Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-17

Sa1EHD the barley road and another
leading into east Tennessee. Alan hnt
gone down there one day to enga GO
white labor to work in his growing cot
ton, negroes being scarce owing to the
tendency Of that race to flock into the
towns. With the aid Of Pole Baker
who was clerking that day for Eli.
more, he soon employed the men he
wanted and started to walk back home
On the way he was overtaken by his
uncle. who was returning from barley
In his wagon.
Hold on. thar" the old man called
out. EFF you are a-goin' home, Ill rest
yore legs
Alan smiled as he climbed ND into
the seat by the old man.
II shall certainly appreciate it," he
said. I'm tired ont today"
Il sorter thought you looked fab
berEasted." returned Abner as he
swung his whip over the backs of his
sleek horses. "Well, I reckon | could
afford to give you ride. hauled
that cuss Dole three miles goin' t'other
'''' ii' hub ilit NHtth W yen III lie
from Habbersham ms ginhouse an axed
me Of I'd haul i'm. Then he kept me
waitin' till he'd <helt prayer an read
TO the family"
You don't seem to like him." said
Alan. "I've noticed that for some time"
81 reckon | don't to any great ex-
tent" said Abner, clucking to his tired
horses. but it amt rally to my credit.
feller'S wrong som'cr's, Alan. that
allows hisself to hate anything the
Lord ever made. I've struggled agin
that proposition for twenty-five yccr.
All this talk about the devil maxim the
bad an the Lord the good is talk
through a hat. Bad things was made
fore the devil ever jumped from his
high estate. nr he'd never preferred a
fork to a arp. I've tuck notice. too
that the wuSt things | ever seed was
sometimes at the root o. the best
Manure is a bad thing. but a cake Of
it will produce a daisy bigger n any
in the field. Dole makes me gag some
times, but as narre- as he is twixt the
eyes he may do some good | reckon
that hell fire sermon he gave us last
August made some O. the crowd sweat
'ut little o Their meanness. I'd "a
been more merciful on sech hot day
though. Rc mought "a reserved that
harangue FER some cold day in Decem-
Der when the stove fiucs wouldn't
work. IF I'd "a been a-goin' to tell
about future torment that hot day. I'd
"A said that every lost soul was made
to set on a cake o ice in a windy SPOT
all eternity. an Id a started
ont by singin ON Greenland's Icy
Mountain But that amt what axed
you to git in my wagon fer"
You didn't intend to try to convert
mo. them
NO, | didn't fer you are jest my
sort of Christian - better'n me, a
sight, fer You don't shoot off yore ba- !
zoo on one side or t'othor, an thlt's the |
lahlt I'm tryin' to quit. IF | could |
lold in when Dole gifts to spOutin' I'd .
"a better man. | think I'll do better .
low. I've got tenpenny nail In my
pocket, an whenever he starts in I'm
'oin' to bite it an keep my holt on it
ill he stops Yes, you are jest my
sort of Christian. You believe in
'rrathln' fresh air into yore windpipe.
hankln God with a clear eye an good
muscle An trkin' what he gives YOU
IN AKIN I'm TO pass more IF it's han
~ You know the Lord has sent YOU
invite to his table, an you believe in
attn an drinkin' an maxim merry.
est like you'd have body do that
vas stoppin' over night with you. Yes,
wanted TO say some'n' else TO YOU.
As | got to the Widder Snowden's
ouSo, mile this side o barley. she
anne out an axed me eff Id object to
couple a smoke cured hams
o Teller in town that had ordered
m or course that's what a old bach
Ike me s hser fer, so let 'er fling 'em
1 the back end"
The speaker paused and smiled know
Ugly, and Alan noticed that he slowed
is horses up by drawing firmly on the
ems as if he feared that their arrival
the farmhouse might interrupt what
@ had to say.
"Well,' said Alan, you delivered the
ams?"
Yes" Abner was looking straight
head of him. They was fer Colonel
eth Barclay. | driv' up to the side
ate, after I'd helloed in front till |
as hoarse, an who do you reckon
,me trippin' out o. the dinin room?
was her. Eff you hain't never ketched
r of'n her guard round the house.
ou've missed n treat. burned eff |
ont like 'er better without a hat on
ian with all the fluffy famdoodle that
lis put on when they go out. She was
neat as new pin, an seemed pow
'iul glad to see me. That made me
eSs the Widdor Snowdcn fer sendin
Q thar, She said the cook was off
'm'er's. an that old Niger Ned, the
ableman, was in the garden patch
'hlnd the house, so she was thar by =
rsef. She actually looked like she .
anted to tote in the hams 'erse'f
ther'n bother me. but you bet my old
mes hoped olf'n this seat quicker'n J
III could say Jack Robinson with yore !
outh open.
Il was afeerd my team wouldn't q
and, fer fellcrs was a-scootin' by on
cycles, but ! tuck the hams TO the ,
ok porch an put EN- on shelf out'n !.
oh o the dogs Then went back to
wagon. She follered me to the
nee, an | noticed that some'n' was
'ong with 'er, She looked SO funny :
! droopy about the mouth, an kept