Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-09-11
KEEPING HIM DOWN.
BE Had n ShiftIeSs Family and IA
Wasn't Amy TOO Energetic
Himself.

Many men are kept down" in the
way which the man in the following
story was kept from amounting to
anything"
A gentleman was travelling in the
south on horseback, when he stopped
for a drink of water at little log
abin in the backwOOds. \ long and
very lank man, with thin, strug-
Cling beard and weak blue eyes, was
sprawling under a tree in the door
yard A slatterly woman in a faded
calico gown was doing in rocking
chair by the door Two boys of about
10 and IS years of age were lying face
downward in a fence corner, where
there was a little grass. Five or six
dogs were scattered about the yard.
and only one of them had life enough
to rise to its forefeet and give a spir-
itless bark to announce the strangers
approach. The man slowly raised him
self upon his elbow, the boys turned
on their side, and the woman, with
little womanly pride still left, began
to twist up her back hair, writes j. L.
Harbour in Youths Companion.
could get drink of here?" asked
the traveller.
"Why, yaas, certainly" drawled the
man. "Thar's the well; help yourself.
Nav, can't you get glass to drink out
off"
"Thar's a gourd hangin' on the we'll
curb" replied the woman.
"Do not let me trouble you in any
way" the stranger made haste to say.
81 can drink out of the well-bucket."
oval that's the way we do" said
the man.
After satisfying his thirst, the
stranger said: 81 wonder if I could
have my horse put up and fed while I
walk to the summit of that hill yon-
der, where I could perhaps get good
photograph of the valley below. /
will pay you 80 cents for caring for my
horse while l am gone"
"You hear that, jake" said the man,
rising to a sitting posture. "He says
that he'll give so cents to have his boss
fed Thar's your chance to earn
money enough to buy that spotted
dawg of Hen Turner'S"
"There amt no Gavin husked to feed
the critter with, replied the boy called
Jake, as he turned over and buried his
face in the grass.
"Wal, Lutte, you whirl in an look
after the critter. Fifty cents will buy
pile of shot for your new gun"
"Let Lem do it," replied Lutte, and
he yawned a tremendous yawn.
"Leml O Leml" called the man. The
sandy head of youth Of about &c
years was thrust out of window in
the gable of the house, and voice said,
sleepily:
"What you want"
Here's man wants his boss wa
tered and fed, and he'll give so cents
for it."
"Let Lutte or Jake do it,"
oval If you amt too trihin' to livel"
exclaimed the man. with some show
Of irritation. Then he asked:
"Whar's Lyddy? I reckon she'll do
it. She's got more get-up than any OF
the rest of you. Whar's Lyddy, maw?"
81 dunno She said she was going
off somewheres and take nap cause
she was off to that dance down in the
holler all night. Like enough she's
snoozin' some place over in the big
woods"
After screeching several times for
"Lyddy" and failing to get any reply,
the man turned appealingly to his wife
and said:
oval, why can't you do it, mawe
Think of all the terbacker for your
pipe that so cents will buy!"
"Yes, an have you an the boys
smoke the heft of it up. No, thank
vel"
The man turned toward the stran-
ger in disgust and despair and said;
ut amt any use, mister. They
won't one of 'em lift hand. Air it
any wonder l amt ever got along in
the world? You kin ride from Dan
to Beersheby aud you won't find an
other such a shiftless lot as ] have
to support. RECKON they'll feed your
nag down the. bad at Hank Green's.
f. His folks have gSt scme energy. None