The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-11
lInrd to please.

/ Old Josh Langley drove his bony team
/ into Miss MERGERS farm yard and yelled,
"Halloar says Ellis Parker Butler in the
I National Magazine. His vehicle was a
/ rickety spring wagon that had seen if
! teen years of hard service, and showed it
/ plainly. Old Josh himself was a greasy,
! gray bearded old fellow with long, tan
! gled hair and a red fame. shirt that had
not felt water in year. He wore a home
made straw hat, through the top of which
knot of his red hair protruded like a
dirty flame. He was barefooted and bis
| only garb beside the red shirt was pair
of faded overalls that hardly reached his
ankles. BY occupation Old Josh was a
! isherman-farmer, and by reputation the
meanest man on Muscatne Island.
Miss Mercer was a neat little woman of
forty or whereabouts, whom misfortune had
| driven to farming. Her brother did the
coarse farm work Miss Mercer was a
| lover of Browning and Emerson.
When Old Josh called "Ha.loa. Miss
Mercer came out of the kitchen and walked
over to where Old Josh sat in his wagon.
You be Miss Mercer, bent you?" he
asked
Yes" she replied. Did you want to
see my brother?"
Nav, not in partickler. Cum more to
see you. l hearn purity considerable about
you"
"Indeed?"
vas I low you've hearn tell of me
haint you? I'm Josh Langley, from over
on the slough"
Il believe my brother has spoken of
you once or twice"
yes? Well I'm goin up town to-day
Theys a circus in town to-day. lever
go to a Circus?'
mo, not often"
so? Don't sp6se you'd care to go to
this un?"
NO. hardly think I would care for it.
I hadn't thought of going"
"Pshaw, noww said Old Josh, with evil
dent regret; that's too badl l lowed meb
by you'd go with me? 1 druv over here
special to invite you. Mebby you don't
like my style?"
81 don't care for circuses," Miss Mercer
replied automatically.
80? lever see my wife?"
mo, l believe not"
Thought not. She's dead. Died last
night"
"Oh! I'm sorry"
YES. That's half why I'm goin' to town
to-day. to git her a coffin, but l lowed
l might as well take in the circus same
time. Sure you don't care to go?"
mo, certainly not! l wouldn't think of
itI' said Miss Mercer very decidedly.
Old Josh pulled a plug of black tobacco
from his pocket and bit off a piece
thoughtfully.
Low you amt thinking of getting
married, are you?' he asked at length.
Miss Mercer started. Perhaps the man
was crazy.
MOI she said sharply.
well, you needn't git mad about it,
he said, "only thought if you was maybe
we might make a match of it. You see
my old woman's dead now and 1 kinder
need some one round the shanty. GU
think you wouldn't care to tie up?"
mo sir would not And if I did I
most certainly wouldn't think of marry
ing a man who would -"
Hold on" exclaimed Old Josh. eco
easy! You mean to say you don't like
my style? That it?"
Yes! that is it, and if you have 70
more to say l will say good afternoon! 3"
Old Josh put up one hand and running
his fingers under his hat scratched his
head vigorously.
'sayr' he said, 81 hearn lots of talk
about you bein' stuck up, but didn't take
no stock in it, not a bit. They said you
was so chock full of book
learnin' you hadn't no use for
common folks, but I alus said it
weren't so. That's what l allus said
But" he said, pausing to emphasize what
was to follow. "by gosh, I'll be dog blamed
if you amt, git-upr
The two down-cast horses slowly ambled
out of the yard. At the gate Old Josh
pulled them up. Miss Mercer was still
standing on the kitchen steps.
Say he called I'm a-gon' to have
the old woman buried to-morrer afternoon
I give you an invite 10 come, cause 1 don't
bear you no i'll will for missin' a good
chance"
But Miss Mercer did not attend the flu
neral of the late Mrs. Josh Langley