Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-03-18
Uncle Mates Junket.

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the road, shading his eyes with his
shrunken hand and gazing longingly
after buggy disappearing down the
bay road. A look of child-like disap-
pointment showed in his faded blue
eyes and in the dropping corners of
his mouth. Il think they might took
me to the rally" he said, aloud Jim
would been willing if Carrie hadn't
said they must go in the new buggy
if they'd gone in the boat l could
have gone. too. Amt been to marry
rally this year, neither-but l can
vote for the feller l want, anyhow.
And he tried to take comfort in the
thought that the right of suffrage was
not taken from him because he was
old and feeble and under the domina-
ton of shrewish daughter-in-law.
He turned to 60 back to the cook.
house to while away the long day as
best he might, when his attention was
attracted by strange vehicle coming
past the cliff. He watched it. Six
horses drew hay wagon on which
sort of arbor had been built Of green
boughs twined with red, white and
blue. Behind came a long string of
horsemen, some buggies and another
hay wagon, in which sat band, their
crimson coats adding to the gayety of
the scene. 1t was the Dover settle
ment delegation.
When the arbor wagon came abreast
of Uncle Nate the driver pulled up; it
was Wade Hicks. "Hullo, amt you
going to therally?" he asked. Thought
you was a rock-bottomed Republican.
Other men yelled facetious greetings
to the old man, and the people in the
rear craned their neci:s to see what
had stopped the procession. 81 was
wanting to 60" Uncle Nate said to
Hicks, "but Carrie thought I'd better
stay home and watch the house in
stead of junketing. Besides they want
ed to go in the new buggy and there
amt room for but two grown-ups in
that.
Hicks gave a grunt Of disgust, echoed
by several of his companions. That
Uncle Mates daughter-in-law was un-
kind to him was well known, but this
struck them as a superhuous brutality
when jim had good pond-boat and
the wind was fair But jim always
was as sneakin as a bait-snapper and
bound to knuckle under a woman,
Hicks said, in a low voice. He turned
and said something to the men who
sat behind him.
"Yes-there' room enough, man
said. Crowd along there, George
"Won't you pile in here with US
we've got an empty place that you'll
Just fit, Hicks said to the old man.
Come along" the others cried.
The old man face grew bright, then
fell. I'D like to go on a junket, but
what about the house? The main
buildings locked, but the cook-house
is open.
"I'll help you lock up, the man
called George said, climbing to the
ground. Uncle Nate followed him and .
they hurriedly lowered windows and
locked the door and put the key under
the mat. Then the old man got into
the arbor wagon and the procession
moved on.
1t was an October day and the sky
was like a great torquoise and the bay
was only rufied by light sailing
wind. The horsemen caracoled at the |
side Of the wagons or raced in front ;
the band played Marching Through .
Georgia" with great spirit, though in
somewhat erratic time, and the whole !
delegation shouted for its candidate /
until the woods and cliffs sent back
strange, confused echoes. Uncle Nate
was in seventh heaven of enjoyment
to ride in this arbor with company /
of lively young fellows was more to his
taste than the society of the sulky /
Carrie.
i've been hankering to 90 to real,
old-fashioned rally he said, "and see
the gals riding in wagins in red, white
and blue dresses, a-pertending that
they the goddess of liberty and the
thirteen 'riginal States, and see the
fireworks whizzing up in the air and
adjusting into colored balls. Are,yOu
going to stay for the fireworks ?"
You can just bet We stay for the |
whole show" Hicks answered.
The old man settled back in his |
place in state of beatifc contentment |
his cup of JOY was perhaps but a
pint measure, but it was full to the |
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