The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-06-26

change my gait. You see 1 knowed
very durn well that the onlyest women
folks around there was them that slept
in peace and in the graveyard, and they
couldn't poster me. l didn't have no
fears of anything dead. Hit was the
Twin things that shook my hand and
made me feel weak and wobbly in the
knees.
'The old folks they had went.to bed
when l got in home that night. The
dark was particlar thick and heavy,
but | slipped in the back way and waded
through it as best l could, and sneaked
off tn bed. When / next woke up it was
way long past midnight and towards
day. The moon was shinin pale and dim,
and what do you reckon l saw, Rufe2
Right there before my eyes ] saw 9
woman, or a female critter of some
sort-settin there in a big rockin chair
with a fly bonnet or. as still as q post
and as silent as the sainted dead. I
didn't say nothin. Nobody didn't say
nothin. Not a drum was heard, not q
funeral note. But yet 1 could see the
bundle of female garments there in the
chair with a fly bonnet on as plain as
I a see my hand before my face in the
broad open day time.
"Now, man, sir, if any poor white boy
ever suffered oil the stings and terrors
of a c death, whilst yet in the
full blush and bloom of youth and
health, it was me. Hit wouldn't do to
jump and run for the door. She would
be dead certain to head me off. 1
couldn't jump out through the win
dow from the fact that the dad blame
female thing was settin right slap kerr
dab betwixt me and the window. /
could feel the cold sweat bust loose all
over me, whilst my hair riz up and
stood out every way for Sunday. l
didn't say a blame thing out loud, but,
Rufe, I do reckon 1 prayed the most
fervent and outprayinest prayer that
has ever went up from mortal lips to
the throne of grace. Hit was a tremen-
dius hot and sweltry night, but l COW
cred up, head and foot, and waited with
fear and tremblin to see what was com
in next.
Well, by hokeys, when finally at last
daylight came and / peeped forth to
see what had went with the female
thing-then what do you reckon l saw,
Rufe? Not a durn thing but mothers
old ALPACA dress there in the rockin
chair, and her last years fly bonnet
hangin IN the top round. She had
hung the things there by the window to
sun the day before, and forgot to take
'em in when night come,
II have slept sound and peaceful the
night before the battle, Rufe. I have
slept the sleep of the just right out
amongst the dyin and the dead. But
as yet 1 never have went through with
anything that ever put me in mind of
the mortal terrors that ransacked my
soul on that orful night, when I thought
some female critter had caught me in
her trap.
faint no use in talkin, Rufe. AS
for me-Antny Stevens-I wouldn't
harm a Twin human bein a
and I don't say nothin in particlar agin
the women folks. But betwixt me and
all female human things there is a dead
line which I VIII never cross"
And old man Antny Stevens was good
as his word. After the old folks died
he lived for years right there at home
by his lone self, cooked his own grub,
sewed and washed and patched his own
clothes, and kept clost to his own side
of the road. The machinery had slipped
a cog somewheres, and he couldn't
help it.