Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-03-06
Letters From tho People


of ours; but it appears now that he
has got "sortern mad all of Sud
dent" about something or other, and
has gone to "chunking" me instead
of the "coons.n He now seems to be
perfectly satisfied, and on good terms
with them, though nary a one" OF
'en has jumped just as he wanted
'em to. nor said the things he wanted
'em to say. Some other fellow has
come along, too, and tried to raise a
fuss around the tree. He makes
cross mark, because he's "sorter"
.'cross like about something or
other, l suppose. He says old coon"
has lodged, and won't come out in
the clear. Well, to my notion, if this
old COON wantsa whole hide he's
out about far enough just now; fully
as far us any sensible ''coon" can or
ought to come. This y fellow is
kinder riledn with this particular
coon" | guess. Maybe he's been
eating his roasting ears or been on
his grabbing ground or oyster rocks
"coons" are mighty fond of such
things you know-or has tread on
bis toes" in some other way perhaps.
Evidently he has got cit in for him"
for some reason or other. Old Gloomy"
[ guess, has "smelt mice" by this
time and has got his weather eye on
this "chappie." Maybe he's seen
Winchester IA under his coat, and
has smelt "pizenn in the magazine
and knows better than to come far
enough out to give him chance to
"plantn such pill behind his fore
shoulder. reckon he's wise in his
wayn sure enough, il lie hain't, he'd
better be, when Winchesters are I'M
der the tree. While l am talking of
this man Of mark" l will just men
ton that he gives me dig in the
ribs" too. l never said or did any
thing to him out OF the way that |
know of. He came along after we
had "treed the coons," and had the
fire and smoke all "agoing." Nobody
asked him to the hunt, and if he did
not like what was going on, he might
have gone off without raising fuss
and hitting fellow as he did. This
wasn't his funeral" in particular
nohow so far as l can now see. He
saws tried to be funny" and whit
tied out points so fine that no one
could see them but myself. Well,
when | AIN talking to him, [ guess |
had better stop that "sorter" bust
ness, talk seriously and make points
blunt enough so that he maysee 'em.
Well, there are some thin, that are
worse in man than trying to be
funny" in my humble judgment,
such as surliness, unwarranted often
siveness, sour disposition, malice, un
charitabeness, envy. All of these
are worse a man may try to be
"funnyn and fail; but he hardly ever
fails when he attempts either of the
others. Success in this role is al
most certain. AS l said, man may
fail in an attempt at being funny"
and the shame and humiliation will
usually rest upon him alone, and no
one is injured but himself, but if he
possesses to an unusual degree, any
or all of the Objectionable qualities
named, like the deadly Upas tree, he
poisons all the atmosphere by which
he may be surrounded, and blights
with his breath and with his pres
ence both the social and political
circles in which he may move. can
only guess who this y gentleman is,
and if l am right in my conjecture, l
have no idea that he possesses to an
abnormal extent any of the bad
qualities named, but am led to be-
Iieve that he is victim ofconditions
over which he has but slight control.
Or perhaps he may be affected with
Liver disease which a good dose OF
"sagwa" will speedily remove, and
set him right again. In the language
of the immortal DR.. Wilson of sagwa
fame-I would exclaim, My friend
how is your liver?" With that organ
performing properly and effectively
it's functions, taking the bile out of
the BRAIN out of the heart, and out
of the tongue, his scowls will give
way to smiles; thoughts Of malice or
envy, to whisperings of love and
charity; and singing words of ridi-
cule, to friendships tender tones.
This X gentleman intimates that
my points can only be seen by
myself. If true, this is indeed a great
misfortune to me, as well as very
humiliating. or course he didn't
intend this remark as a compliment
to me. nor did he mean to reflect
upon his own intelligence, or sense
of discrimination or discernment.
"Countryman" and others seem to
have seen the points I endeavored to
make, and l had no idea when writ
ing but that any other person OF even
ordinary keenness of mental vision
could readily see and comprehend
my meaning. If this gentleman alone
failed to do so, it can only be taken
as evidence of the fact that Provi-
dence has not dealt in an altogether
impartial manner with all of its
human creatures here below. / have