St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-01-25

call the 1alllng OF the stars IN 1S3
My father held me up and with m
feet upon the top railing of the bal
nisters, I saw them come down j
myriads as quietly and softly as snow
fakes and they went out as the
neared the earth. They were separat
and distinct as the stars, but as nea
together as the sparks from the chin
ney of an old-time blacksmith sho1
George Lester was my playmate an
lived close by and the next mornin
he and l hunted all over his moth
er's garden to find some signs of tn
stars that fell, but found none. Will
they were falling our negro cook, Aun
Ailsey, was down on her knees pray
ing, and as she clung to my mother
night gown she called On Jesus to com,
and take US alto Heaven. That nigh
was an epoch and it is worth beins
IS years old to have witnessed it. M,
next remembrance of note is jour
ney to Savannah with my father ant
mother and brother, where we took I;
sail vessel for Boston. remember thu
magnificent double row of china trees
in the long street, and I wonder nov
it there is a person living in Savan
nah who was living there then anc
remembers that row of beautiful trees
that are long since dead and gone
I remember that voyage of 80 days
around Cape Hatteras, where our ship
was almost wrecked, and mother held
fast unto her children and silently
prayed for deliverance. I remember
when we reached Boston and how,
after our visit was over, father bought
carriage and pair of horses, and we
journeyed by land from Boston to
Georgia and never crossed railroad,
for there was none to cross. Iremem-
Der our stop at the natural bridge in
Virginia, and how he walked away
down in the gorge and looked up and
afterwards stood on the bridge and
looked down from the dizzy height.
When I was about ten years old 1
had another epoch, for had a fight
on Sunday at camp meeting and
got licked and my fine Sunday clothes
were all spoiled with mud and dirt.
A country boy said was a town boy
and was dressed too fine and he was
gwine to take the starch outen my
ruff1ed shirt. And he did. I fought
as hard as I could, but he licked me
and I cried. had gone to the spring
to get some water and the fight came
off there. Ny father whipped me next
and the school-teacher got
ready to whip me again, but showed
him my legs and he let me off with
talk. My next episode has left an in
delible impression. We had to walk
two miles to school and about half
way there was big gully that we used
to slide down in. One morning Bill
Maltbie and Overton Young and Jim
Wilson and myself stopped to slide
down and Bill pulled out deck of
cards and said he would show us how
to play. had never seen a deck be-
tore in my life, but had hearn tell
IF 'em. They were mighty pretty and
ne taught us how to shuttle and cut
and deal and turn Jack and play seven
up. One morning Tom Wilson and
Jim Alexander came along as they
we're going to school and heard our
Jacket in the gully and they caught
IS playing cards. They slipped up on
is, for we were completely absorbed
n the game, and Tom said: "Weu,
'ou are the youngest set of gamblers
ever saw in my life. The sheriff !
will get you and put you all in Jail be-
ore night" I never was scared so bad
n my life. I couldn't study my lessons
lor eat my dinner at school and
for the sheriff all day long.
But that cured me of card playing and
never handled deck again until l
'ot to college. College was good
lace to play cards then; it is a good
lace to kick q ball now. Tom Will
on and Jim Alexander were good
earted boys and never told on us.
ON died years ago and Jim died last
1onth in Atlanta. He got to be
reat doctor and everybody loved him.
When I received the telegram that told
le he was dead felt like another
rop was gone and that now only one
'as left-his brother Tom in Rome.
[altbie is dead and Young and Jim
1ilson. All my schoolmates are dead
kept one and all my school-teachers
nd college professors are dead. +
For several years there was no
poch-no episode. Every day was
ike until I began to notice the girls
18th peculiar longing emotion and
rushed my hair more carefully and
Irried q cleaner handkerchief and
ore tighter boots well polished. In ,
lct, l got to be dandy in my dress.
makes fun Of the lover
Id dismisses him with line. Says
} sighed and wrote poetry about his
veetheart's eyebrows. We beat that
our day. I didn't sigh bit, for my {
veetheart was as bad off about me
I was about her. and We were too =