Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-04-17
LOVE AND
CHICKENS
BY FRHNK H. SWEET.

an unsaYory reputation for sharp deal
ins-sold his chickens and truck in the
city on commission. For this reason,
Microbe still wore old clothes, al.
though he was a shrewd, hard working
young man. But Deacon White had a
daughter, Cassia.
One Sunday morning Microbe called
at the White cabin, as usual. The
deacon himself came to the door, but
looked his visitor over in marked dis.
approval.
why ain yo' hustle roun' an buy
better clos, Mierobe?" he demanded,
grufiiy. "Yo' ain fifteen TO show yo'sef
on Sunday, specially at chu'ch ossi.
fer's house."
money too scarce 70 clos jes' now,
deacon" Microbe responded, eheerily.
But whar's Cassia? rs come to see
her"
y spec yo' fin her roun' on de back
po'ch, peelin' taters TO supper" he
answered, discontentedly "Yo' kin
90 frou de ca bin, or roun' de cabin, jes'
as yo' LAX But say" as Microbe was
half way across the floor; how bout
dem hun'erd chickens 20 low is ready
to sell? Is dey coop up?"
"No, but kin coop dem tonight"
II reckon yo' better. Hits time to
sell now; Is be roun' in de mawnin' wild
my big Vaughn. Mist Williams an
Mist Buckler dey's got a heap, an Is
gwine take al togedder."
Cassia was bending industriously
over her pan Of potatoes when Microbe
stepped upon the porch, closing the
door carefully behind him. Evidently
she had heard his voice, for She looked
up roguishly, with an odd sparkle in
her eyes.
"Howdy, Cassia. rs come TO talk
bout what tole 20 las Sunday. 70
member"
Il spect yo's too young TO know
bout Tub. Microbe," she interrupted,
demurely. "Yo's muffin but a boy, lax
ia dy say"
as ole as you Cassia."
"Dat ain count. Boys ain grow lax
gals. Dey ain so smart"
Il reckon yo's right bout de smart
mes" he agreed; but not bout de Tub.
! been hub 20 mighty long time, Cassia.
Yo' know dat, on'y yo' ain tell"
"Yaas. boy Tub, in ole clos" care
lessly. Il ain nebber see yo' fix up in
all my life. Mierobe. Yo's a mighty
nice boy, an | lax yo' better dataway
dan airy udder boy roun'. But de man
/ marrys gwine hab handsome clos so
/ ain feel feel 'shamed when we go to
ohuch an udder Places
as gwine hab plenty nice things,
Cassia, eagerly. "When ives married.
Is gwine be de bes' man in de cake
walk. Yoll see. l been let yo' daddy
hab my truck so fur, kase-kase-yo'
know. SO ain git ahead
"Den yo' ain fifteen to be married"
she flashed. when folks count 10 be
married dey ought to fix dere truck to
git ahead"
"Ts ewine do dat right of, Microbe
declared. sturdily. - ain low things
20 dataway kase l didn' know better.
No. sab! l gwine begin to git ahead
wild de sun to-morrer mawnin' Any
ting else, Cassia2"
She did not lift her eyes this time,
but her voice was steady,
NO gal ain gwine marry q man wid
n sickness name" she declared. Il
been 'quire bout yo' name she went
on. AN folks say hits muffin but Jes'
sickness name, al kim oh ketehin'
things lax measles an yaller jack an
distemper an'-an' eberyt'ing dats
bad. No gal ain marry dem t'ings,
"Wen. den, IL hits dataway, tain
gwine be my name no mo-, honey, Ny
nanny glib hit kase ob a name she
beah a doctor tel, an l 'speets she
done got mistook. rs gwine 'quire
bout hit, an If hits lax yo' say, den
Is pwine git anudder name datll be
mighty fine an nice Anything elseY'
"Yaas; / ain gwine marry no man
'cep' my daddy say 50. Is de on'y gal
he hab." She raised her eyes with an
unmistakable fash ofarchness and tri-
umph. "S'pose yo' gwine git Deacon
Wite TO say yaas to Mierobe-whieh
ain his name-who ain got fur 'nough
ahead in 10 yeahs 10 buy clos fifteen
70 sunday
"Co'se / is" sturdily. Il been lubyo'
mighty long time, Cassia. an mighty
hard: an when a man Tub dataway, he
gwine do anything. Ain dar mo 20
lax me doe"
"No. dat's all. Microbe," she said,
frankly. "Yo' jes' git ahead, an hab a
name dat ain no sickness TO hit, an,
,oniur' my daddy to say he ain car
n yo' marry me. den ] say yaas-kase
fore yo' git an dat done yo' gwine be
mighty push-ahead man" and with a
sudden ripple Of laughter she caught
pp the pan OF potatoes and disap'
peared within the cabin.
when Microbe had reached home the
chickens had gone TO roost, but i vas
luill light enough to distinguish them
and the marketing coops which we're
niled handy for use. He looked from
on 10 the other doubtfully, for he