The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1902-05-31

story dwelling that Betsey Holden
had been so proud of before penury
had robbed it of half its charms.
"The ole miser won't even burn one
Of Aunt Betsey's taller dips. Ell he
amt gittin' stingier an stingier!
/ 'ud druther be pauper than SIGH
as Amasa, emmy day. Wonder what
made him git so, ennyhow? He didn't
usen to be so, but he wuz allus
little near, and how it has growed
on him! don't suppose that can
do ennything with him about that
bush. Guess / hev cum on . fools
errunt, as far as that is concerned,
but l thought I'd like to come up
ennyhow an see how the place
looked, now Betsey is gone. guess
it will be pretty lonesome"
Silas was still thinking out loud, in
this distracted manner of his, when
he Knocked at the front door.
Come in,' said Amasa's voice, and
Silas knew from the sudden draft
that the door had been opened. Il
hain't got no light ter-night, an l
thought eff we didn't hev emmy you
wouldn't mind sittin' by the fireplace.
/ think it is jest as pleasant, an II
saves ile."
Silas laughed. "Why don't you
burn some NV Aunt Betsey's taller
dips?' he asked. Il reckon that she
had about million NV um made.
"Oh, no." replied Amasa, there
were only few, an l am savin' on
UNI for an emergency.
"Why can't you light one NV them
famous dips an celebrate my coming
up?" asked Silas.
'.Taller's mighty high, an a-goin'
up every day." said Amasa, doubtful
ly. Dunno but l might, seem it's
you, eff you thought you'd take the
| BUSH"
| Amasa went to the cupboard ana
after fumbling around for awhile re-
turned with bit of tallow candle
that had been made by dipping
Irvine string repeatedly into hot tai
low.
There" he said, triumphantly, as
he lighted it with silver off q pine
knot, that is the fust one Nv them
candles that hev burned since Bet
sey died. My, amt it bright"
"Bright!'' reiterated Silas, con-
temptuously, winking and blinking
as though the feeble light hurt his
eyes. "Ef it warp't that Aunt Bet
sey made them dips ] would advise
you to melt 'em up an use EN- ter
grcese your boots with"
"You air extravigant, Mr.. Brown,
wasteful an extrayigant," said
Amasa, "you won't never be rich"
81 don't want to be-" replied Silas,
"but let's get to business. What do
| you want to do about the sugar
bush?"
"It's mighty fine bush, all on
the south side an easy to gather,
includin' the sugar house." said
Amasa.
| 81 know it," replied Silas, lit is a
| good bush, but what do you want
for it?"
@All can GIT" said Amasa, IAN n
| is worth more, it is dirt cheap al
more"
i "Come, come" said Silas. II know
you want all you can git, an more
twice over, but let's stop this con
sarned dickerin., an git ter bust
ness; what will you take?"
.Wall," said Amasa, brought to the
point by the others imperative man
ner. ut is worth more, but eff You
4 will give me three-fifths NV the sugar
YOU can hey the bush for this sea
i son.
Il won't do it," said Silas, prompt
ly. II won't gin in. 1t amt worth
it, but will take it an gin half thu
: sugar-haif an half, that's fair, an
, that is the last grain NV sugar vii
give"
Amasa argued, and expostulated
dwelling upon the merits of his bush
, and the high price that sugar wa
sure to bring this season, but OF
that point the deacon was set.
81 amt like you, Amasa," he said
after the other had exhausted ever.
, argument, and his opponent still
stood firm. II make my price an
then stick to it. that's me-"
"You want ter rob me-" whine
Amasa, you want ter git it TO
nuthin."
mo, don't. / want jest what ]
fair and square, an no more. That
the way that have allus done, al
allus expect to-" said Silas.
"wall, it's too much, it is to
much,' replied Amasa. Il can't ei
ford ter let it go fer that"
"Takc it or leave it, them" reptile
the deacon, taking up his lantern
"it is fair offer fairly made, al
will be stood to. but eff you don
want ter accept it, all right"
The deacon stood with one han
on the latch, and waited for til
miser. Amasa wavered.
"It's too much," he said, at las
= but I'll tell you what I'll do, L
divide this way eff you want to tai
the place.
q "You give me three-fifths of I'll
p sugar, an you take two-fifths, a
y then will gin you half NV one of m
II fifths. That's what call fair a
u square deal, an right ter both Nv u
II but fer me ter gin you half is t.
much, too pesky much, an sug;
u goin' ter be so high"