Mower County transcript., 1904-08-24

was hoppin' about like a chicken with
it's head off doin' it's last dance. We
rally saved his life. 1 believe he'd
"a dropped dead in his tracks eff he'd
"a lost by that blaze that night
EFF thar's anybody that loves a
nickel more'n you do," grunted the
note shaver, "I'd like to see i'm. /
! never heard O. anybody gittin' anything
out'n you"
Kenner laughed. "When I fust
started out I'll admit was purity close.
Lib. You know my daddy sold little
farm O. his when was twenty-one an
set me up in~the retail grocery busi-
ness He talked to me SO much about
the deadbeats lyin' in wait fer suckers
that l suspicioned even the preacher
whar I attended meetin'. He got be-
| i'm up an told i'm the reason I wasn't
attendin' church more reg'lar was be-
case he wasn't totin' fair, an that
ouldn't"-Kenner laughed impulslve-
ly-"git any speritual good listenin' to
! a man an wonderin' eff I'd ever git my
, money. He paid up an quit me; but
I didn't care; my religion improved, an
| when his term was out he went off
OWN brother Lampkin seventy-two
dollars an odd cents. Lampkin re-
fused to hep the heathens fer four
year afterwards"
Hillyer turned round in his chair and
| smiled. His face had a healthier glow
and his eye a deeper twinkle than
usual. To look at him one would not
have suspected that he had passed
through a storm the night before that
had almost shaken his soul out Of his
body.
1--WE always thought you'd insist on
your rights" he said to Kenner. can
the truth is it's the only way to get
on in business"
"Well,' answered the cotton buyer,
II had to hold folks down, Mr.. Hill
yer. l was a green hand, but reckon
I ripened purity quick. Thar was a
young storekeeper next door to me,
Joe Gibbs. as sharp as a brier. He
could multiply four figures by four
figures in his head an give you the
answer in a minute. He used to tell
me who would do to credit an who
wouldn't, an l always relied on his
judgment.
"But, Lord, I cayn't set here tellin'
yarns all day. I'm goin' to handle
sight O cotton fore sundown; it's roll
in in like circus parade"
The days business had really begun.
Mountain men came in with samples
Of their cotton or grain. Bascom
Truitt had an armful of the snowy
staple. "Thars a whole gang d ten
wagons from beyant the Tennessee
line,' he said to Kenner. '"They want
to know what's yore best figure
Kenner pulled the wads apart at the
window and answered:
''Seven-eighths is the best I kin do,
Bas. If they take my offer git 'em
to drive it up to the side door. I've
rented space fer =, 500 bales here.
I hope they amt water packed or got
any dead niggers slowed away in 'em.
Slavery's over, an we never did buy
'em by the pound nohow.''
Truitt smiled.
"They'll let you have it," he said.
''They want to tank up an go back
home"
He was turning away when Hanks
detained him. "Thar's several in that
gang that owe me fer supplies" he
said, pulling out his bunch of notes.
"Bas, tell 'em I'm prepared to cash
Their checks
GAIL right, Mr.. Hanks" said the long
mountaineer, "I'll tell 'em.'
Kenner went out to receive the cot
ton, and Hillyer followed to indicate
the space Kenner was to use This
left George Buckley and the note shav-
er alone together. George was writing
when Hanks stood up and leaned on
the desk near to him. He cleared his
throat and chewed his cigar for mo-
ment, then he said awkwardly:
Il hain't much Of hand to talk, but
I've been wantin' to say some'n' to you
ever since yore pa got in his trouble,
but somehow I couldn't git to it. I jest
feel like tellin' you that I'm yore friend,
an ef it had been in my power I'd "a
helped you out O. all that mess"
II thank you, Mr.. Hanks" George
returned, with a flush Of gratitude.
''1'm glad to know you felt that way"
The old man coughed and stroked his
beard with his scrawny hand. 'T've
been watchin' yore progress, George,
ever since Hllyer tuck you up. I
reckon was more interested in it on
account o my bad luck with my swn
boy. George, Bob hain't wuth his room
in hell, nur never will be-"
George avoided the eye bearing down
on him when he answered.: ....3.
/ gt""Of course can't dictate to you. Mr..
Hanks" he said cautiously, but I
think you are wrong about Bob. I
think he will turn out all right when
/ he's a little older.5 He's In with the so-j
ciety set here and half Of them have
we'll to do parents, and the truth is he
doesn't know how to begin. I think he
wants to, but
4 d f&tsT9ePa a1vava a flor ma fn .,u< ~, tho