The Opelousas courier., 1901-11-30
Tie Annexation Of Eubu
I An Episode in the Life of Mrs.
] wigs of the Cabbage Patch.

NEW humorist, Miss Alice

A"'Ih' II was not a real cabbage
patch, but a queer neighborhood
where ramshackle cottages played
hop-scorch owe the railroad tracks,
Inc Wigs family consisted of Mrs.
Wigs and five children. The bows
were named Jim and Billy, but it was
Mrs. Wfggs's boast that her three lit
tie girls had geography names. First
came Asia, then Australia. When the
last baby arrived. and Billy stood look
Ing down at the small bundle, he
asked a%nxiously: "Are you goin' to
nave 1t for a boy or a girl, MAJ" Mrs.
Mrs. Wigs had answered.: GA girl,
Billy, and her name is Europena."
Hard work and strict economy were
necessary in the little household. Mrs.
Wigs took in washing, Jim worked
at the factory, and the others helped
as best they could.
The direct road to fortune, however.
according to Billy's ideas, could best
be travelled in a kindling wagon, and
while he was the proud possessor Of a
broken-down wagon, sole relic of the
late Mr.. Wigs, he had nothing to
hitch to it. Scarcely a week passed
that he did not agitate the question,
and as Mrs. Wigs often said:
when Billy Wigs done set his
head to a thing he's as good as got it."
Consequently she was not surprised
when he rushed breathlessly into the
kitchen one evening about p
time, and exclaimed In excited tones:
INA, I've got a horse! He was
havin' a fit on the commons, an they
was goin' to shoot him. an / asst the
man to give him to me-"
my land, Billy! what do you want
with a fit horse?" asked his mother.
"'Cause l knowed you could cure
him. The man said if I took him I'd
have to pay for cartin' away his car
cass, but I said all right, I'll take him
anyway. Come on, ma, an see himr'
And Billy hurried back to his new pos
session.
Mrs. Wigs pinned a shawl over her
head and a across the commons. A
group Of men stood about the with
ing animal, but the late owner had de-
parted.
He's most gone" said one Of the
men as she came up. Il tole Billy
you'd beat him fer takin' that ole nag
often the mans hans"
well, 1 won't" said Mrs. Wigs,
stoutly. BILLY Wigss's got more sense
than most men / know. That hoss's
carcass is worth somethin'. I 'spect
he'd bring bout 50 dead an mebbe
more Twin. Anyway, I'm going to-
save him if there's any save to him"
She stood with her arms on her hips
and critically surveyed her patient.
"I'll tell you what's the matter with
him." was her final diagnosis; "his
lights is riz. Bill, I'm goin' home fer.
some medicine. You set on his head
SOS he can't get up, an nall be right
back in a minute"
The crowd which had collected to
see the horse shot began to dispense,
for 1t was supper time, and there was
nothing to see now but the poor suf-'
fering horse with Billy Wigs patient
~ sitting on his head.
When Mrs. Wigs returned she car
ried a bottle and what appeared to be
a large marble. 'This here is a caio-
mel pill" she explained. II jes' rolled
the ca1omel in with some soft light
bread. Now you prop his jaw open
with a little stick, an I'll shove 1t in;
then hole his head back, while I pour
down some water an turkentine outen
this bottle"
It was with great difficulty that this
was accomplished, for the old horse
had evidently seen a vision of the
happy hunting ground, and was loath
to return to the sordid earth. His
limbs were already stifening in death,
and only the whites of his eyes were
visible. Mrs. Wigs noted these dis
couraging symptoms, and saw thai
violent measures were necessary.
"Gether some sticks an build a fire
quick as you kin. I've got to run ovsc
home. Build it right up clost to MIN,
Billy; we've got to git him het up"
She rushed into the Kitchen, and
taking several cakes of tallow from
the shelf, threw them into a tin buck
ct. Then she hesitated for a moment.
The kettle of soup was steaming away
on the stove, ready for supper. Mrs.
Wigs did not believe in sacrificing
the present need to the future COM
fort. She threw in a liberal portion of
pepper. and Selling the kettle in n
hand and the bucket Of tallow in the
other, staggered back to the bonfire.
Now, Billy" she commanded, put
this bucket of talloW down there in
the hottest part OF the fire. Look out,
don't tip it-there! Now you come
Ee-e nm help me pour this soup. into
the bottle. I'm goin' to git that ole
boss so her up he'll think he's havin'
a sunstroke. Seems sorter bad to
keep on pesterin' him when he's so
near gone, but this here soupM feel
good when 1t m gifts inside him."
When the kettle was empty the soup
was impartiaIly distributed oyer Mrs.
Wigs and the patient, but a goodly
amount had got inside and already
the horse was losing his rightly.
Only once did Billy pause in his
work, and that was to ask.
ma, what do You think I'd better
name him."
Giving names was one of Mrs.
Wiggs's chief accomplishments. and
usually required much thoughtful con
sideration, but in this case. il there