The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-05
BUTTERNUT VICTORY.
nY jobs NELSON TRuMr.
Nalandingham is just the man,
And Push's his rIght-hand bower.


sang Tommy Murphy, as Abijah passed
the Murphy gates.
''Shet ep!" snapped Abijah.
"Hain't a-goin' to-" said Tommy, and
went on with the song:
To meet the abolition clan
We're ready every hour.
Abijah would have been glad to have
stopped and shut Tommy up, but he
didn't dare. He was on his way TO pay
call on Melissa Bray, and was too dress
ed UP to take any violent exercise.
Abijah Hopkins was the beau of Goshen,
and a rank abolitionist He went to Gin
cinnau almost every month, and hence
was an authority on fashion, as his cos
tune of that afternoon showed. He wore
long-tailed blue coat, made with full
skirts, fitting closely in the back Under
the coat was a Powered velvet waistcoat
fastened with bullet-like pearl buttons.
His dove-colored trousers were skin tight
with black stripe up the side seam, and
held down by a strap passing under the
foot His skirt was store bought" and
he wore high paper collar and tie
made of small colored beads woven into
ribbon with infinite pains, the work of
Melissa, as was also the snaky looking
watchguard, manufactured from her own
hair. Abijah was proud of the tie and the
guard.
Personally he was not handsome. II
might be said that his hands were too
large and too red and too freckled, and
hung, like Ichabod Cranes "a mile below
his coat sleeves" His face was red too,
Oh. ,s,al,x
parted far to the left in front and roach
ed toward the right in a high sweeping
billow. In the back it was parted dn the
middle and brushed away from the medal
line to either side where it met the front
hair in little duck tails just behind his
ears. And his whole head was redolent
with hair oil.
Abijah was a "stay-at-home ranger" He
hadn't enlisted and had escaped the draft.
Though he was the only young man left
in Goshen, he was not in demand by the
girls, as might be supposed. Few peop.e
had any respect for stay -at-home rang
ers,'' and when Melissa began to go to
singing school and spelling bees with abb
jah, peoples began to lose respect for her,
too. But Melissa knew what she was
about. She was one of those girls who
can't exist without some one to f1irt with
Abijah passed the Murphy gate with
anger in his heart. Nothing made him
SO mad as to hear the butternut song.
He hated Valandiugham and all his ad-
herents, though Molly Murphy was a
nice girl. To tel the truth, he was not
sure which he liked best. Melissa, the abo-
litionist, or Molly, the butternut He
would have felt better could he have
thrashed Tommy, but he knew better, both
on account of his new clothes and on ac-
count OF Molly. He wasn't going to give
up his chances with the only other girl
who would go out with him.
Melissa expected him; he was expect
| ed every Sunday Afternoon, and she was
| dressed in her best to receive him. But
| ii wouldn't do to let him know. There
| was a peculiar code of etiquette existent
| in Goshen. SO, when he came up the
| front steps, she pretended to be surprised
"Why, rBijah" she said I'm jest that
| glad to see you. Won't you set DOWN."
He sat down and put his hat on the
| floor He was awkwardly bashful.
1t would be useless to reproduce their
| conversation. It. was about the weather
| and crops and politics. Abjah avoided the
| subject of the war as he had avoided the
draft officers. As he was about to leave
Melissa said:
Are you goin' to the speakin' to Mt.
| Repose next Tuesday,"
Il lowed to 60" said he. want to
go 'lcngY'
Of it don't put you out none" she
answered.
YOU'D jest as we'll go as not I'm goln'
to take my buggy"
IAN right, 'Bijah." she said. "Tn be
ready"
He put on his hat and started down the
walk.
You'll have to fetch lunch" said he.
as he reached the gate. Mas sick.
AM
"All right" she called after him. "PH
fix it up
Mt. Repose was six miles from Goshen.
on the Columbus pike, and on Tuesday
Brough, the abolition candidate for Gov
ernor, was to speak. Everybody was 60
ing and Abijah felt proud to think that
he would have girl along even if he
hadn't been 20 the war and got wounded,
He walked with his head up till he reach
ed the Murphy gate. He looked for Tom
N.Y. but Tommy had disappeared. Molly
was leaning over the gate, and Abjiah
stopped to speak to her She was consider
ate of his feelings and had put away ner
badge made of the cross section of a but
ternut when she saw him coming, All
Butternuts wore badges of that sort, and
the aboltionists felt it their duty to de-
stroy all such emblems of opposition.
'Evenn', Molly said Abijah, as he
halted at the gate.
How are you, 'Bijah?" said She Coin
to the speakn' Tuesday,
Yep" said he, resting his foot on the
lower hinge, and busting his trousers with
his cane.
"Who with?" she asked
Il lowed to take Meliss," said he.
"Why?"
Il wanted to go awfully," she answered
frowning prettly.
TN sorry hain't got a carriage" said
he, flushing deeper red as he thought
of his next words. But If you don't mind
and Meliss don't, you can go in the buggy
with us"
81 don't mind" said Molly not blusning
in the least: "and I'll ask Meltss''
She hadn't forgotten the prevailing fash
ion In feminine attire, but she thought bv
exercising proper care, two could ride in
a single buggy at a pinch. Abtah was the
only chance, and she liked to filrt as much
as Melissa.
"Never mind" said the young man. an
ask Melss myself"
1t would give him an excuse to call