The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-10
"A NEST EGG,
BY JAMES WI lTcoMs RILEY.

the point OF the blade-"and yit-you
wouldn't believe it-but Marthy was the
Oldest O. three daughters. and heidi may
say-had more advantages o. marryin'
and yit, as was Jest goin' to say. she's
the very one at didn't marry. He'd every
advantage-Marthy did. wy, we even
he'd her educated-her mother was a
Twin then-and we was well enough fixed
to AFFORD the edueatin' of her mother
allus contended-and we was-besIdes,
II was Marthy's notion, too, and you
know how women is thataway when they
git their head set. So we sent Marthy
down to Indianapolis, and got her books
and putt her in school there, and paid
fer her keepin' and ever thing; and she
Jest-wen, you may say, lived there std
dy Ter better'n four year. o. course
she'd git back ever uncomfortable, but
her visits was allus, some ay-another
onsatisfactory-like. and I'd allus laughed
ana told her at the other girls could git
married eff they wanted, but she was
goin' to be the 'nest-egg' Of our family
and 'slong as I lived I wanted her at
home with me. And she'd laugh and
contend at she'd as lif be an old maid
as not, and never expected to marry ner
dldnt want to. But she had me eceart
ono't though. Come out from the CITY
one time, durin' the army, with a peart-
lookin' young Teller in blue clothes and
git straps on his shoulders Young lieu
tenant he was-name O. Morris. Was
layin' In camp there In the city someers.
l disremember which camp It was now
adzackly-but anyway, 1t peared like he
had plenty o. time to go and come. fer
from that time on he KEEP on a-comin'-
ever time Marthy 'ud come home. he'd
come, too; and got to noticin' at Mar
thy come home a good cal more'n she
IN n RAHz
And blame eff the thing didn't git to
worryin mel And onc't I spoke to
mother about 1t, and told her eff I
thought the Teller wanted to marry Mar
thy I'd jest stop his comm right then
ana there. But mother she sorto' smiled
and said somepin' bout men a-never
seem through nothin'; and when I asst
her what she meant, wy she ups and
tells me at Morris didn't keer nothin'
fer Marthy, ner Marthy fer Norris, and
then went on to tell me that Morris was
kindo' aidgin' up lords Annie-she was
next to Marthy, you know, in pint of
years and experience, but ever body allus
said at Annie was the purtiest one o.
the whole three of EN-. And so when
mother told me at the signs pinted to'rds
Annie, wy of course, I hedn't no par
ticular objections to that cause Morris
was Of good family enough 1t turned out
and in fact, was as stirrin' a young fell
Ter as ever I'd want fer a son-in-law
and 30 I he'd nothin' more to say-ner
they wasn't no occasion to say nothin',
cause right along about then I begin to
notice at Marthy quit comm home SO
much, and Morris KEEP a-comin' more.
Tel finally, one time he was out here all
by hisself, long about dusk, come out
here where I was feedin'. and asst me, all
at onc't, and in a straight-for' ard way
eff he could marry Annie; and, some
way-another, blame eff 1t didn't make me
as happy as him when told him yesl
You see that thing proved. pine-blank,
at he wasn't a-fishin round fer Marthy
Well-sir, as luck would hev It, Marthy
got home about a half-hour later and
I'll give you my word I was never so
glad to see the girl in my lifel It was
foolish in me- I reckon, but when see
her drivin' up the lane--it was purt' nigh
dark then, but / could see her through
the open winder from where was set
tin at the supper-tabie, and so I Jest
quietly excused myself, p'lite-like, as a
Teller will, you know, when they's COM
p'ny round, and slipped off and met her
Jest as she was about to git out to open
the barn gate. Hold up, Marthy,' says
l; set right where you air; I'll open the
gate fer you, and I'll do anything else
fer you in the world at you want me
tor
"W'y. what's pleased you so?' she
says laughin'. as she druv through slow
like and a-ticklin' my nose with the
cracker OF the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
pleased your
Guess says I. 1erlxin' the gate to,
and turnin to lift her out.
The new peanner's conner says she,
eager-like.
Yer new peanner's come says l,
but that's not it.
Strawberries fer supper7' says she.
Strawberries fer supper says I.
but that amt IT,.
Jest then Morris's horse whinnied In
the barn and she glanced up quick and
smilin' and says, Somebody come to see
somebody
You're a-gfttin' warm says I.
somebody come to see NOR she says,
anxious-like.
No. says I. and I'm glad of it.-fer
this one ats come wants to git married.
ana O. course I wouldn't barber in my
house no young Teller at was a-iayin'
round fer chance to steal away the
'Nest-egg,' says I, 1aughin'.
Marthy had riz up In the buggy by
this time, but as I helt up my hands to
her, she sorto' drawed back a minute
and says, all serious-like and kindo' whis-
perrin:
rs II Annie?
II nodded. Yes says I. and what's
more, I've give my consent, and mothers
give hern-the things all settled. Come
jump out and run in and be happy with
the rest Of usF and I helt out my hands
ag'in, but she didn't pear to take no
heed She was kindo pale. too,
thought and swallered a time err two
like as eff she couldn't speak plain.
Who is the man? she asst
'Who-who's the man. says, a-sft-
tin hndo' out o. patience with the GIRL
wy, you know who 1t Is o. course.-It's
Norris says I. Come, jump down.
Don't you see I'm waitin' fer YEP
Then take me- she says; and blame
don! ef the girl didn't keel right over in
my arms as timber as a rag! Clean
tainted awayl Honest! Jest the excite
ment, I reckon, o. breakin' It to her so
like-'cause she liked Annie, rye
sometimes thought, better'n even she
did her own mother. Didn't go half SO
hard with her when her other sister mar
ried. Yes-sir! said the old man by way
of sweeping conclusion, as he rose to his
feet-"Marthy's the on'y one of 'ern at
never married-both the others is gone
Morris went all through the army and
got back safe and sounds livin' in
Idyho, and dom fust-rate. Sends me a
letter ever now and then. Got three lit
tie chunks O. grandchildren out there.
and I never laid eyes on one of EN-
You see. I'm a-gittin to be quite a mid
dle-aged man-in fact, a very middle
aged man, you might say Sence mother
died, which has be'n-lem- me- see-moth-
ers ben dead somers in the neighbor-
hood o. ten years.-Sence mother died
I've ben a-gittin' more and more o.