The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-15

n ONftOti, n. C.-ihe country pco-
I'M pie in this part of North Caro-
lima call a weak minded person an
"eedjer." meaning an idiot. That's what
they used to call a young fellow in the
neighborhood who may be referred to as
Zeb
When Zeb's father died he left him
quite fortune for these parts. zeb's
sinsfolk and neighbors. in mass meeting
assembled, decided it would never do to
let him have control of the estate and
they applied TO the courts for the APP
pointment of a garden of his person
and property TO keep him from bein'
cheated"
Though Zeb resisted this proceeding all
ne could, the guardian, in the person of
an uncle was duly appointed. The bulk
of the fortune consisted of about 20 acres
of cotton land, and into the dwelling
house situated thereon Zeb's uncle and
aunt Immediately moved and found them
selves more comfortable than they had
ever dreamed of being
Zebz soon got TO like the arrangement,
as his aunt was a first rate cook and he
was very fond of good rations. His guar
dian moreover, was an easy going old
chap. letting him do just he pleased;
and he pleased to do nothing at all on tho
farm but loafed around all day or went
hunting or fishing.
After Il month or two of the Zeb made
up his mind that he ought to have horse
for his sure enough own. He finally got
his uncle around to his way of thinking.
and so vas laid out on a thin, sorry
looking animal which struck Zebs fancy
as being capable of great things. To the
81 al horse q
elusive attention. Careful and abundant
feeding and constant curry combing soon
brought about such transformation in
the animals appearance that Young Loeb
invars steed would not have hesitated to
admit him to terms of social equality.
At this time farmer who lived a
couple of miles from Zeb's place, saw the
horse and knowing nothing of his history
Offered Zeb 500 for him.
r WHAT" said Zeb. Quit yore fooin',
friend That horse amt worth a cent
less'n SEQ, and | don't want to sell him,
any way"
They spent two weeks dickerng, and
at last the farmer paid s1I5. and thought
he was getting great bargain at that.
The patched up and pampered skate was
put to the pillow at once.
T OF coure he didn't get half the care and
attention that Zeb had given him, and
this with the hard work. soon reduced
him to his normal condition. When the
new owner saw what the influences of en-
vironment and natural selection had
brought about he decided that he had
made mistake and went to see II he
could induce Zeb to take the horse back.
''Zebby," he said II didn't oughter have
bought that horse away from you-all.
fer man OF yore means raley do need
horse TO ride to preachin and SIGH like,
and SO I jest come to say you kin have
I'm back at the percise fgger ] done
give you"
.Well. sir. I don't know but l kin do
'thout i'm though ] shore did miss i'm
right smart at fust," replied Zeb. mo,
sir, reckon it's too much trouble fer me
to take keer of a horse ag'in, specially
sech a VARIABLE animal as that air.
AS no amount of argument could change
Zeb's mind. the farmer got angry, ac-
cused Zeb OF having cheated him and
threatened TO have the law on him.
Say, amt you one of them felers that
was up to the cote and toll the jedge l
was crazy?" asked Zeb.
yes. and so you air; crazy as a chinch
bug"
land said oughter have a garden to
keep me from bein' cheated? Well. there
wasn't nothn' said bout havin garden
10 keep me from cheatin' anybody, was
there?'
The house still belongs to the same
farmer a living example OF reversion to
type. One of the "fellers that was up to
the cote" remarked only the other day:
Yes, sir, I shore did labor under a
MISREPRESENTATION bout that Zeb bein' so
pany in his intellecks."
Tho editor OF weekly paper in a town
IN North Carolina received visit from
r. subscriber who lives few miles out
in the country. Though the county is dry
II was clear that the subscriber had man
aged to secure enough corn liquor to
make him feel wealthy. for he ordered
fnat an Advertisement be published stat
ing that he had 5000 feet OF cordwood
for sale.
A few days afterward he came in again
xith all the signs of wealth gone-all'
signs fail In dry weather-and said he
wanted to insert another notice TO the ef-
feet that he was drunk when he adver-