Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-05-18
CHAPTER VII.
"A TALK IN THE TWILIGHT.


Turner sat out in the yard and talked
that is, Turner asked questions, and
Melvin answered them. Melvin was
In better humor since he was slightly
rested and his hunger had been ap-
peased, and to the hundred questions
Turner asked he returned ready and
good natured answers, although he did
mot always return true ones.
Finally Melvin found an opportunity
10 lead the conversation. and then he
cold about the old man back in the
woods and of his queer experience with
aim. For the first time that evening
Turner burst into a roar of hearty
daughter.
Lord a-massy." he cried. don't you
know who that old boss wasp
Certainly not" Melvin replied How
should know when am a total stran-
ger hereT'
'sTo be shore. forgot bout that.
Still, II seems like everybody most ort
10 know old Hi Jenkins. Lord, he's
been alvin forever, pears lack, as the
Teller says"
els he crazyT'
~'CrazyI Who-old HIP
Yes"
~sOld Hi crazy! Why, snakes an cat
@rpillars. stranger, what you mean by
2skin SIGH question as that?'
II thought from the way he acted
S<hat he certainly must be crazy"
Sreat possums an persimmons! Talk
bout old HI bein crazyi You don't
know nothin bout that old boss or you
rr1rrTT T,sf acly lob,
as that Why, old Hrs the smartest
man in all these parts. He sot on to q
fury oncet down at the county seat"
THAT SOP
You bet II are! Yes, slr-eer'
wonder why he behaved so strange
Ry with me, thenF'
~Why, that's plain enough when you
come TO fgger 1t out. You jest happen
ed 20 run acrost him en- one OF his OF
days"
"On daysT'
Yes, one Of his or days"
what do you mean by that"
Don't you known
certainly do not"
Waal, by shucks, you shorely don't
Know nothin bout the ways an doin's
sof folks yere'boutsI What I mean by
HE OF day is that this is his day for
NchIlljr.''
~Ah, he has the chiIls, does hep
To be shore. Why shouldn't he
Nave 'emg"
81 don't know. I'm sure"
Course, he has the chills, an he
shakes ever other day. He was settin
cut thar on that log a-waitin for his
chill to come on when you seed him."
And that was why he behaved the
way he didY'
'Of course. Thar hain't many peo-
lple, ] can tell you, wants to be both
~ered with questions when a chill is
comm on, an II Teller was to shoot
you under them kind OF provocations
you wouldn't never git no court to
hang him."
1.-THE court would consider the shoot
ing justinable, you thinkT
"You bet It would. Lord a-massy,
wouldn't nigh kill nobody for nothin
else on earth, guess, but Jest most
know I'd shoot a Teller II he come
za-pickin an a-naggin at me with fool
questions when my ager was a-workin
ON me-"
''You say Mr.. Jenkins shakes with a
chill every other dayT
''To be shore, I said that. Why
wouldn't he shake ever other dayT'
ats a regular part OF his life, is it?"
Jest as much part OF his life as
-4eAtin an sleepin is. Yes, street Why,
say, II anything was to happen to old
Hi 90 that he missed havin his chill on
his regular day reckon he'd feel more
3ost than II his old woman was to die.
In these parts ager Is a part OF fell
2er's rights an privileges, same as vot-
In an holdin office is"
~1ndeedT'
You bet your hide"
Does Mr.. Jenkins live near thisf"
No, not as you mought say right
near. He lives over t'other side Of
Coon Run river. Hain't been over in
chat settlement, reekonT
NO
-Waal, you won't lose nothin, I guess,
tf you never do go over thar"
"Why?"
~Oh, them folks over thar amt Jest
Hhe sort body keers to have much to
do with. Leastwise 1 find 'em that
away"
care they bad characters
No, don't know as you can put 1t
Ehat away exactly, cause they're
peaceable enough an honest an all that
They're jest so different from we uns
over here"
ain what way are they different?"
WAL, for one thing they're so dog
gone ign'unt. Why, say, them folks
over thar hain't got no more edication
than gang of possums, not a blame
bit more. Slch ign'unce is plumb pitt
Rul shore. 1 allus feel sorry for them
that bain't got learnin, don't your
Melvin looked at the old man in open
eyed establishment and muttered an as
sent 1t occurred to him, however, that
az the people on the other side of Coon
Run were any more lacking In learning
than Turner was their condition, as far
as education goes, was pitiable indeed.
But he was very far from giving utter
.Ance to any such thought for already