The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-06-03
MARS TOM
ASHLEY
By F. A. Mitchell
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association
By F. A. Mitchell

MARS Tom Ashley"
"Have the Ashleys always lived
here"
Reckon dey hab. sab. De Ashleys
lib heab ever since long time before
de wah. De oldes' son Oh de oldes' son
allus growed up to drap into lie ole
mans shoes. Dey come might nigh
bein' break once. though"
How was thatT
'Hit was Mars Toms father, Mars
Pape Ashley. He father. Mars Toms
grandfather. Thomas Ashley, war
might fine man.
MARS Pape he went MORT to college.
an somehow or udder be got no'theru
notions In he head. Dat war q 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.
be fell In Tub wild a no'thern lady an
married her.
Il recommended might well when
all dat happen. Mars Pape he come
down heah an he talk wild de ole
man. An he try to max de ole man
beliebe dat he Oughter glib ali us mig
gers on dis heah plantation free pa-
pers. an de ole man ought to stick up
To- de Union an all dat kind O. talk.
Yo' know what Mars Thomas say? He
say: My son. 20 hab disgrace yo' an-
chesters. 70 unworthy to he called
my son. I'm gwine 10 disinherit yo'
an Leah dis plantation to yo' cousin
Ernest Crane.
AN yo' know wha' Mars Pape say?
he say: DE plantation won't be WORT
a bale o. cotton. 70 niggers II all be
free. an de souf II be no count.
"Den 20 know wha' Mars Thomas
say? He say: One southe'n man kin
whip Eve Yankees
MARS Pape he go norf. an nobody
didn' see him no mo- in dis yere kentry
till after de wah. He didn' LAX to light
agin his southern friends. SO he go
to speculatin'. He had some money
OBJ his own. an he buy all de cotton he
kin get his hands on. Mars Thomas
he raise a regiment O. southern troops.
and he fight lax de debble. He come
back big ginl. but he only got one
leg an one eye. All his niggers was
free. de plantation was all pulled to
pieces by frs de northern troops. den
de southern troops. an dar want a bit
O. fencin' anywhar. All the niggers go
of 'cept me. stay heah to TAX car o
de ole man when be 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 niger 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' wort 500 Urinary white men,
AFTER dat he talk to me bout eb-
eryting. One day he come to me an
say: julie. got letter from Pape TO-
day. He say he bought cotton at y
cents pound an sold 1t at dollar a
pound. He got all de money he want.
He offers me plenty to restock de plan.
tation.' An say, 'Gwine TAX 1t,
mars'P An he say: TAX 1t! Yo'
s'pOse l gwine to TAX money from my
son what stay in de norf all through
De wah instead O bein' heah an fight.
In TO- de souf? No. sab. Ma son daId
to me- gwine TO leab dis heah plan.
tation to Ernest Crane.
"One mawnin' while war down at
lie crick crossin' who | see but Mars
Pape. He TAX my han an might glad
% see me. BE ask me all bout de ole
nan an say be come down wild his
wife an leetle boy TO git recuncilia-
ion. He ask me to let EN- all In de
house when de giD'I amt dar. de
'ay dey gwtne to try to take de place
" storm. He tell me dot he got plenty
money To- his ladder an no use ne
ibin all alone an de old home gwine
more an more to rack.
II tink 1t might fine ting TO- de ole
nan. an saw | help EN- AL kin. 80
me mawHin early ct EN- MI IN
iars' Pape and Missy Ashley dpy git
Ii a closet In de dinin' room an pretty
Ugh shut de do. put de little boy
II de family chillen's high chair. an
lie wait dar TO he grandfather to
ONE down TO breakfast. When de ole
nan come into de room and see de 1T
lie fellah settin' up on de uddpr side
de table he stood still wild he mouf
n eyes wide open.
"'Howde. grandpay said de chile.
"'Who are yo'| axed de gin'I.
TON Ashley. de mex owner oh de
lantation after 20 an papa.
"Yo' see. Mars Pape tell him what to
ay. Mars Thomas war so lonesome
n de chile war so purt dat de ole man
ouldn' stand dat He jis went to
lars Tommy an put he arms around
i'm an Rugged him. When | see
Omepin shinin' In de gin'rs eye jis
pen de closet do and out steps Mars
ape an he wife.
Missy Ashley she went up to de |
mi an put out her han. De gin'l '
20 fine a man not to take a lady's
an. He took 1t an. bowin' lax a
outh'n gentleman, very low down. he
Used it. She put de gin'ps han In
at OBJ Mars Pape. De gin'l Leah It
ar. but he turn away he head, an |
ee de tears runnin' down he cheeks.
wonder eff he cryin' TO de los cause
: de wreck OBJ de plantation.
"Dey all sot down to breakfas'.
lars Pape had sent IN chicken an
otatoes an lots hne tings instead OBJ ,
= con pone dat de gin'l war used to.
.Lssy Ashley poured de coffee. an dat e
ar de happiest breakfas' eber happen
] dis heah plantation. II
"Dey all daid now hut Mars Tom" y
Tho Spinal Column. C