The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-29
UNCLE JASE ADDS 10 HISTORY
MANFROM NORTHUMBERLAND
WHERE 4 ROCK CAME FROM,

And Learns Also the MeanneSS Of simon in
the Matter OF . Pail OF Loose ChAwIng
An Indian Romance That Involves
Some Of Knob COmtry'S Early Settlers.
LAcKAwAxEN, March 2s.-'We got. to
talkin' about the big gray rock that's been
layin' In the tamarack swamp at the foot
o. Rocky Hill fer longer than any n kin
recomember,' said the man from the Knob
country, with not another rock or stone
in the hull swamp, an the Squire an Simon
vas wonderin' how come 1t there.
1T jest maturity rolled down often the
mountain, says |, an 50 rolled on into the
swamp. Jest maturity rolled down an in,
l says. An they says Of course, that must
certainly be 1t.
Known what was in his mind as to the
history o. that rock, Uncle Jase mowt "a
been 'scusable il he had hared up an give
1t to us hot fer our ignorance, or leastways
scohed at us, but he was settin' On the
counter, within easy reach o. the pail o.
loose chawin', with the kiver jest layin'
light onto II, an Simon not seemin' to be
thinkin' anything about it an lettin' It set
there, which II struck me at the time as
bein'. amazin'; an mebbe that wal the
reason Uncle Jase didn't fare up. He
.sorty squinted round at the pail o. loose
chawin' as II he wanted to make sure he
wasn't mistook about it's bein' there, an
then sorty squinted at Simon as IL II mowt
be he was wishin' someun would come In
after a pint o. leases or a mackerel that'd
call Simon to t'other end O. the store or
mebbe down cellar, an then he says, as
mild as milk an like he mowt be a teacher
l'arnin' his scholars somethin' they didn't
know,
When you speak o. things as bein' did
jest maturity he says, 1t means that they
was did by Natur', cause Natur' is the only
indyvidjal as does things maturity. Conse-
kently an thus an 90, says Uncle Jase,
tappin' the palm o. one hand with the fore
finger o. t'other I'm, 'Natur' made Injins.
What she ever done it fer / never could git
through me, but she done II. An Natur'
made Jersey Joe's pooty daughter Suky
an old 'Zek'el's snappy son Bran. An
Natur' made Suky an Bran fall in love
with one another like pair O. turkle doves,
An Natur' made the mountain that raises
on the edge O. that air swamp, an she made
the swamp, an she made the big teeterin'
rock that laid nigh the top o. that mountain,
but she didn't make that rock roll down
the mountain, an consistently, Dan'l,' says
Uncle Jase, smilin' at me, with his head on
one side an speakin' like he was only jest
mildly chidin' Of me, that rock didn't jest
maturity roll down, as you said it must "a
did, Danl,' says he.
Uncle Jase, still a-smilin', wiggled a
little higher to the pail O. loose chawin', an
Simon not takin' a bit O. notice Of it | made
up my mind that he had either been took
with a generous feelin' in his heart or was
goin' TO be a candidate fer somethin' at next
town meetin', | didn't know which.
Didn't Jest maturity roll DOWN. says l,
comm back to the rock. Why says l.,
Uncle Jase, | want to know"
at didn't roll down jest maturity, Dan1,
says Uncle Jase. stretchin' his neck an
lookin' outen the winder, up an down
the road. mebbe to see II there was any one
comm that looked as il they mowt be
AFTER a pint O. 'lasses or a mackerel. 1t
didn't roll down jest maturity. Danl,' says
he, seemin'ly a little disappointed, 1t
didn't roll down jest maturity, nor it didn't
roll down jest unnaturly, Danl. And 1t
didn't roll down at all, says he.
Uncle Jase! says |, an | said it quick
an positive, fer there's limits to things.
Don't you go an tell me that the wind
that big rock up an carried 1t on
an dropped it in the swamp Don't you
go an do il, Jason!' saysI /.
An Simon he looked up quick at Unvle
Jase, scowlin' the wust way at him, an l
fer him ter see the sittiwation
that pail O. loose chawin' was in an rescue
it. But, no! He never paid no more
attention 10 it than he had afore. an l
to myself, 'Simon's a candidate, sure
as Wildcats The squire he glared at
Uncle Jase, an shifted an snorted. But
KEEP right on smilin' at me-, an he
1T didnt jest maturity roll down, mol
it didn't jest unnaturly roll down. Danl,'
says he. 1t didn't roll down at ALL says
he. 1t slid.
"'An' it didn't slide down maturity.
neither says Uncle Jase. cause Natur'
didn't have nothin' 10 do with its slidin',
only il she hadn't made Injins.' says he,
that rock more'n likely wouldn't never "a
slid at all
The squire he leaned back in his cheer
an shet his ewes, as II he had made up his
mind that there want no use, an he'd have
TO stand it, though he must "a knowed
there want no law to prevent his gittin'
up an goin' home il he wanted to, an
Simon KEEP on ponderin', though Uncle
Jase hitched a little higher yit to the pail
loose chawin', an / says to myself that
Simon was countin' copsider'ble on gittin'
Uncle ,Iasa's vote, sure as tow meetin'
was on the way.
s"Mongst the Injlns that Natur' made.
Danl, says Uncle Jsse, takin' another look
outen the winder, mebbe 10 see II the chance
Simon bein' called TO t'other end o. the
store was anywheres in sight, was one that
outinjined any other Injin she ever made
as much as any Injin could o%utinjin another
one, II setch a thing could be, an conse-
kently you mebbe kin git some idee o. what
a ADVANTAGEOUS disposition this p~artio'ar
lnjin must "a had,
Elm his native tongue this Injin's name