St. Tammany farmer., 1897-06-19


made me feel weak and wobbly in ths
knees.
''The cid folks they had went to bed
when I got in home that night. The
dark wus rarticlar thick and heavy,
but slipped in the back wav and waded
through II rs best I could. and sneaked
on to bed. When next woke up It was
way long past midnight and toward.
day. The moon was shinin pale and dim,
and what do you reckon saw. Rufe1
Right there before my eyes ] saw q
woman, or . female critter of some
sort-settin there In q big rockin chair
with fly bonnet on, as still ~ post
and rs silent rs the sainted dead.
didn't say ncthin. Nobody didn't say
nothin. Not drum was heard. not a
funeral note. But yet could see the
bundle of female garments there in the
chair with q fly bonnet on rs plain ~
! can see my hand before my face in the
broad open day time.
"Now. man. sir, If any poor white boy
ever suffered all the stings and terrors
Of . secont 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 NE OF.
couldn't jump out through the win
dow from the fact that the dad blame
female thing was settin right slap ker-
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 blame thing out loud. but.
Rufe. l do reckon / prayed the most
fervent and outprayinest prayer that
has ever went up from mortal lips to
the throne Of grace. Hit was 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 alapaca dress there in the rockin
chair, and her last years fly bonnet
hangin on the top round. She had
hung the things there by the window to
sun the day before. and forgot to take
EN- in when night come.
II have slept sound and peaceful the
night before the battle. Rufe. have
slept the sleep Of the just right out
the dyin and the dead. But
as yet never have went through with
that ever put me in mind Of
the mortal terrors that ransacked my
soul on that orful night, when thought
some female critter had caught me in
her trap.
"Taint no use in talkin, Rufe. As
for me-Antny StevensNT wouldn't
harm a livin human bein a purpose,
md I don't say nothin in particlar agin
the women folks. But bctwixt me and
all female human things there is dead
line which will never cross"
And old man Antny Stevens was good
ls 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
! cog somewhercs, and he couldn't
help it.
One More "Strnnge Chlld.~
It was so / couldn't be there that day |
xhen they had singin and slow walkin |
It Pilgrims Rest, and consequentially |
don't know for certain where they pnt |
Antny Stevens down. But from the |
nfernal fitness of things it would seem
% me like he ought to sleep side by side |
with old Misses Longmire-which she |
vas one more Of them strange children
which the sons and daughters Of man.
lind have been raisin up in this present
lay and generation.
What was the matter with old Misus
Nothing much. only she was
eft poor lone widder when she was
light young. and in the due fullness Of
ime somebody put out a tremendous big
about her. Inever did know
for certain in regards to
What was said or who said 1t. But
he widder she helt and maintained
hat it was hatched up by the forked-
ongued women Of the settlement. And
enceforwards and forevermore after
hat she never spoke single mortal
vord to any livin female human bein
lnder the sun. She was passin friendly
9itlh the men folks. ard one of the most
indest and patient souls in the created
rorld to boys. but she did naturally
ate anything in the shape of woman
ind. She was even mean and spiteful
. the girls. sayin how they would all be
'omen by-and-by.
Thus and so the Widder I.ongmire
wed the remainin days of her life out,
nd it was only aftershe was dead and
one that some Of the good women Of
he settlement slipped over there and
xed her up for the funeral.
"Hit takes whole passle Of various
nd sundry different sorts Of human
eople to make up this vain and fleetin
'orld." says Andy Lucas to me oncst
pom time. 'sand let me tell you, Ruse.
II be dadblamed IL we ain'tgot EN-"
And in regards to men and women
I'D people and things, Andy Lucas
'ost in generally always wabbles
round mighty cIost to the bulls eye.
RUFUS SANDERS.
C0nfUoang In Court.
Il was before m Irish trial Justice.
be evidence was all in, and the plain
0's attorney had made = long. e!o- +,
seut and logical argument. Then the ]
attorney took the door.