The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-01-20

shift fer myself. an eff I've accumu-
lated anything it has been by my own
efforts. Eff anybody had set me up in
business at that boys age I'd never
been wuth a hill O. beans"
Yes, an you didn't start out with
as much agin you as Bob has," an
swered the cotton buyer. you wasn't
constantly surrounded by folks teIlin'
| you yore old scrub of q daddy was
goin' to die an leave you a whole lot
! O. money, an'-hold on, I'm not
/ through"-as Hanks was about to
speak-''an' a whole community tellin'
you you mustn't lay yore hands to
mental labor. Yore daddy, from what
hear. made you pull bell cord over
mules back tell you was twenty one,
an when you finally riz to the dignity
o. the junk shop you used to keep, you
considered yourself in high G. Why,
they say you never wore shoes tell you
put 'em on to vote in. They say
stranger put up at Lbs house one
night. Mr.. Hillyer, an Lib was standin'
up before the fire warlnin' hisse'f. All
at once Lbs nanny said, Henry,
thar's a coal o. fire under yore foot
an Lib looked up, as lazy then as now.
an asked. in his slow way, Which
foot, mar"
Hillyer smiled, but Hanks simply
grunted indifferently and began to look
over packet of papers which he took
from his pocket. Jake came in to tell
Kenner that some cotton wagons were
driving up. and Kenner started out,
laughing good naturally. At the door
he paused, and, coming back, he leaned
on the back of chair toward Hanks.
You know how to take my fun, Lib"
he said, just touch of apology in his
tone. you see, used to have jest
sech a gang as Bob's society crowd to
contend with" Kenner laughed. 1t
was plain he had more to say in spite
of the pressure of business.
when l growed up it was wuss, II
anything, than now. 1t was jest after
the war, when nobody had anything to
put on style with, an everybody want
ed to make a good show to keep from
lookin' beat. Among the young men
In this place thar was some of us that
jest naturally would work, an Pill,
of 'em that didn't seem to know how,
an us that knowed how seemed to keep
up the rest, fer they was eternally
a-borrowin' our cash an never dream
In o. replacin' it. / remember thar
was one young Teller, Fred Dinslow,
that kept my pocket change down to
low ebb. 1t went on so long that |
got to prayin' over it, an finally / got |
the courage to put my foot down. I |
kept tellin' i'm l didn't have 1t. + . |
knowed l did, an so did l, but / could
tell i'm that better'n anything else,
beca'se he hated to dispute my word,
as bad as | hated to refuse i'm my |
wages. Me N him was a-roomin'
gether, an one day Niger ALI
Hardin, begun to banter me to sell I'm
a light overcoat l was about through /
with, an l laid 1t out fer i'm. Well,
Fred noticed it allyn out on the table,
an aXed me what / was a-goin' to do
with it. told i'm | was a-goin' i
sell it to ALI Hardin. Me N Fred was
a-lyin' smokin' on the bed, an he got
up all at once an put the coat on an
stood looxin' at hisse'f in the bureau
glass. He'd TN fust one way an
then another, like woman dressin' fer
a picnic, an then he said: 1t fits me
like a glove Jim. How much is All
goin' to give you fer it? Five dollars
said l. Fred screwed about at the
glass a minute longer. an then he
said, 'Dern eff 1 don't give you i've
'er it.; it's jest what l want Well,
.har | was, a born southern Gentlema"
In a room mate was akin to be pre-
'erred over a niger, an not a clink
lur sight o. coin anywhars around.
Well says l, after one O my silent
prayers fer fresh light, III let YOU
nave it, Fred, but I'm needin' the
/ particular purpose, that's the reason
IN sellin' the coat. I'm needin' It
powerful bad oh said lie, as he
uck off the coat an put it in his
runk, IN git the money fer you. I'm
'xpectin' some next Monday l know
d then that ! was done, an done
,rown, but | didn't know my crust
vas burnt to a cinder. The next day
vas Sunday, an niger baptizin'
lay, an in the black procession headed
er Mill Greek l seed Aft Hardin
mong the elect, on his way to be bap-
lied, with my overcoat on. 1t was a
GLENN OCCASION, but l was mad. l
topped ALI an aXed i'm whar he
ot the coat. Marse Fred Dinslow
OF it to me, subj he said. How much
i'd you pay i'm fer it?' l aXed i'm.
Five dollars, suh,' said Aft; he tried
o git six, but l didn't have it, At
mother time, Fred-but l see that cot
on wagon out in front, an I've got
o git a move on me-"
Hillyer was alone in the Office when
Bob Hanks and George came in. flushed
nd hot, their task finished.
"You are the right kind. George" the
Id man heard Bob saying. in CRATE
I'll tone, land I'm not going to forget
either"
"Pshaw!' Buckley said. at was ex-
city what needed to set my blood in