The Press., 1896-01-09


 of victory by swallowin 13. tell you days, when great men was a heap mo- plentiful than they are now. So you want no kin to him?"
 No; have no relatives in this state.
 "You live away off wander some whar, 1 reckon?"
 "Yes; long ways" :" N
 Don't look like you been uster doin much work!''
 "Pap," the woman interposed, 'don't talk thater way. Everybody don't have to work themselves to death like us. l."
 "Waal, 'Lizabuth, I sholy didn t mean no harm, for I had an old uncle in Moth Klina that never done no work, and he WAS putty good sort of fel- low, too, I'll tell you. -
 The visitor laughed in 80 good na. tured a way that the man laughed, and then from the outside there came tit. tering that caused the old woman to hasten to the door. Miss Madam, what's the matter with you and Little Dave out thar?' she asked. Cant you behave yo'selfs and not dodge about A-gigglin like lot of geese?"
 "Geeee don't giggle. They squawks, ' came from the outside.
 "Let 'Om alone, 'Lizabuth," said the old man, smiling. "Let 'em enjoy themselves while they can.''
 "They are your child1en, suppose, :" the visitor remarked.
 "Waal-that is to say-partly," the old man answered. Miss Madam is our daughter-the only child we ever had durin the war-but Little Dave ain't no kin to us. We took him tQ raise be- fo' Miss Madam was borne3, cause he was little bit of a crippled thing that nobody didn't want, but he always was a mighty peart child, and, bless you, he can do power of good with a hoe now. He's crowdin 20 putty close, and Miss Madam is goin on IT,"
 "Why do you call her Miss Madamf"
 II reckon that Da!ne do sound strange to folks that don't understand it, and I'll tell you exactly how it come about A long time ago, when me and wife was movin out here, our hoss-the one we had-drapped down in the road and died. Laws amussy, how we was trou- bled. for we didn't know what to do, not havin but few dimes, and we know d that thar want DO use in tryin to go on without hoss, as we couldn t do nothin arter we got thar toward raisin crap. While we was standin thar, mournin, along come a carriage, and right close to it come 8 man on a hoss The carriage was as bright as a new dollar, and the man looked like a governor. WaAl, when they got up to whar we was, they stopped, and the man asked. Whats the matter wjth yo' hoss?' 'Nothin's the matter with him now, suh, I said. He might have been powerful sick a few minits ago, but he s dead now Is that the only hoss you've gotH he asked. Yes, said I, 'And ain't got him now, and the Lord only knows how I'm goin to make a crap Jest then the sweetest face ever seen-the face of a woman-showed at the winder of the carriage. The dog wood blossoms and the redbud bloom had give her their color, and the dew draps from the grapevines had fell in her eyes. Whom she seen my wife a-standin thar a-cryin, she asked, And is that really the only hoss you hadH' Yes, mann, my wife answered, wringin her hands.
 And you say you can't make q craps' ]
 We can't do nothin now thst the hoss Is dead, and we mout as well die too
 "Then the woman sorter leahee uut of the carriage, and, with 8 smk4 hat put me in mind of 8 mornin in spring after rain had fell the night lbefo' said. 'Jedge, get down and give them yo' hossl
 Madam, said he, it shall ba jest as you say.' and, befo' I knowed what was bein done, was so astonished, the bridle rein was in my hand, my wife was on her knees, and the carriage was gone. We never could find out thai names. All we knowed was Jedge and Madam. So when our boy was borned the one that was killed-we called him Jed8e, and when the little girl come we called her Madam, but bein such little bit of @ thing, and Madam soundin most too big for her, we added the Miss. 'Lizabuth, step thar to the do and tell the children we won't go out to the field agin this evenin."