St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-06

QUEER HUMAN NATURE.

QUEER HUMAN NATURE.
inconsisteney In Not the Least Ansa.-
ing Of Our Odd Character
ixtics.
"Human nature is a gSser thing
md / got glimpse of a phase of il
which set me thinking, no, long ago.
said the woman who has travelled
1t was. in the Allegheny mountains
where / spent summer with a jolly
| party. One day we drove up the
mountaia to see a view which is noted
IN the surrounding country At the
foot of the climb. which must be made
on foot, we left our carriages at q
delightful old-fashioned farmhouse
| where we found that we could order
, al, to be ready when we returned
You Know what mountain appetite
is, and may be sure thai we eagerly
seized the opportunity to satisfy the
hunger which might otherwise have
made cannibals of us during the long
ride home. Two OF tie party had
chosen to come on horseback, end
their steeds had either failed to fulfil
the promise of the glowing culogies
of their owner, who had loaned them
for consideration, or else the twain
had stopped for little. lovemaking by
the way. At any rate, they were not
in sight, and we decided to wait fol
them. While doing SO, we strollet
idly about the fields surrounding the
house. 1t was just after harvest, and
the place was in such perfect order
that We complimented the farmer as
| we went. The house was set, among
its gorgeous old-fashicned flowers, ..
the foot of slight rise, and as we
ascended this we came 10 a small in
closure, evidently the family buryine
ground. Up to the very fence the
seythe had done its perfect work. but
inside was a .tangle of blackberry
vines. weeds and dank grass. The
few headstones were sunken and neg
lected and the graves utterly uncared
for. The whole, place had such neg
le<fed, desolate air that it was a. blot
on the glowing August landscape, and
we welcomed the shouts which told
of the arrival of the truants and
called us to seek pleasanter surround
ings
*The view was magnificent and We
fingered until the pangs of hunger re
minded US of the meal which was
doubtless awaiting us. When we
reached the farmhouse we were direct.
ed to the back door, where we found
to our delight a real old-fashioned
water bench with pail and basin, and
here we madesour primitive ablutions
drying our glowing faces on coarse
but spotless roller towel. Then ne
were ushered into the dining-room. 9
long, low apartment, which was deco.
rated with maps and ancient pictures
of simpering ladies, clad i'm scarlet
gowns, with wondrous coiffures and
eyes which were larger than their
mouths. The table-shall ever for.
get twas spread with variety oi
food which would have given dys.
peptic dreams for month. At one
end WAS huge, newly boiled ham. al
the other a lofty plate of fried chick
en-; there were two plates of onions
peeled and served whole; two dishes
of cucumbers. dressed with cream;
huge dishes of hot biscuits. and oi
boiled corn: glass dishes of honey and
preserves galore, and last, but moi
least, piles of buckwheat cakes baked
the full size of the griddle and cover.
ing each dinner plate.
"After the meal we repaired to the
parlor, fearful and wonderful in its or
namentation of worsted and bead
work, while horses and drivers were
fed. Two members of the party had
brought guitars; these were fished
out. while some. sought the vine
decked porch to see the moon rise
Soon the strains of a popular song
rent the air. and half dozen voices
burst into the rollicking words. They
had scarcely sung n verse when the
master of the house. typical farmer,
with collarless shirt and trousers in
boots, appeared. He said: 4 don
want to spoil any o. your fun. folks,
but my pious companion ant been
dead year. an can't have no, music
but hymn chunes sung in this house.
A sympathetic silence reigned until
he had put his head into the door once
more to say: Sing as many hymn
chunes as YOU want Then some one
opened the ancient parlor organ in the
corner. and soon we all joined in the
rolling notes of the old hymn: How
Firm Foundation
SIT was not until we had silently en-
tered the waiting carriages and lost
the last glimpse of the old farmhouse
at the bend of the road that some one
remembered the neglected buryins
ground in which the pious companion
was taking her long rest. We knew
that she was laid there. for one of our
drivers had attended the funeral, and
I have never been able to understand
how. the mar nho could give strangers
such a meal IA that for 25 cents. and
allow only hymn chunes' sung in his
house. could allow his wife's grave tc
be overrun with blackberry vines and
weeds-but, then, as | said before, hui
man nature is a queer thing!"-N. Y
Sun.
study Of Tropical Disease.
Mr.. Chamberlain has transmitted to
the Royal society memorandum from
the governor of the Straits Settlement
invitinr fellows ard scholars who are