Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-12-24
JERRY'S CHOICE.
BY WILL =. GRIDLEY.

"Now, see here, jerry" exclaimed
Farmer Johnson to his man of all
work, rye needn't git Uneasy jest be-
cause old Podgers hez offered We
dollar month more'n I'm payin We.
| reckon I've got about ez much
money an kin afford to pay We about
ez much ez Podgers kin or mebbe n
little more.
Yer n fust-cass worker, jerry,
I'll admit that, an / don't want We to
be gettin' dissatisfied on thinkin of
diggin' out, so I'll make bargain with
We right now before we go any fur
ther. II We stick TO me an work el
well ez ye'vc bin workin' right along
fer the next two years, Al pay We the
same M Podgers offered We, an at the
end Of the two years I'll give We the
best critter on the place. Yes, stree,
Jerry, we kin take yer pick of airy
critter on the hull place, from a sheep
up to n horse, or even agiraife or ele-
plant, if happen to have one of 'em
on hand when it comes time to take
yer choice.
"What dye say to that, Jerry? Is
il bargain?"
"Ill do it. answered Jerry Brant,
quietly, land there's my hand to bind
the bargain"
That's the way to talk; that's jest
what wanted to hear" exclaimed
Farmer Johnson, grasping Jerry's ex-
tended palm and giving it hearty
Il ~, 20 oil
satisfactory to all hands an we kin
pitch into the work with clear con-
sciences.
No further mention was made of the
bargain between Jerry and his en-
plyer until they were seated ut the
dinner table, later in the day, and
then Mr.. Johnson, with merry
twinkle in his eyes, glanced across the
table ut his better fraction and said:
r-+ether, had to dischage
Jerry an hire him over agin today"
"You seem to be in very good
humor about it, SO Judge the differ
ence couldn't have been very seri
Gus" commented Mrs. Johnson, who
used TO be u schoolma am before she
married, and therefore did not handle
the United States dialect with the Off
hand familiarity of her husband.
Serious? Ye kin bet it isl" ejacu-
lated Mr.. Johnson. "Why, I've got
to pay him 81 month more'n | did
before, an at the end Of two years, if
he stays right along, he's to have his
pick out of the critters on the place
to take along with him and keep fer
his own. | expect he'll take horse,
but can't help it. / wasn't goin'ter
let old Podgers hire him away from
) me, an then go around chucklin' over
it behind my back for the next six
months"
"Mr. Podgers made an attempt TO
hire him, did he?"
Eyes, an purity nervy attempt ut
that. Offered him 81 more month,
but I settled the matter in hurry by
pilin' the best critter on the place on
top of that. But if he stays the
hull two years | reckon he'll earn it
ell, Jerry?'
Jerry blushed, and answered that
he would do his best.
Didn't you exempt my pony,papa?
really can't think of allowing Mr..
Brant to run off with that, even il he
does earn it,"exclaimed Farmer John
son'spretty 1S-year- daughter, May,
with a sidelong glance of admiration
ut Jerry's broad shoulders and manly
features.
"Oh, Jerry wouldn't be mean
enough to take the pony, / guess,
interposed her father.
mo" said Jerry, 81 don't want
the pony-uness the rider goes with
it." he added, soto voce.
''Eh, what's that" demanded Mr..
johnson. "Unless what? / didn't
ketch the tail end OF that remark, ex-
actly."
Jerry's face turned crimson, and he
was about to repeat his remark, when
the quick witted young lady came to
the rescue.
"Mr. Brant"-she always called him
by that title, because she considered
it more becoming and digniiied than
Jerry-"Mr. Brant says he doesn't
want the pony unless the bride goes
with it, / believe" she explained in
genuously.
Huh! | reckon halter is oil he'll
get with her il he takes that pony.
There want anything in the writin's
about THROWN in bridle," said Far
mer Johnson.
"You needn't worry, father. Think