The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-10-10
.Pendarvis,
the Cracker
BY Allen Chamberlain
tcopytlsh.. " ehor.story ras. c,

Joe PopdarVis was o. Florida Crack
er, born and reared, and himself il
turn rcaring others Of his kind, mi
one Of the most thrifty orange dis
trlets OF his state Outwardly and irI
his manner. Of living he did not differ
materially from any of his kin, but
be hgures here on account OF his child
Ike submission so the workings of q
law which he was unable TO under
stand, and therefore was unable to
wilfully sin against.
Now the Cracker is a singular crea
lureN as singular in his character or
the lack of II as, in his tribal name
VI you ask .southerner what u
Cracker is, he looks aghast at your
Ignorance. theu smiles and begins con
tdently TO explain, but presently
brings up all helpless in NJ OF STAN
mering and suffering, finally an
nouncing in DESPAIR: why, he's I;
Cracker." While no one knows
where these "po whites acquired
their name. II is conjccturcd that theit
long-lcsscd gauntness may have sug
gesied The heron known as corn
crake,' and that his may by corrup
tion havc evolved itself into Cracker
n some localities In the south this
species of humanity bears The name
Of Sand hitler. which again may be dc
rived from his similarity to the sand
hill crane AZ all events, the Crack.
or is q curious creature utterly In
capable of applying himself TO any
steady labor and wholly proof against
Improvement through contact with
others. lie is a Cracker first and last
and rs long aa his race endures. His
ideas OF right and wrong are tradi.
honally erratic, and when found guilty
| by other mems standards he regards
himself as greatly abused, and in no
sense bound 10 respect any codo not
applied With force. 81.
PCndarvs. or Pen. as he was IA.
milinrly known throughout that soc
! tiou. was beginning TO tilt his scesaw
Of life the other way at The time OF
which ! shall speak. After many
| years OF far too much work (according
10 Cracker standards made neces.
8ary by the hearty appottes OF his
I cYcriucrcasing family, he was begin.
ming TO sigh for some windfall of for.
tune which should allow him TO hire
| niggcr and buy mule. when, ono
| day, a northern nun came along and
| began TO set out u grove on land ad.
! Joining his own patch Through this
sirangcr Pon came into part of his
| long drcgmcd.of windfall, for while he
was not able TO hiro u hand to do his
own work he, al least found ample OK,
| cnse for letting the weeds grow at
| home while for dollars he helped the
noTtheIncr work Gil the new planta,
| tion. Time thus wore on In happy
and southern manner until the young
trees arriyed at a stage where they
could be safely left 10 stand alone for
a time. Then one day the newcomer
Went north to bring his family back
! This was bad noWs for the Cracker
With rucful looks he regarded tho
| ransness of hs own kitchen patch
and bethoughL himself of the. daily
naggings he would have 10 undergo
| from his old woman until he should
begin work there. Some weeks later
| while Pen was engaged in his regular
interval of hoe.handle mapping he
chanced to think that IL was almost
time for shat Yankee TO return
| From where he stood he could sec
that the young trees in his neighbor's
orchard looked thrifty and handsome
but began to show the need OF little
| attention. Pom knew exactly what
| ought 10 be done for their relief, and
| calculated how many days could be
| spent over there, and just how manS
days Of luxurious idlcnesS would fol
low on the proceeds. Although II was
sill two hours before sundown and
! he had plenty Of work 10 do on his
| liltlcy patch Pen shouldered his hoe
aud sirollcd loisurely up to his from
| porch. There in the cool shade, tilt
cd back in his rlckety chair, he
thought once more of his coming
| bliss
| That Yankees tarnal glow, muscd
Pen aloud, about a week later. Since
! that afternoon OF contemplation he
had passed most of HIS time in sim
| liar spcculatlons rs TO his approach
ing wealth. II was hui q few dayS
later that Pen heard of man who
was inquiring for healthy trees at i've
dollars apiece, and after that the
Crackers mind knew no peace until
he remarked TO bis wife next day thai
he rcCkUned their neighbor warn
comm hack no mo-, 4 pity, tew
ter leave them huusum trees ter thel
bugs and lice" he continued. Pool
Pen had laiu awake all night
| thipking about those trees at two
| dollars apiece. and his crude calcu
lalloEs OF The proceeds of 200 nr SOC
lree6 al thai price had furnished him
| with visions Of aun Of money suGi
| rienllg largo To-, keep bis family and
hlnsslr in luxurious idlenosg for a1 In
ealculablo neriod, A yeas ~ Least
! ~ Which 10 hack IN tlo sun and feast
on hog tat and hopinyi Who could
resist so ,tempilng, Q vision? Pen
hadn't TIC. po8er; and, besides, II
| seemed 70 him such /, Pity that those
J trees should he wasted
His wife had never seen Pen Sc
eaScr 0 st 10 work as he was that
morung He could not even wait lc
Il an IA, ftru l., A. f,.t ,.f,,. I..r-... 4.