St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-05-08

years ago. And where II Jim Cristen.
den to-duy7 Bless your sweet soul.
honey. thst boy worked and fit. and fit
and worked till finally at last he broke
into congress, and he is right there now
on this blessed and beautiful spring
day.
Garden truck is plentiful ut our house.
and where do you reckon we got the
seed: By gracious, that same boy Jim
Crittehdcn he sent 'em to US free
gratis for nothin. What he has done
for us he has likewise also done for
hundreds OF people in the district.
1t amt for me to say how long Jim
will tarry and remain where heis. But
this much I do know to dead and
buried certainty, the mortal man that
beats Jim Crittendtn n in a race for con-
gress will have to stay out later and git
up sooner, and court more women and
kiss more babies than any other lisin
man in the district.
Yet well do remember when people
use to say that Jim Crittenden was a
fool. 1t raley mought he better to keep
your eye on these plain American boys
till you can find out for certain what
sort of fools they will be by and by.
Forty Acres and . MAJ.
Along in the Christmas Blew Scrog.
gins pitched out and laid his plans to
do more farmin this year than any one
man in the settlement. He went over
on Deer creek and rented 40 acres ut
swamp lard from Maj. Ti?:cn- and
made out like he was goin 10 tee d the
whole thing single-handed by his lone
self. But it now comes to pass that
Biev backed down and out before the
ajor could fix up the papers.
'Tain't no use in talkin about il,
Rufe," says Blev in givin out the facts
to me, ''it is too internal lonesome way
over there on Deer creek for me. Before
l would close up the trade and sign the
pa pers l went over there one day to try
the business and sec If could stand 1t.
All day long cut sprouts and knocked
corn stalks and burnt brush on that
~ acres Of swamp land. And honest
10 God, Kufe. from sunup to sundown
l didn't see livin soul or hear human
voice only when would cuss little
around the edges or talk to my fool self.
Iialey I do think it is the dadblamdest,
gonebyest most lonesomest place on the
top side of earth.
$50 consequentially when I returned
back home that night / had come TO
stay. BY gatlins, l wouldn't work that
40 acres of swamp land way over
there on Deer creek free of rent and
four bits an acre to boot. Now. if
had some boys big enough to go over
there with me, and tumble around and
keep me company. maybe mongh;
stand it. But rs you know. Rufe. by
the grace and mercy Of wise and low.
in Providence, all Of my boys arc girls,
and that 40 acres of swamp land is ton
internal many for poor lonesome me" !"
The zone Lone Niger"
My friend and fellow servant, witt.
that 40 acres Of swamp land. puts rue
in mind of old DIR. Brownlow and his
one lone niger.
That was way back in slavery times.
and old DR.. Brownlow had one mig
ger-and only one-a long. tall black
rascal by the name of Isam. And Isam
he got into a mighty way of runnin
away from home and stayin out till
he was run down and brung back. At
last one summer day the old doctor
called up his solitary slave.
Listen at me, Isam," says he. '.Thc
next time you git lonesome and take
up a fool notion to run away, want
you to come and tell me about it. Don't
lope of SO blame suddent and surprisin
like. Let me know when you feel the
spell comm on, and maybe won't whip
you 50 hard when fetch you back"
Two or three weeks rolled by. and
late one even Isam he come up to the
front gate. took a seat on the horse
block and waited there till the old doc.
tor rid up.
''Marse Doc" says he, 81 jest come "a
tell you I'm gwirc to run away to-
night"
'The native hill you are" says the
old doctor. ''What's the matter with
you anyhow. you triflin black scoun.
drel?"
'Oh, well. Marse Doc" says Isam.
"durn this here one lone nigger!"
News from the Settlement.
Three weeks ago to-day Misses Strl,-
blin-Aunt Tabithy, as most everybody
called her-passed over the river. no
doubts at the same ferry where Abra-
ham and Isaac and Jacob and David
crossed. She was the beloved wife OF
old man Judge Stribblin. from down in
the Flat woods. They tell me that old
man Judge is Eow payin his double
breasted regards to the Widder Sin.
gleton. Seems to me like they are run
min the human race mighty fast in
these latter days.
Old man Mart Mayo has now quit
drinkin whisky. At any rates, that is
what hear people say. And I reckon
it must be SO. met up with one of old
Mart's boys-which they call his name
Luther-down at the mill the other day.
l told him how was monstrous glad
to hear that his pa had quit drinkin
sperits, and ask him il it was SO.
''Yessir, reckon it must be so" says
the boy, prompt and innocent like. II
seed him quit drinkin three or four
times this mornin."
RUFUS SANDERS.
RAISED IN DAMP CLIMATES.