The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1900-07-04
\ COUNTRY WELCOME.
Mrs. Ward EntCrtaiuS the
Teacher at Dinner.

had come into the neighburhood. Lay
off yer things. This is Lady, but her
proper name is Emily. She's jest
thirteen year old next comm July. and
she's one of yer scholars. And this
is Pearly He's jest nine year old, too
young to go to school. Pearly, why
don't yer come en- howdy with the
teacher? He's my baby, yer know.
Nov here is Rosetty Narcissy, but we
call her Sister fer brief. Now she's
gwine on eighteen year en- wants to
make teacher outen herself like you.
En- mind yer! eff yell Jest take a leetle
pains with her she'll do it too. shore,
cause I'll tell ye fer why. She's the
| best rithmeticker that ever scratched
er figger in these parts. She gifts that
from me. wuZ allus considered the
best scholar in our old jump in gulley
schoolhouse No, indeed, honey. this
amt all, there's Bud; yer'll see him at
dinner. His name is Jemes Magnify
named fer my pa. Smart in his book.
did We say? Jest fer the world like his
grand pa Magnify. He's gone out now
to norate it roun' that you've come en-
there1l be school termorrea. Set
down. Pearly, and don't be er prowlin
roun' over yer teachers feet en- er
gain SO. its impedent. Now here comes
the ole man. See eff he'll recernize ye.
60 h = ifyh ON q y
since ye wuz here afore."
Mr. Ward approached the visitor
with extended hand, with his hat on
his head and pipe in his mouth. well,
| declare! IF it faint you shore. I'd a
knowed sc any where, thoI amt seed
We in twenty year or more. Ge amt
looken one whit older nuther.
Come en- look at these taters, Lady.
Peers tome smell 'emburnin'. Don't
ye hear me- gal? They are burnin like
rip, tell ye."
so ma. don't talk so rapid" retorted
: the girl. as She removed the smoking
potatoes and put on some bread in the
same oven on the nedfIn.
"'Tain't no use talkin' now. ole man,
every chick en- chile under this roost
has got to 90 to school Tomorrow. /
low to raise my chilluu up in the
= nourishment en- admirashun nv the
Lord, and cdgercate them fer some per
fesshunal bizness. Couldn't Sister
teach school fer her Twin? Yer say she
could? Hoop, mani | ruther she d
make er school teacher than ter make
MATRIMONIAL match with the biggest
lawyer We could pint out. Lady, tell
Sister ter fetch along that meat en- fry
it, fer the smellin' NV this bread tells
me hits done, You sit the churs to the
: table an we'll go in en- eat En- Ell feI
Bud ef he marries that yaller- haired
gal he's tarrin' after now, he'll alus be
en- pore Ell a church mouse"
Here Sister brought a quantity OF
sliced meat, putting it in the self, same
oven out of which she lifted the well
= baked loaf of corn bread.
''Don't tell me, he's jest foolin'
Boys aint foolin' when they begin tc
kerry little boxes with things in EN- tC
g gals. Didn't | see him t'other day give
her box with huckleberries en- hickry
nut goodies already picked out? Minc
. yer now, | wanted ter see eff she wu2
er Ieciporercatin' nv his affection En-
man! never seed no rose turn redde1
uer no horizon 'roun the moon nc
brighter than that gals face when She
peeped in the box Man! | kuoWed
then the dog wuz dead: that blush wul
the returnen NV his love.
Dinner being announced Mr.. Ward
interrupted, "Hesh yer sassy talk, ole
3 oman, en- come on ter dinner. Boys
and gals will have ups an downs
Fetch err long that chur, ole man
whilst make Bud erquainted with bis
new teacher. He's powerful backurd
tho"
They passed ont Of the house across
the yard to another log room, where
the table was set for the family and
guest to dine. Bud stood back in the
corner.
"Taint no use a gittin out NV the
way, Bud; come right er long en- hOwdy
with yer new teacher. | want ye to be
mighty nice en- disrespectful to her
when We start ter school termorrer.
Now all NV We set down to the table en-
III Jest drap down here where | kin
han the warm bread an taters. Now.
Bud, wuz jest tellin' yer teacher
bout that flip NV gal you're spark
in so permiscusly."
Hold up there, ma, hold up, Don't
let yer tongue shoot too fast" inter
rupted Bud hastily.
"Pearly, come en- drive these dogs
from under this table" commanded the
father
Sister, hand me the plates en- I'll
help you all to some more bread
an pertaters,' and Mrs. Ward dived
down into. seemingly, an empty barrel
taud to all appearances once flour
barrel which stood beside her, and
brought up handful after handful of
baked potatoes, heaping them on the
plate till it could hold no more; then
with the same operation she replen
ished the bread plate from the mys.
terous barrel whose contents We're
only to be disclosed by the hand that
dived into it as necessity demanded.
"You needn't be afeerd, Bud, Amt
gwine to tell nothin' bout that yaller
haired gal; only the time you wuz .
takin' her home after an all days rain
and the buggy top broke off en- fell
back in the road. The horse run or