The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-14

Traveller. "Iou surrey -,
thing that l can FEED my nois7, tban
a few potatoes would pc better 10
no food =.
Ark Artist. stranger. our e11'h
roots Gin out about u NGSN =
vrgr chance Is slim thar
traveller. But. my fctend. | mus
remain witn you anyway. 90" -
M frrtha-. whether l obtain any
,bino 70 est IT not. You certainiy ~ii'
3Ilop. me the shelter Of yonr roo i,
AK. Artist: 1t can hc dio' :
boss. You sec we've snt IN ma ma
dried hide Oh the premises. aha =
and do woman ailus occupies that; so
vhars your chance
Traveller: "AIIoW me to hitch NY
horse 10 that p~ersiranlon tree ah1
With my saddle blanket III make q peo
in the f~ence-corner. -,
Ark. Artist: Hitch your horSt -
that immon tree-ln q norm. W.,
Won must be a natral fool, stranger,
Dnn,t von see that's me and the ole
woman's only chance for slmmoh-ote
in the fall Of the year. II your morse
* so farnal hungry as YOU say ne y,
he'd girdle it as high up as he co"lu
reach. afore mornin.; | ,spect not, no
no. stranger. YOU can come nary Siei'
a dodge as that
Our traveller, seeing that he had an
original to deal with, and BENG iilli-
self an amateur performer upon 'he
instrument to"which the settler "dS -
rdently attached, thought he Wouiu
chance i tactics and draw is detern-
ined-not-tO-be host out a little before
informing him Of the fact that he, 100
could play The kan IraNeler,
which once being known, he rlShtiE
conjectured. would be a passport 70
his better graces. ;.
Traveller: well. friend, II ! can !
STAY how far is it to the next house
Ark Artist: Ten miles; and you'll
think they're mighty long ones. too
afore YOU get thar. [ came nigh onto
for9ettin' to tell you. the big creek IS
up; the bridge is carried up; theies
nary yearthly chance to ford 1t; ana
if you're bound TO cross it you il nave
to go about ever miles up the stream
to ole Dave Lowdy's puncheon bridge
through one of the biggest bamboo
swamps ever you see. | reckon the
bridge is standin' yit; twas yesterday
morning. though one end had started
down stream about fifteen feet, or slch
a matter
Tralever: Friend. you seem COM
| municative; and if it's no offense ID
like to know What you do for q NV
ing?'
Ark Artist: mo offense on yearth,
Stranger, we JUST hcep - SIotSA
Traveller: "A grocery, Where IN the
| name Of all that Is mercantile do your
customers come from Your nearest
neighbour is ten miles Distant.
Ark. Artist: The fact is me and the
| ole woman is the best customers yet,
but we expect these diggins will i'm
| prove, and in course business will inn
| prove, too. HOWS'ever, We do Suthin
now even. Me and the ole woman took
tho n q rt Y'nfhor 6at- and went t0 town.
We bought d barrel o whiskey: n
arter we coIne home an gin to count
the balance on hand, We found thar
weren't but one solitary picayune left,
an as the ole woman allus carries the
purse, in course she had it. Well, [
sot the barrel agin one side Of the
room, and shortly after, the ole onan
SEE 'S'posin' You tap your end Of the
barrel, and [ did, and she bought a
drink and paid me a picayune. Pref
" soon l begun to get dry and seq l.:
Ole woman S'poSin' you tap your
end Of the barrel. and she did; and
then she sells me a drink, and the way
that ~picayune has travelled backards
for'ards OYER the bung of that barrel is
caution to them as love 'red-eye.' But
stranger, losses is apt to come with
every business: and me and the ole
woman has lost some in the grocery
line, and III tell you how. The bowl
Bill, u Oldest son, he see how the
licheT was Soln' and he didn't have!
nary red to jine III the retail business.
so one night he crawls under the housel
and APPS the barrel atwixt the cracksi
in the puncheon floor. and [ rally be-
I4eNt he's got more han me or the OLE
woman either; (the good for nothin'I
E~aSabond. To come the 'gaiff' over hisl
material born parents; it's enuff ,ol
MAKE a MAJ sour agin all ~creatlon;
that boy1 be the ruination of MS vat
lie takes TO trickery jest as natral asI
a possum takes to a hen roost. Now
StrhSers what on yearth am | to do?I
Tie beats me an the ole woman EN-
tirely.' :"
traveller: 1t would be difficult for
me TO ADVISE in regard to your son ael
l nave IL iahlllE oil my own. You sayI