River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-03-10

an digs ms paws inter my knee so ne
wouldn't jar off when I'd pound the
nuts.
AN then maybe in the mornin' this
wilder woman nd come driyin' over be-
hind ole mealy nosed mule an poster
me, askin' whether she'd better plant
hog Gavin er sweet Gavin in the medder
land she was breakin' up on her farm,
an she'd sit down here an talk an fuss
round an declare TO gracious, an I'd
fidget 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.
This wilder woman didn't like dogs
ner rats neither, an ulster git uneasy
when I'd think about her, for l could
feel that things was a-comin' to a pint
mighty fast. l was sojournin' along in
them days jes' enjoyin' livin' by myself
with the rat an the hounds, an when
this female comes projectin' round it
worries me considerable fer to think of
Givin' 'em up jes' fer a woman. Not
That objects to wimmen at all, but |
objects to these maneuverin' kind, an
that's the kind this wilder woman was.
We'll, things run along in that rut
fer several weeks, the wilder gittin'
more familiar an | more oueasv, 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 drifIwood from the
river what | had ketched in the back
water, an the wagon pin broke an
big Water-soalied sl Camore log rolled
off an threw me down an ketched me
under it an broke my laig, besides skim
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 Noctor, but
afore he got here that dadfetched wild
der woman came sailin' IN, right in the
middle of all the misery L was a-suf-
fern from
The wilder 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 ticlllcd to death fer to
do it, an the doctor agreed with her,
an so | 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
Jew days." continued the old man; but
do know that this female was power
full irritatin' while l was tryn' to cure
Zba haI l,rnrtpl,f -; 4
over with her for company, an she'n
the girl ulster sleep in the room 'jinin'
this one, where the wilder said she
could hear me if | got thirsty durin' the
night an wanted a drink; but | ulster
stand the thirst ruther than have her
come in a waylayin' me when couldn't
run, an so | ulster keep quiet. From
the time she'd git up an make the fire
fer breakfast she'd scold the dogs fer
traclin' up the kitchen floor, an turn
the eat out fer the night, an go to bed.
She'd palayer an talk an fuss round,
an Id squirm an kick the kivers round
with my well foot till the doctors said
if l didn't keep still my laig would grow
as crooked as the WEISS nigger's was,
what got broke by the niger fallin'
over a salt barI on steamboat. lie
ulster 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 wilder 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 Silc what she had diskiYered
Fer the lands sdlies, Mandy, whcre'd
YOU git emp says the wilder when
she sees um. Gracious Goshen. but
they is jes' what / want. I have heered
many an many time that hazelnut lie
is Jest the very best thing fer to make
things heal right up seq she. I'll sit
right down here an crack 'unI, an in
the morning I'll make some lie fer Mr..
Barnes what'll fetch his limb all right
in a iiffy,' sez She. An She got a iron
| often the shelf an Topped down in a
chair an begun crackin' nuts an gab-
bin.
''She was chatterin' along when
notices the rat stick his head outen the
hole an look round. Hazel heered the
crackin' oy the nuts, an he was shore
hungry fer some ov 'eIn an had come
out to investigate. l llnowed what'd
happen, so 1 ies stuffed corner of the
iliyver in my mouth to keep from laf-
fin an watched the crittcr.
THE rat looked round a couple ov
/ - aft in,
him. an then he took u run fer to climb
up on ole Miss Sile's knees, jes' like he
ulster on mine, an l ducked under the
sheets an listened. The rat never took
into account no female attire evidently,
an that's where he missed it.
~ hecred a screech an a crash an
the widder woman went backward over
her chair, the hazelnuts in her apron
fallen like rain all round the room.
When pecped out she was agettin' up
an she grabbed the iron an damned it
at Hazel ies' as he was a-divin' in his
hole. an she turned on me where l was
all doubled up in bed laf1in' an she lam
basted me till she got so het up she
couldn't talk no more, an then she
struck out afoot fer home, the neigh
Dor child a-trailin' along behind. An
then | picked the hazelnuts outer the
bed where they was agougin' me, an
had another fit latin.
II liked to starved to death lynn
there alone afore anybody found me,
but put in the time jollifyin' an tryin'
to coax the rat outen the hole by tappin'
with my pipe, but he was too skeered to
come.
FINALLY this Ness niger come over
10 borrow 4 fish trap an found me, an
he staid with me after that till | got
wen, but it was many n day afoTe
Hazel I'D come outen his hole, an when
he did he was slleery. Even now, when
he hears a chair fall over, he gifts up an
dusts. les like you seen him. st
Louis Republic.
Air and Rest for House Plants.
AS regards airing the plants, it is
perhaps sufficient to say that what in
this respect is healthful for human
lungs will suit the plants. But do not
forget that the plants cannot take a
walk on n pleasant day, hence fresh air