Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-04-06
Copyright 1901, by Thomas P. Montfort.
CHAPTER Y.


YOUR UNCLE JONATHAN TURNER
Melvin was more fortunate than he
had dared hope, for he had gone but
short distance when he came into q
road and after following that a little
way ran on to house.
It is true it was not much Of house,
being merely q small log cabin, and its
surroundings were meager and unln-
viting, promising little in the way OF
comforts; but, for all that, it would af-
ford shelter and food, and that was a
great deal under the circumstances.
he rode up to the tumble down rail
fence that stood between the yard and
the road and was preparing to call to
let his presence be known when man
came around q corner Of the house.
= He was a little, wiry. weather beaten
old chap, almost hidden under mann
moth broad brimmed straw hat. He
was not expecting a strange visitor
and the appearance Of Melvin was
great surprise to him. He stopped
short, his mouth and eyes flew wide
open, and he stood staring in perfect
silence.
It was Melvin who spoke first.
"I have lost my way" he said, land
I am looking for a place to spend the
night. What chance Is there for STOP
ping with you?"
If Melvin expected this man to prove
as reticent and morose as the one he
had Just passed, his mind was soon dis
abused Of that idea, for the response to
his speech. although not altogether rel
eyant, was prompt, vigorous and efu.
sive.
"Lord a-massyw he exclaimed. "You
mean to tell me that you done plumb
up an lost your way an took to wan
derin round in the woods for all the
world like stray suckin calf? Great
granny, man, what made you go an do
sich thing as that?"
"For the reason that I couldn't help
It, presume" Melvin answered.
Couldn't help it! Why, Lord a-mas'
sy, man. what do you mean? You
amt amin to tell me you couldn't help
gittin lost, are you?'
81 guess am"
"Waal, III be dad switched! That
shore beats my time. as the feller says.
The idea Of any human critter havin
little enough sense to 60 an git lost In
the woods! Why, say, cat knows
more than that"
every likely" Melvin replied. "But
what Of it?"
"Nothin, only it shore stumps me
that a growed up man like you'd go an
git lost like this"
"Isn't it just barely possible that you
; might do such thing"
"Do sich a thing as what"
"Get lost"
"Me git lost! Your Uncle Jonathan
Turner git lost! Waal, that's a good
un shore. Say, did you ever hear tell
Of a groun' hog gittin lost?"
81 don't know that ever did"
"Waal. when you do hear Of sich q
thing you may then begin to fgger out
that it's jest barely possible that Jon
athan Turner mought some day lose
hisself in the woods"
do you think it impossible for you
to lose your way in a strange wood?"
"No. | don't think nothin bout it.
jest know it's impossible"
"How would you keep from losing
your way?"
Jest like I'd roll often a log. I'd
jest do it."
Suppose you were in strange
place. and. coming to two roads, you
didn't know which one to take. Then
what?'
ooh, I'd know all right which one to
take"
"How would you know"
"Jest have sense enough to know,
as the feller says"
"Would you? Well, all right. l am
anxious just now to learn whether or
not you can give ne shelter for the
night?"
II guess that's so. Rid right smart
piece today. rcckon?'
"Yes, quite way"
"Jedgin from appearances, I'd take
you to lie stranger in these parts?"
81 am"
"Waal, whar mought you hail from,
If | may make so bold as to ask?'
"I'm from the north"
"From the north. eh? Waal that's a
right smart big spread out sort Of a
place. as | understand it, an feller
mought come from thar an still not
come from nowhar in particular. Reck
on you amt no reason for not tellin
Jest what Identical spot in the north
you mought hail from"
"None in the world. I'm from Chi
cago."
"Are, eh? I've hearn tell Of that
place. Consid'able little town, jedge?"
"Yes."
"A1ore account than Becketts Mill
likely?"
81 think So"
"Reckoned from what I'd hearn tell
of it that it shorely must be. S'pose,
now, you have business in these
parts?"
eyes, some"
"Guess you amt one Of them preach