The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-06-26
p |.
A Scandallzed Virgin.

Perched on the box by the big. blacl
negro driver sat a little boy whose
slender figure was swathed in a huge
rain coat.
Miss Minerva was on the porch
waiting to receive him.
Mercy on me, child" she said
what on earth made you ride VI
there? Why didn't you get inside?"
II Jest wanted to ride by Sam
Lamb" replied the child as he was
lifted down. AN l see a nice fat little
man name Major"
He jes' wouldn' ride inside, Miss
Minerva" interrupted the driver
quickly, to pass over the blush tha'
rose to the spinster's thin cheek at
mention of the major. ""Twan't nc
use fer ter try ter make him ride no
whars but jes' up by me. He Jes
fused an fused an 'sputed an
'sputed; he Jes' tuck ter me f'om de
minute he got ot'm de train an so'
eyes on me; he am n easy chile ter
git 'quainted wild; so l jes' histed him
up by me. Here am his verlise,
ma'am."
"Good-by, Sam Lamb" said the
child as the negro got back on the
box and gathered up the reins. I'll
see you tormorrer."
Miss Minerva imprinted a thin, old
maid kiss on the sweet, childish
mouth. 81 am your Aunt Minerva"
she said, as she picked up his satchel.
The little boy carelessly drew the
back of his hand across his mouth.
What are you doing?" she asked.
Are you wiping my kiss off,"
"Naw'm," he replied. IFS Jest AIS
a-rubbin' 1t in, l reckon"
Come in, William" and his aunt
led the way through the wide hall
into a big bedroom.
BILLY, ma'am," corrected her
nephew.
William" firmly repeated Miss MI
nerva. You may have been called
Billy on that plantation where you
were allowed to run wild with the ne
groes, but your name Is VIII
liam Green Hill, and l shall insist
upon your being called by it."
She stopped to help him of with
his coat, remarking as she did so:
What a big o~vercoat; it is several
sizes too large for you"
"Darned II t amt" agreed the child
promptly.
WHO taught you such a naughty
word?" she asked In a Mortified voice.
Don't you know it Is wrong to
curse?"
"You call that cussin'?" came in
scornful tones from the little boy.
you don't know cussin' when you see
1t; you jest oughter hear ole Uncle
Jimmy-Jawed jupiter, Aunt Cindy's
husban'; he'll show you somer the
pretties' cussin' you ever did hear"
who Is Aunt Cindy?"
"She's the colored oman what tends
to me eve sence me an Wilkes Booth
Lincoln's born, an Uncle jupiter Is
her husban' an he sho' Is a stingeree
on cussin'. Is yo' husban' much of a
c~usser?" he inquired.
A pale pink dyed Miss Minerva's
thin, sallow, face.
II am not a married woman" she
replied, CURLY. land I most assuredly
would not permit any oaths to be used
on my premises"
We'll, Uncle Jimmy-Jawed jupiter
is Jest nach'elly boun' to cuss-he's
got a repatriation to keep up" said
Billy.
He sat down in a chair in front Of
b.s aunt, crossed his legs and smiled
c~onfdentially up into her face.
Hell an damn Is jest easy ey'y day
words to that niger. l wish you
could hear him cuss on a Sunday jest
one time, Aunt Minerva; he'd sho'
make you open yo' eyes an take in 20
sign. But Aunt Cindy don't low me
an Wilkes Booth Lincoln to say moth
in t all only jest darn tell We gifts
1 grown mems, an puts on long pants"
wilkes Booth Lincoln?" questioned
his aunt
Amt you never hear teller him?"
; asked the child. He's ole Aunt Blue
Gum Tennis Perjury Pearline's boy;
an Perjury 'Pearline." he continued
z enthusiastically, she amt no ord
nary niger, her hair amt got mare
kink an she's got the grandes' clo'es.
They amt nothin' snide bout her.
= She got ten chillens an ev'y single
one Of ems got a dif'unt pappy. she
been married so much. They do say
I she got Injun blood in her, too"
Miss Minerva, who mad been stand
ing prim, erect and stiff, fell Imply
into a convenient rocking chair. and
looked closely at this orphaned
i nephew who had come to live with
her.
j She saw a beautiful, bright, at
4 tractive, little face out Of which big.
4 saucy, gray eyes shaded by long curl
ing black lashes looked winningly at
A her; she saw a sweet, childish red
mouth, a mass Of short, yellow curls.
and a thin but graceful little figure.
81 81 knows the names of aller ole
Aunt Blue-Gum Tempy's Perjury Pearl
. ines c%hillens," he was saying proud
ly: Admiral Farragut Moses the
Prophet Esquire. he's the bigges'; an
Alice Ann Maria Dan Step-an.Go-
Fetch-It. she had to nuss all the res;
she say fas' as she git th'oo nussin'
one an low she goin' to have a
t4 l-1oth{rb avail hDr@ I'm, o-o+ho- -