Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-03-05

the rat grows more familiar every night
an he finally gifts so he comes over tc
my chair an climbs up my breeches laig
an digs his paws inter my knee SOS he
wouldn't jar off when I'd pound the
nuts.
AN then maybe in the mornin' this
widder woman 'ud come drivin' over be-
hind n ole mealy nosed mule an poster
me, askin' whether she'd better plant
hog Gavin err sweet cawn in the medder
land she was brealdn' up on her farm,
an she'd sit down here an talk an fuss
round an declare to gracious an I'd
tidget till she run out o. talk an chat
ter an then I'd hitch up her ole mule
an she'd go drivin' home, an then I'd
call out the rat and feed him hazelnuts
an enjoy the quiet, cause the rat didn't
make no noise.
well, things run along in that rut
fer several weeks, the widder gittin'
more familiar an L more onensy, an
the rat jes' stayin' where he is, enjoy
in life an hazelnuts an provin' a
mighty consolation to me. Finally
long about the June rise in the river,
was haulin' up some drifJwood from the
river what | had ketched in the back
water, an the wagon pin broke an a
big water-soaked sycamore log rolled
off an threw me down an ketchcd me
under it an broke my laig, besides skin
min me up considerable. The neigh
bors heard me holler an came an
rolled the log often me an carried me
up here an sent fer the doctor, but
aforc he got here that dadfetched wild
der woman came sailin' IN, right in the
middle of all the misery L was a-suf-
ferin' from.
THE widder woman never left the
house after that at all, fer she said
I'd need some one to tend TO me, an she
would be most ticliled to death fer to
do it, an the doctor agreed with her,
an so L couldn't do nothin' to stop it,
bein, laid up in bed thataway with my
leg strapped to board.
Il dunno whether that laig er the
widder disconnected ME fer the next
few days." continued the old man; but
l do know that this female was power
full irritatin' while L was tryin' to cure
it. She had brought neighbor girl
over with her for company, an she'n
the girl uster sleep in the room 'jinin'
this one, where the widder said she
could hear me if | got thirsty durin' the
night an wanted drink; but uster
stand the thirst ruther than have her
come in waylayin' me when L couldn't
run, an so L uster keep quiet. From
the time she'd git up an make the fire
fer breakfast she'd scold the dogs fer
trackin' up the kitchen floor, an turn
the cat out fer the night, an go to bed.
Shed palaver an talk an fuss round,
an Id squirm an kick the kivers round
with my well foot till the doctors said
if didn't keep still my laig would grow
as crooked as the Wess niggers was,
what got broke by the nigger fallin'
over a salt bar'l on n steamboat. He
uster lean over the side of the bed fer
to play dice on the floor with the other
niggers who'd visit him.
"One night the widder woman was
sittin' by the bed thar by me an knit
tin socks fer winter, an a-clatterin'
when this neighbor girl got to foolin'
round an found ole meal sack full
ov haZelnuts, an acourse she had fer
to fill her apron an come in to show
Miss Sile what she had diskivered.
Fer the lands salles, Mandy, ,where'd
you git 'em?' says the widder, when
she sees um. Gracious Goshen! but
they is ies' what / want! l have heered
many an many time that hazelnut lie
is jest the very best thing fer to make
things heal right up sez she. I'll sit
right down here an crack 'un, an in
the morning I'll make some lie fer Mr.
Barnes what'll fetch his limb all right
in jiffy,' sez she. An she got a iron
often the shelf an Topped down in a
chair an begun craclin' nuts an CAB
bin.
"She was n chatterin' along when
notices the rat stick his head outen the
hole an look round. Hazel heered the
crackin' ov the nuts, an he was shore
hungry fer some ov 'em an had come
out to investigate. l llnowed what'C
happen, so l jes stuffed a corner of the
fivver in my mouth to keep from laf
fin an watched the crittcr.
"The rat looked round a couple ov
times like his appetite was affectin
him, an then he took run fer to climl
up on ole Miss Sile's knees, jeS' like h'
uster on mine, an / ducked under the
j., sheets an listened. The rat never tool
. into account no female attire evidently
an that's where he missed it.
81 heered screech an crash an
the widder woman went backward ovel
her chair, the hazelnuts in her apron
fallen like rain all round the room
!: When peeped out she was a-gettin' VI
an she grabbed the iron an damned i
at Hazel jes' as he was a-divin' in hi
hole, an she turned on me where I wa
all doubled up in bed laffin' an she lam
: basted Inc till she got so het up sh
coXldn't talk no more, an then sh
struck out afoot fer home, the neigh
g Dor child a-traiin' along behind. An
then / picked the hazelnuts outer tn
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