The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-08

adventure, the better 1t fitted Billy,
the "Quare creetur," name given him
by Nanny Rose. Billy had a queer
beginning, for he was born a-traveling.
as you may say. his birthplace being
q large covered wagon in which his
mother, his aunt, his uncle his brother
Richard and his nurse We're moving
from the southern part of Missouri
to their old home in Middle Georgia.
As early as 1860 the controversy that
resulted in the Civil War became too
warm for comfort in Missouri. where
there were men of mixed opinions and
Billy's father, foreseeing the trouble
that would ensue, sold out his property
there and moved his family into West
Tennessee. There they remained until
that section threatened to become the
theater of war, and then they moved
into North Alabama, where they could
be near the husband and father, who
was one of Forests scouts. But war
gradually invested North Alabama, and
the family, trudging along in Billys
birthplace. which was drawn by two
mules, moved into Georgia, and finally
reached the old home of Mrs. Tunison
in Milledgeville, which was at that
time the capital of Georgia.
The misadventure which befell Billy
and to which reference has been made,
was very peculiar. Nanny Rose was
sent on an errand to the grocery store,
and nothing would do but Billy must
go with her. The groceryman, while
he was not overload of children felt
that no damage would be done to his
trade if he paid Billy some attention.
SO he led the youngster to the mack
erel barrel. and asked him if he
wouldn't like to catch big fish. Billy
was eager for the sport, of course, and
not the less so because he knew that
the whole proceeding was one of the
various forms of make believe The
Groceryman held him up TO the rim of
the barrel, and told him to pull on the
iron rod which was used to lift the
mackerel from the brine, Billy followed
directions, and. sure enough, there was
big fish on the hook. This operation
was repeated several times. much to
Billy's delight, but finally the grocery
man thought it would be well enough
10 attend to the wants of his custom
ers. Nanny Rose among them.
while the man was tying a parcel
Billy climbed on the rim of the barrel
and just as he was in the act of bulling
up a big fish. his foot slipped, he lost
his balance, and plunged into the bar
rel, which was nearly haIf-full OF
liquid brine. The splash and splutter
that Billy made called immediate ct
tention to the disaster, and. with a
smothered scream, Nanny Rose rush
ed to the rescue. Her efforts to fish
Billy from the barrel were no energetic
that she overturned It. and the brine.
running all about, made a pretty mess
IN the store. Billy was not frightened.
but he suffered so keenly from the
brine. which filled ears, nose, eyes and
mouth, that his nurse was compelled
70 carry him home in her arms, and
by the time the two reached home. her
plight was as bad as Billys. You got
salt huff on you fer ter save five hum
der'd pounds err pork. but 'twon't save
YOU" she snorted Indignantly. "Dey
amt nothin' gwine ter save you dis
time but hick'ry lie. an I'm gwine ter
make yo' ma g' you a full dose and
few draps over des ez soon ez we git
home"
Hickory lie" is another name for a
whipping, and Nanny Rose had IL
definitely in her mind to see that Billy
was properly switched or padded when
she reached home; but when she put
him down inside the gate and noted
his pitiful condition, and realized how
helpless he was, being but a little bit
Of fellow. she relented His ewes
were fun OF brine, and he had rubbed
them until they were red and swollen,
and. under all the circumstances. II
seemed that the child had been pun
ished suficiently. She carried him 20
me well and washed the fish brine
from MS eyes, and then she slipped
MIN into the kitchen, where the atnos-
pnere was warmer and went after
some airy Clothes for him. She had for
kot'en her own plight in conternpiat-
ing billy's miserable condition.
NJ ~ seems 70 me that I smell macker.
"a's' Aunison remarked, as Nam