The Jersey City news., 1899-02-11
A SOUTHERN CROSS ROADS STORE
Adventures OF a Wanderer Befo
De Wah, Sah!'

AS opportunity has made me a wan
derer in many lands, including our own
country. perhaps the memory of the first
grocery store l can recall, nearly half a
century ago, may prove of interest, says
Colonel Robert Mitchell Floyd, in New
England Grocer
1T was near a small town of a few hum
dred inhabitants, Vaudeville, st. Tam
manv Parish. La, across Lake Pontehar-
train. and directly north of New Orleans
AS the plantation was some distance
from this little village, our ordinary trad
ing was done at the cross roads store with
Elder Byles.
1t was always great treat to get down
to the store, for the trip was generally en-
trusted to the old house servant Pomp,
who could only be induced to take me
packing with him on the mule by a
promise to share my stick candy with
him. which the Elder was sure to give me,
and who no doubt equaled it up in some
way when the half yearly account was
made out.
Oh. the freedom of the moment when
Pomp would ride around and | mounted
from the corner of the porch across Bill
ly's back, held in place blythe kindly
arms that had done the saLT service for
different members of the family years
back.
Old Billy never would hurry, and, in
truth we had no desire to shorten our
play time, so you can well imagine TINS
two mile trip never was recorded Tor rae
ing experts.
The store consisted of a long narrow,
one-story, peak-roofed log house to thls
was attached front verandah on when
could be seen the amiable but ever-tired
proprietor at any period from sunrise to
going to bed time, unless absent at meals.
There he sat as we approached, his chair
tilted up against the side of the house an
old SLOUGH hat on the back of his head,
a corn cob pipe, with its reed stem, pe-
tween his lips on which he drew very
slowly so as not to weary his sucking ap-
paratus. When we reached speaking dis
tance he looked up slowly and smiled
drawing out, "Howdy, son, is yer. NAV
feeling peart? Howdy, Pomp, howdy:
Yew ies' ride round yonder, Abe ii lift
son off, Coming back to the front porch
we sat down, waited and chewed sweet
gum till Elder Byles concluded to inquire
if we had "any arrant that needed his
attention.
The stock of a store like this one was
generally of most primitive character
bacon in huge cases, coffee, boxes OF
chewing tobacco, barrels of whiskey sci
up in the rear of the store. which did duty
as a sort of a bar hogshead of raw
sugar, a barrel of sugar house molasses
a few kegs of nails, candles, rolls of calico
ribbons, saeratus, stick sulphur, common
boots and shoes. thread and needles
spades, cane knives, playing cards, quinine
ana lot of different favored stick candy
temptingly displayed near the front door
in glass jars, hand in hand with bottles
of Scotch snuff used for dipping ant
Perry Davis Pain Killer.
Still remaining in the same restful po-
sition. he turned to Pomp with .How's
Colonel Pomp?"
.sTollable, tollable thank yew. sir
"And Miss Belle, how she finds herself?'
South of Mason and Dixon's line, mar
ried women were Invariably addressed
Miss as a perfix to their given name
generally.
Miss Belle lowed, Massa Byles, yew
done fotched saleratus from Mandeville
yew promised
ssDeed don't know, ..Pomp;;'' then
without moving. he drawled out in the
Southern fashion-"Oh, AbeH' Nc
answer. as Abe was fast asleep against
the back door way. ..Oh, Abe! Yew
hyah me?" Eyes Massa.'
s.Did mule team fetch up keae
saleratus?'
@Deed / don't know, Massa, 1 reckon
not
This neeessitated movement and Eide
Byles lounged slowly through the store
until the desired package was spied or
| the floor directly back of Abe's legs. Al
| this had taken fully half an hours time
| and it was fifteen minutes before the
| paper of saleratus was tied and placed
| in the saddle bags, andStw sticks pep.
| permint candy fished from a big jar ant
| handed to me as lanyappe (gift0 Whef
| we had reached home again. fully three
| hours had been consumed during tbs
| trip which did not cause as much COM
| ment from the Colonel as if it had beer
| donesin a third of that time and we hae
| warmed old Billy up too much.
! All this may seem strange to You in the
/ northern cline where energy IS neces
| s!ty for comfort and profit. but in {
1 warm, enervating land-welli you jus
/ didn't have. to and you really Wouldna
/ hurry.
Contrast this with the mad rush to bt
/ met in any of our large. we'll appointed
grocery stores here in the east. where
/ stocks Of the finest goods. in all the. end
! less varieties that ingenuity or desire
4 can suggest. are found7 and an arrange
ment of them that seems an exemplifica
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