wouldn't be half way
honest if I even. sorter made out like l
was sorry when l heard the news.
People have to die and be buried
somebody somewheres-every year and
every day and every hour. And when
the news come hat there would be
singin and slow walkin at Pilgrims
Rest, and who it was for, l thought to
myself if there ever was a time when
the man and the occasion met Steven
Hasseltine was the name of the man.
Now don't you take a bad breakin out
at the mouth and tell it around that
the gentleman from Rocky Creek
talked unrespectful Of the dead. He
didn't do it. From the bottom of my
unhOllowed feet to the top of my
tangly head, l respect the dead. Even
to old man Steve Hasseltine, l respect
ed him when he was dead-which that
was a whole lot more than l could say
and more than anybody else could
say-whilst he tarried around and re-
manned over amongst US in the flesh.
In life he didn't respect himself, and
other people were most in generally of
the same opinion. In the natural stage
of life he never was known to do any
thing for the good of anybody. But
when the last summons come he died
for the good of his country and the
whole entire human race.
1 use to sometimes GO over to the.
poorhousa induring of the campaign,
whilst burning the woods and siftin the
ashes for votes. And I never went
there but what l found old man Steve
Hasseltine at home. His mother she
had died there about the time he was
horned into this vale of years and
tears, and it was always home to him.
Many and many's the time l have heard
the old man say he was sick and tired
Of Iivin-that he was nobody and no
account to himself or any Twin crea-
ture, and the old home want what it use
to be nohow.
81 have been sick and pore and help
less and a general drug on creation
from the cradle up, Rufe, and raley !
can't see why L ever was horned into
this world" says old man Steve to me
oncst upon a time. 81 amt only sick
", but I am likewise also too Internal
lazy to breathe free and easy, and as
you know 1 jest have got sense enough
to come in the house when it rains. /
am like unto a knot on a log. 1 don't
give a durn for nobody and nobody
gives a durn for me. So what's the use
of livin? ?"
Well, as for me, I didn't git into any
Ted-hot argyication with the old man
along that line. 1t looked to ne like he
was about th~ree-thirds right, and 1 had
the nerve to tell him o 1t amt for
me to give the wherefo-es and the
whenceness, and it is none of my bust
ness how it COM to pass that old man
Steve Hasseltine was horned and
brung up to be such n tire endius big
blank in creation. / didn't make him,
and you can't put the blame on me. He
didn't create himself, and 1 raley don't
see how you could put the blame on
him. The good Lord don't make any
mistakes, and 1 don't see how anybody
is to blame in regards to old man Steve.
But anyhow, if he was too pore and
too sickly, and too lazy and too trifin
to live-if, as he was won't to tell it, he
didn't give a durn for nobody and no.
body didn't give a durn for him in the
hesh-then what was the use of all that
cryin and singin and slow walkin
over at Pilgrims Rest2 If the poor old
thing was raley glad to die, it looks to
like other people mought agree with
him-rejoice with them that rejoice,''
accordin to what the Word says.
The last time / was in town Bill
Simpkins told me that the latest crop
news had a powerful 'sbullish influ-
ence' on cotton. I didn't know for
certain what he was drivin attiLlhe told
me the news had throved the price up.
Now I can see how it is. Death had a
powerful "bullish influence on old
man Steve Hasseltiue. The last time /
saw him--over at Pilgrims Rest that
day--he was as smart and as rich and as
good as any dead man in all the round
created world.
But to my dying day 1 never will see
any use of all that cryin and sarryin
on and singin and slow waikiki when
they laid the old mar down to rest.