The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-06-01

| way will linger for a space in front
of the old-fashioned dwelling, and
| will notice that the moss lies green
on the steep and shingled roof and
| upon the well curb that stands be-
side the door. And such one, stand
ing in the red, dusty s,.etch Of
the road and looking beyond the door
way and the curb, will see under the
trees of the yard milkhouse that
is suggestive OF shadows and of great
stone crooks, while nearer the fence
there are beehives and damask roses
and trailing honeysuckle vines. And
with SO much given the traveller, be
he a man of even small understand
ing, will picture readily the faces OF
! those old people who from the eter-
nal fitness of all things must necessar-
lily inhabit here-will imagine Aunt
Sara Barnes, with her broad, black,
goed-humored face and her blue
checked, cotton apron, and will give
heed to Uncle Jeffy's voice as the old
man calls: Light, boss, light; an
| des come in dis yere py-azzy, sun, an
RES"
| But if in response to the invita-
! ton so heartily given our traveller
| should seek to enter, he will likely
find opposing his passage dog-a
bandy-shanked and brindled dog,
which will plant itself firmly in his
way and will growl ferociously and
| otherwise so misconduct itself that
| Uncle Jeffy will hurry out in alarm
| to COW the beast with hot words and
| with blows. Afterward, however,
when cool water has been brought and
| the wayfarer is duly refreshed, the
old man will turn again to the brute
and will call to it temptingly:
Here, Rowdy, here! Come here to
me, my lad!" And he will take the
evil looking head between his knees
and will stroke the same refectiyely
"Yas,' he is accustomed to remark as
| he waggies the fragment Of wolly
| beard which hangs at his chin, and
| splits we'll cut across the steps, ROW
! dy air part pinter and part houn'-
! might nigh half houn', hit pears to
me lax An l think thar's lettle
| touch O. bull in him-an' then thar's
some fee in him shore. fer his great
| gran nanny on his daddy's side she
were a full blooded fee. But l don't
reckin he's got much tarrier blood.
jedges that Their rest nv him
what's lef' after Their h0un', an Their
/, pinter, an Their bull. an Their flee
| is just mostly dog. He's mighty
fine yawd dog, too, Rowdy is, but he
air gittin sight too sharp-he's
agwine ter bite somebody ther very
| fus' thing ! know. Thar he was a
t'arin at you just new-I'll bout have
| ter brush him one er these days"
Then the old man will pinch the
dogs ear, and Rowdy will yawn and
| will stretch his left hind leg as if to
say, What a pleasant morning 1t is"
And when no one replies he will go
back down to the gate. where he will
| turn round three times-presumably
for luck"-after which he will COM
pose himself to rest.
In the leisure which this episode
will afford him the wayfarer may
study the old negro He will, If per-
| ception has been vouchsafed unto
him, observe that Uncle Jeffy has
once been a 4pow'ful man. and tnat
even now his hairy chest still looks
bread and muscular as it shows
through the open front of his coarse.
white cotton shirt. The old man
wears no coat, Of course-who wants
coat in the open Spring weather?
| and his face is honest and shrewd.
Only laughter, too-whole-hearteds
kindly laughter-could have drawn
those lines which radiate so finely
from the corners of his quizzical
| eyes. And beneath all this, beneath
the wrinkles which the years have
left, and the dull and weather-beaten
| skin, and the gray growth of stubby
beard. there exists an odd look OF
! yoGthfui drellery, as If the boyish
blood time-hindered in its surface
flow, still stirred within and sent new
| currents, warm and free. about the
old mans cheerful heart.
1t has been said by those who are
| in a position to know that in his
youth Uncle Jeffy "wuz pow'ful vile"
that oncs he ran "hoss-races" and
openly eft chickens" But let this
be as it may, our hero is staunch
enough church member now-and
sleeps on Sundays very peacefully IN
the solemn Amen corner" of Lower
!! Betharbry" church. And when Aunt
Sara would call him to account for
this somnolence he readily defends
himself.
Brother Larkin"-he will remark
Brother Larkin, he do talk SO
feelinly bout that thar res'-ther
res, sweet res whut we alls is
agwine ter git over on t'other side
O. Jurdin-'at Their ve'y fus' thing
know l is done fergit whar is. an
is a restin' afore my time"
But he cannot easily evade Aunt
Sara. "Jeffy!" she will continue,