The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-04-17
THE ola Man was Crowded.

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When Jerry Scroggins was 90 years
old and a goin, with his good wife dead
and buried and all the children mar
ried off, he got lonesome and wanted his
youngest son, Blev, to move in with his
family and run the place and keep him
company. OF course Blew and his wife
they jumped at the chance-which you
understand the old man was now comin
across with his last load of poles, and
he had the best farm and the mostlove-
hest home anywheres in the Rocky
Creek regions.
So they moved in and treated him SO
kind and gentle and lovin till the next
and all he had in the way ofthis worlds
goods to his son BIev, and his son Blev's
wife, and their children after them
henceforwards and forever.
Il am now old and helpless and weak
and tired, Blevins," said old man Jerry,
'and all / want in this vain and feetin
world is a place to rest easy and die in
peace. You can run the farm and your
wife AN keep the house. Let me have
my old chair here in the corner, and use
my tobacco, and eat at the table so long
as l live, and the old place is yours"
So then he made cut the paper givin
everything to Blew, and Blev's wife she
took the paper and put it away under
lock and key. Now it want so very long
after that before they took to crowdin
the old man considerable and presently
it seems as if they would soon crowd
him and his old chair out of the r
and crowd him out of doors, and crowd
him into the grave. Blev's wife she
fused and fumed and ding-donged at
him and crowded him terrible because
he would use his tobacco, and he
couldn't always spit right exactly
where he was lookin- He had shed his
third set of teeth and lost his strength
so till he couldn't raley spit much past
his nose, whereas it follows that he was
bound to make a right smart mess
around the fireplace every day. And
Blev's wife jawed and nagged at him
day in and day out about spittin on her
floor, and messin up her house, till bless
gracious the old man got sick and tired
of it.
One summer day-when the sky was
calm and clear, and peace was broodin
like a gentle spirit over the whole en-
tire family, old man Jerry happened to
remember that he had left somethin out
when he was fxin the papers and maxim
the place over to Blew. So he called
Dlev's wife by n of her pet names and
told her to please bring him the paper
and let him putt everything right. She
went and brung it out like she was told,
and quick as a fash that old man laid
it over behind the back log in the big
fireplace.
Now, there, young woman says he,
'rhis house and this farm and every
thing or the place belongs to Jeremiah
Scroggins in his own name. You and
my son Blevins a now shell out and
hustle for yourself till l git ready to
move In the mainline / will use as
muchtobacco as wantto and spit where
/ durn please. l can have all the room
/ needand take my rest and not be in the
way. I bought this place and built this
house and planted out the orchard with
my own hands, and I'll be dadburned if
you and Blevins can crowd me out in
my old age"
With that the old man went to the big
family chest, got out a fresh plug of to-
bacco. pulled his chair around in front
Of the fireplace. put his feet on the
chimney jamb and let the juice of the
weed ay free and promiscus. right and
left.
Then Blev and his folks they had to
move out, and when the old nan died
It soon turned ont that he had went and
made a will leavin his property to be
divided amongas all the children fair
aud equal. excertin his son Blew and his
son Blev's wife.