Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-07-05
SLEEPY CREEK FOLKS

ing that day. il was a soft, persistent sum
me. downpour, which made each mountain
path a running rjvnlet and Asweiled the
smaller streams into foamlng cascades. Al
ready the deep blue of the river was taking
on a creamy tinge which soon would turn TO
yellow
Pretty soon old jim Losely ives seen
trudging down the mountain path through
the rain. his oilskins gIistening and his cob
pipe leaving a trail OF blue smoke in MS
wake With visitors at Sleepy CIeek it
would be bad weather indeed which would
keep Jim MoselY away, and he would have
to present a mighty gooo excuse TO the Tis
itors to account for bis neglect in not com
ing down.
did i tel yon about tie trip Of me aDd
William Henry to New York last Chris
mas?' asked Jim, as be accepted the viz.
ifor's tobacco bag and filed up before tilt.
ing his ehrir back against the wall 1T
come sbont this way. At Thanksgiving
time there WAS a fellow up here from New
York deer and turkey hunting Mr..
Tracy. lie came up with a letter from Col.
Parker. He was a mighty nice man, a
good hunter, and we had fine sport. Vie
hshot three deer and Ia turkeys. But he
seemed to enjoy everything so much.
william IjtifN anu me bpDk quite "a
! shine to him and he seemed to be right
fond OF US, Finally, when he comes to 90
ne says: Boys. ] want you W. to come
down to New York mas and stay a
week with me. ] will send you'll railroad
passes and we will have 4 good time
| Well, me and Jim Henry talked about it a
good deal, although to tell truth we never
expected to hear any more from him;
fhnuobf ha ~ mat aptbaSaaafta Ruf u,ra
enough, here comes a letter from Mr.. Tracy
about a week before Christmas, with rail
road passes for William Hepsy and me, and
$40 for expenses, with full directions how to
travel.
We'll. sir. then there was h~ustling. The
whole neghborhood heard about it and ev-
erybody come in to give us q little advice.
Me and William Henry got out our broad
cloth suits and breshed them up nice. Then
we bought some new boots and started
to break them in. for, as / says to William
Henry, there amt nothing so aggravatin'
in the city as to be trompin' around in a
pair Of tight boots. | warned William
Henry not to grease them either, as we
would have to have them shined every day.
We tagged the morning express and ac-
cording to Mr.. Traey's directions took
seats in the parlor car. We had dinner and
supper in the dining car and at 1920 that
night rolled into Jersey City.
Sure enough. standing by the gate was
a fellow in a blue coat with buttons. vel
low trousers and patent leather boots. He
saw us about the same time and must have
picked us out. I am Mr.. Tracy's man, he
said, and ! reckon you must be Mr.. Nose
w. lowed was and he took our car
pet bags and led on. We crossed the ferry
to Fifty-third - Twenty-third, isn't it?
Well, we went out and got into a fine hack,
with silk cushions, which me and William
Henry was most afraid to lean back on, so
We sat straight up.
pretty soon we drew up in front of Mr..
Traey's house and another fellow in yellow
pants got out and opened the hack door
for us. Mr.. Tracy met us in the ball and
took us into the settin' room, where there
was a fine open fire in the crate. L had
this fire made for you boys, he says, so as
TO make you feel at homeA All my folks
have gone to Lakewood for the winter and
we will be here by our lonesomes.' Then
another swelldressed fellow, with a suit
Of clothes like the polished villain wears
on the stage, comes in with a little round
table, a bottle, some fzz water and glasses.
Mr.. Tracy never forgets nothin, however,
so he says to this man: fJinkins, go bring
the soft sugar for Mr.. Mosely's teddy.
Then we all had a drink and sat talkin'
and smoking fine seegars until bed time.
"rhe gent with the fine clothes went mp
to our room with Us. It was a big room,
with two great brass beds in it and the
finest beds | ever see. There was a little
bathroom leading off from the bedroom,
and the man showed Us how to run the
water In the tub.
Early next morning me and William
Henry got u. 50 as to be on hand, but there
wasn't a soul up. The house was plumb
still and dark and here 1t was nearly six
o'clock. In the settin'-room we found the
sugar and stuff and without waitin' for Mr..
Tracy, we mixed cur mornin's e%ye-opener.
We didn't want to disturb anybody, so we
slipped out the front door very quietly to
take a walk. As we sneaked ott, a police
man come running across the street and
we stopped to say howdy. He looked us
over suspiciously and wanted to know what
we was doing about at that time Of day.
We wee afraid to go far away SO we sat
wv n the curbstone and chewed to-
Aao .. watching the town wake up, until
fray some OF Mr.. TiAcy's folks come out 10
shake the door mat te says that Mr..
| Tracy left word tor w. to have breakfast at
seven o'clock and excise him, so We went in
and had one OF the finest breakfasts | ever
eat. There were two men to wait on VII
liam Henry and me, and | shore did feel
sheepish to sit there and have those nice
looking gentlemen handling the yittles.
IAN that day me and William Henry
went about town with Mr.. Tracy, butler,
seeing the sights, and at night Mr.. Tracy
took us to supper at the WaldorfAstori
He called it dinner, but it did not commence
until seven o'clock and lasted two hours.
That night after we had been asleep
two or three hours ! heard William Henry
" jsper: Jim sat up in bed and William
Henry come acrost the room. 'IFerc's
so ebody breakjn' into the house, he .ays.
i knows all the noises of town by TINS
81 49,. 80. 4I-e -. 800, moe ,a+