The Randall County news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1908-1926, 1910-01-14
No Count
Wash
a Lazy Darby Who IL
.Spooned INTO Hoe
ing ToferS.
BY FRANK H. SWEET.
Copyright, 1909, by American Press
BY FRANK H. SWEET.
Copyright. 1909 by American Press
Association.


yah," Uncle Nose was wont to plead.
Hes jes' projectin'. Boys will pro-
jec'. yo' know. sab. Dey's To- all de
worl' lax calves an colts an kittens.
Wen dey's young dey kicks up dere
heels; den dey steadies down an chews
dere cuds an pulls dere loads an
ketches dere mice jes' lax 'sponsible
things mus. Wash he ain nary bad
spot in him, sab. he don't think: dat's
all. Wen his heels git plumb steady
on de groun' he'll pull his load shore
'nough. Yo'll see, sab"
But in spite Of the sanguine expec.
tations Of Uncle Nose, who was not
Wash's uncle ut all, but his GRANDPA
Their. the boy continued to ''projec'." He
was now fourteen. and his chief labor
seemed to consist in devising ways Of
eluding chores and school and just
punisbments. His habitual movements
were skulking, and. though his eyes
danced fearlessly and his mouth
broadened into almost perpetual mer-
riment, he sought rather the solitary
paths of the pine woods and Suwanee
banks than the more populous lanes
and roads of his native Ellaville
There he was apt to be reminded Of
unfuifilled contracts, stolen melons.
decorated doors and fences and Of
many other matters which he prefer
red to let sink into forgetfulness. OF
his own family Uncle Nose was the
only one with whom he condescended
to fraternize, and this concession was
due as much to the fact that the old
man excelled him in his own chosen
pursuits of trapping and fishing as to
his being openly sympathetic.
There were few spots inside radius
of ten miles with which Uncle Nose
was not familiar. and this familiarity
was especially comprehensive in re-
gard to the fishing holes of the Suwa-
nee. Fifty years before he had been a
slave boy on neighboring plantation,
stealing off to the river on every pos
sible occasion. and this love for the
sport had been the one great pleasure
of his life, interrupted only through
the score of years which followed his
emancipation. during which time he
was working hard to provide himself
with home and to fit his children for
future which should be worthy of
them as free citizens.
But as they grew up and branched
out for themselves he returned more
and more 10 the pleasure of his child
hood until now there was scarcely an
afternoon which was not spent in part
upon the Suwanee banks. And with
accommodating years and stiHening
Joints his early wanderings up and
down the river had narrowed down 10
bank beneath Il wide spreading. moss
grown tree. from which he could cast
a line into water which experience had
taught him was congenial TO FISH.
Here after the sun had begun to throw
shadows to the east he could generally
be found either alone or in company
with Wash.
His son Link was of a different ma
ture. He was Woodworking, shrewd.
more tolerant of faults than of trivol-
ity or carelessness. able to read little
and subscribing for several political pa
pers, narrow in his politics and party
and voting at every opportunity ana
on every possible pretext. He was an
example of strong, ambitious manhood
weighted down by lack of knowl-
edge. Between him and Wash there
could be only misunderstandinS-ap-
Dreheusion and avoidance on the one
side. disappointment and upbraiding
on the other. But before an open
break came there were rumors of war,
its declaration. a call for troops, and
then before the family realized what
was happening Link had volunteered
and been accepted. the first TO join the
immunes from his county.
The day after he left Uncle Nose did
not even look toward the river. wash
skulked down and fished under the
big tree for awhile, then wandered Off
into the woods to look at his traps.
The next day he went to the big tree
again. but apparently did not IKE hsh-
ing alone. for he soon hid his pole and
once more wandered off into the
woods. And the third day and the
fourth were the same, but after eating
dinner on the fifth. instead Of hurry
ing out to dig bait. as usual. he looked
wistfully and irresolutely at Uncle
Nose and when the old man rose and
went out followed him TO the truck
patch behind the cabin.
Ain yo' gwine tishin' no mo-, gran
pap?" he asked disconsolately.
Uncle Nose leaned upon his hoe han
die and looked at him benignantly.
Not till yo' pap gifts back. honey"
he answered. Oars heaps o wuk
roun' dis place now. Yo' pap been do
hit mawnins an arter he done git
from wuk at de sawmill nights. an
'cep'n' TUX his place hit'll shore fall
on yo' nanny an she hab mo- now
den she ought. No. no. honey. YOU
halter look out TO de fish an let de ole
man ben his back ODER de taters an
;nyuns on t'inps"