Connecticut western news., 1910-05-12
MARS TOM ASHLEY By F. A. MTTCHEL Copyright, 1910. by American Press
 Association.

tationT'
 Mars Tom Ashley"
 Have the Ashleys always lived | here?"
 Reckon dey hab, sah. De Ashleys lib heah ever since a long time before de wah. De oldes' son ob de oldes' son allus growed up to drap into de ole mans shoes. Dey come might nigh bein' break once, though" "How was that?"
 "Hit was Mars Toms father, Mars Pape Ashley. He father, Mars Toms grandfather, Thomas Ashley, war might fine man.
 Mars Pape he went norf to college, an somehow or udder he got no'thern notions in he head. Dat war a few yeas befo' de wah. Mars Pape get de 'diculous idee dat all de niggers in de souf had oughten be free. Wus'n dat. he fell in Tub wid a no'thern lady an married her.
 'I recommember might we'll when all dat happen. Mars Pape he come down heah an he talk wid de ole man. An he try to mak de ole man beliebe dat he oughter glib all us nlg- gers on dis heah plantation free pa pers, an de ole man ought to stick up fo' de Union an all dat kind O talk. Yo' know what Mars Thomas say? He say: My son, yo' hab disgrace yo' an- | chesters. To unworthy to be called my son. Pm gwine to, disinherit yo' an leab dis plantation to yo' cousin Ernest Crane
 "An' yo' know wha' Mars Pape say? He say: De plantation won't be worf bale O cotton. To niggers I'll all be | free, an de souf I'll be no count "Den yo' know wha' Mars Thomas say? He say: One southe'n man kin whip five Yankees
 "Mars' Pape he go norf, an nobody didn' see him no mo- in dis yere kentry till alter de wah. He didn' lak to fight agin his southe'n friends, so he go to speculatin'. He had some money ob his own, an he buy all de cotton he kin get his hands on. Mars Thomas he raise a regiment O southe'n troops. and he fight lak de debble. He come back a big gin'l, but he only got one leg an one eye. All his niggers was free, de plantation was all pulled to pieces by frs de northe'n troops, den de southe'n troops, an dar want bit O fencin' anywhar. All the niggers go off 'cept me. stay heah to talk car O de ole man when he come back.
 Mars Thomas he want so proud as he war when he went away. all dress up in his new sojer clo'es. He wouldn't nebber talk to nigger den, but when he foun' me heah all alone an saw how de plantation look he seem might sorry. He say to me, Julius, ma boy, yo' worf 500 or'nary white men, "Atter dat he talk to me bout eb- eryting. One day he come to me an say: :Jule, got letter from Pape to- day. He say he bought cotton at 8 cents pound an sold it at a dollar pound He got all de money he want. He offers me plenty to restock de plan tation.' An I say. 'Gwine talk it, mars? An he say: Tax it! Yo' s'pose gwine to talk money from my son what stay in de norf all through de wah instead O bein' heah an fight in fo' de souf? No, sah. Ma son daid to me. I gwine to leab dis heah plan- tation to Ernest Crane
 "One mawnin' while I war down at de crick crossin' who I see but Mars Pape. He talk my han an might glad to see me. He ask me all bout de ole man an say he come down wid his wife an leetle boy to git recuncilla- tion. He ask me to let 'em all in de house when de ginl ain't dar. He say dey gwine to try to take de place by storm. He tell me dot he got plenty money fo' his ladder an no use he libin' all alone an de old home gwine more an more to rack.
 q t'ink it might fine ting fo' de ole man, an say help lem all kin. So one mawnin' early I let 'em all in. Mars Pape and Missy Ashley dey git in a closet in de dinin' room an pretty nigh shut de do. I put de little boy on de fambly chillen's high chair, an he wait. dar fo' he grandfather to come down to breakfast. When de ole man come into de room and see de lit tie fellah settin' up on de udder side O de table he stood still wid he mouf an eyes wide open.
 "'Howde, grandpa? said de chile.
 "'Who are yo'T axed de gin'l.
 "aTom Ashley, de nex' owner ob de plantation alter yo' an papa
 "Yo' see, Mars Pape tell him what to say. Mars Thomas war so lonesome an de chile war so purt dat de ole man couldn' stand dat. He jis went to Mars Tommy an put he arms around him an hugged him. When l see somepin shinin' in de gin'Ps eye l jis open de closet do and out steps Mars Pape an he wife.
 Missy Ashley she went up to de ginI an put out her han. De ginI too fine a man not to take a lady's han. He took it an, bowin' lak a south'n gentleman, very low down, he kissed it. She put de gin'Ps han in dat ob Mars Pape. De ginl leab 1t dar, but he turn away he head, an I see de tears runnin' down he cheeks. FxNs 1 1~e.