The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-11-17
Them MCWilders.
BY L PITT.

~ 20 A4C lGEIUS ~ .
e jest about three months sence the
McWllders fust moved into Sapvile.
They wuz the quietest, tend tony
own business" sort a folks you ever
see-paid no 'tention TO nuthin' ner
nobody outside their own family.
Now, Sapville didn't scarcely know
what to make a eech people. AlIays
before, when strangers moved into
town, we'd started right in bein' neigh
borly with EN-, but with these folks
twas dsffer'nt ag'in. We seen right
away they wanted to be let alone, 60
we eqenched the sperrit of Iovin' our
neighOors az ourselves, and wuz as cool
as cowcumbers to 'em.
Fer more'n a week no soul in Sap
vile know'd the name of these folks;
but fin1y, one of 'em went to ask fer
their mail, an then it leaked out thet
their name WEI McWilder.
After they'd been here about a month
an got all settled, we wimmen begun
thinkin' a leetle bout goin' to see 'em,
'loWin' mebbe they'd got over their up
pish spell. But la me! They Jest
froze everybody out that went to the
house.
We'll, by an by folks begun to git
s'picious, an Ephrum said he'd heerd
round town tibet McWilder wuz a fuga-
tive from justice, an mebbe a counter
filter, bein's he he'd so much money to
spend. An we had our reasons fer
bein' spjcious, too. In the fust place,
Mr.. McWilder wuz never seed dom a
days work; not even mowin' the grass
ner whiteweshin'. BE he'd his hired
man, Josh PrjIl, en- he never laid his
hand to nuth'n' fur's outdoor work
went. They he'd a big house Ghe old
Wudger place, an I'd heerd twas fixed
up real handsome on the inside, especi
ally the front room. So t'other after
noon, hevin' nothin' pertickler IN hand,
I made up my mind to go set awhile
with MS McWider, an see fer myself
est how they WIZ fixed. I sez to
Ephrum:
Now, you keep your eyes on the
front gate, en- eff Mis- Tuggles or Mis-
Prouty should come, you jest hev EN-
come in an wait till 1 git home Then
I kin tell en- about the McWilders an
their furniture"
So sayin' I set out. Arrivin' at the
house, the hired help met me at the
door, an when I ask'd eff Mis- McWjl-
der wuz to home, she smiled an said:
Yes. Jest step into the drawin'.
room an hev a seat"
Well, I vent in. I jest he'd time to
take eff my Walkin' specs and put on
my gold!bowed ones, when Mis- Nc
Wilder came a rustlin' in. / rise up,
an seq I:
"Howdy-do, Mis- McWilder2 My
name is Bowere-Mrs, Ephrum Pep
perel Bowers. 1 reckon you've heerd
q my husband-him bein' president of
the Poultry Protective Society,""
She bowed, an said, Mrs. Bowers"
1 wuz a leetle tux back that she
wuzn't no more friendly; yit I'd ort
a knowed what to expect. She treated
most everybody the same way. 1
thought mebbe she felt a leetle mif5
bout my not calm on her sooner, so
l seq:
Il would a come sooner, but me an
Ephrum hev been busy putin in the
garden, then come house cleanin', an
it seemed as eff I never could ketch up
with my visitin'."
She seemed to thaw out a little after
I told her this, an she talked real free
bout Mr.. Nc Wilder an her son.. SO,
SEEM my chance, 1 SEE to her, s I:
what trade is your son learning'8"
"Well" SEE she, ''he has not decided
as yet to a profession. He is assisting
his father at present"
AN what might his pas trade be7"
sez I.
"Why, certainly it is" SCI she sneer-
inly. why do you ask such a ques
tion7"
oh, Jest to find OUT" SEE l.. Then
to keep her from freezin' up too much,
l SEE to her. How beautiful your
house-furnishin's are, Mis- McWilder.
I wish you'd jest take me all through
the house, from cellar to garrett" 1
put in the garrett, fer I WIZ most sure
tibet wuz where the counterfeitin' Wuz
goin' on.
"Well," SEE she, Il not in the habit
of having my callers inspect the house,
but with you, it seems ashame not to
gratifv vour CURIOSITY"