Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-05
heir children heirs of landed estates

stocked Will UnuleS.
Every stranger who appeared in th'
village was regarded with awe as
possible surveyor sent from Washing
ton to run the lines Of these forty
acre plots.
And In due time the surveyors ap
peared. Uncle Aleck, who now de
voted his entire time to organising th'
League, and drinking whisky which
the dues he collected made easy, wa!
walking back to. Piedmont from {
League meeting in the country
dreaming of the promised land.
He lifted his eyes from the dust!
way and saw before him two survey
ors with their arms full Of line stakes
painted red, white and blue. The!
were well-dressed Yankees-he coulC
not be mistaken. Not a doubt dis
turbed his mind The kingdom o.
heaven was at hand!
He bowed low and cried:
praise de Lawd! De messengers 1.
comet Use waited long. but I see:
'em now wild my own eyes!"
You can bet your life on that. ole
pair. I'VE go two and two. just a!
the apostles did in the olden times
We have only a few left. The boys
are hurrying to get their homes AL
you've got to do Is to drive one OF
these red, white and blue stakes dowr
at each corner Of the forty acres OF
land you want, and every rebel in the
Internal regions can't pull II up"
Hear dat now!"
Just like I tell you. When this
stake goes into the ground. it's like
planting a thousand cannon at each
corner"
"En will the Lawd's messengers
come wild me right now to de bend Ell
de creek whar I done pick out my
forty acres?"
I'VE will, If you have the needfu
for the ceremony. The fee Of the sur
each stake. We have no time to lin
ger with foolish virgins who have nc
oil in their lamps. The bridegroom
has come. They who have no oil must
remain in outer darkness" The
speaker had evidently been a preach
er in the north, and his sacred accent
sealed his authority with the old ne
gro, who had been an exhorter him.
self.
Aleck felt in his pocket the jingle
of twenty gold dollars. the initiation
fees of the weeks harvest Of the Lea
que. He drew them, counted out eight
and took his four stakes. The sur
veyors kindly showed him how to
drive them down firmly to the first
stripe Of blue. When they had STEP
ped off square Of about forty acres
Of the Lenoir farm, including the
richest piece of bottom land on the
creek, which Alexis children, under
his wife's direction were working fol
Mrs. Lenoir and the four stakes
were planted, old Aleck shouted:
"Glory ter Cod"
Now" said the foremost surveyor
you want deed-a deed in fee SIM
pie with the big seal Of the govern
ment on 1t. and you're fixed for life
The deed you can take to the court
house and make the clerk record it,
The man drew from his pocket an
Official looking paper, with a red cir
cular seal pasted on its face:
Uncle Alexis eyes danced.
Ifs dat de deed?"
ut will be II l write your name or
1t and describe the land"
"En what's de fee fer dat?"
"Only twelve dollars; you can take
1t now or wait until we come again
There's no particular hurry about
this. The wise man, though, leaves
nothing for tomorrow that he car
carry with him today"
II takes de deed right now, gem
men," said Aleck. eagerly counting
out the remaining twelve dollars
Fix i'm up for me-"
The surveyor squatted In the field
and carefully wrote the document.
They went on their way rejoicing
and old Aleck hurried into Piedmont
with the consciousness of lOrdship OF
the soil. He held him so proudly that
1t seemed to straighten some Of the
crook out Of his bow legs.
He marched up to the hotel where
Margaret sat reading and Marion was
on the steps playing with a setter.
"Why. Uncle Aleck!" Marion ex-
claimed, 81 haven't seen you in lone
time"
Aleck drew himself to his full
height-at least, as full as his bow
legs would permit, and said gruffly:
Miss Maian, l axes you to stop
calm me uncle: my name Is Mr.
Alexander Lenoir-"
Until Aunt Cindy gets after you
laughed the girl. "Then it's much
shorter than that, Uncle Aleck.
"Yaas'm. dat's what fetch me here
now ! comes ter tell yer ma ter tell
dat oman Ci.dy ter take her chillun
OIL Hly IdTIll. 6WiiiS "" nv ~.
rent-payin' ter nobody off'n my Ian!
Your land, Uncle Aleck? When
did you get it?" asked Marion. plac-
ing her cheek against the setter.
"De gubment gim 1t ter me today.
he replied, fumbling in his pocket and
pulling out the document You Kin
read it all dar yo'sef."
He handed Marion the paper. and
Margaret hurried down and read II
over her shoulder.
Both girls broke into screams OF
laughter.
Aleck looked up sharply.
"Do you know what's written or
this paper. Uncle Aleck?" Margaret
asked.
"Cose I do. OATS de deed ter my
farm er forty acres in de bend er dc
creek, whar I done stuck off wild de
red, white an blue sticks de gubmen'
gimme"
"I'll read it to you" said Margaret
wait q minute" interrupted Mar
ion. "I want Aunt Cindy to hear it
she's here to see mama In the Kitchen
now"
She ran for Uncle Alexis spouse
Aunt Cindy walked around the house
and stood by the steps, cycling hei
erstwhile lord with contempt.
"Got yer deed. Is yer. ter stop me
payin' my missy her rent fun de Ian
my chillun wucks? Yu'se er smar'
boy. you is-lets hear de deed!
Aleck edged away a little. and said
with bow:
Oars de paper wild de big mark el
de gubment."
Aunt Cindy shifted the air con-
temptuously.
"What is it, honey?" she asked OF
Margaret.
Margaret read in mock solemnitS
the mystic wiring on the deed:
ITO Whom Il May Concern:
"As Moses lifted up the brazen SER
pent in the wilderness for the en-
iightenment of the people. even sc
have I lifted twenty shining PUNK:
out Of this benighted niger! Selah!
AS Uncle Aleck walked away with
Aunt Cindy shouting In derision
"Dar. now! Oar, now!" the bow ir
his legs seemed to have sprung
sharper curve.
TO BE CONTINUED.