The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-01-20
CHAPTER l.
\ Seandalixed viruln.

1eIcneo on the pOx by the big, blaC
negro driver sat little boy who's
slender figure was swathed in a hue
rain coat.
Miss Minerva was on the pore
waiting to receive him.
Mercy on me, child" she sait
what on earth made you ride u
there! Why didn't You get inside?"
Il jest wanted to ride by San
Lamb. replied the child as he wa
lifted down. An see a nice fat littl,
man name Major"
He jes' wouldn' ride inside Mis-,
Minerva" interrupted the driver
quickly, to pass over the blush tina
rose to the spinster's thin cheek a
mention OF the major. "'Twant ne
use Ter ter try ter make him ride no
WARS but jes' up by me. He les
FUSED an fused an 'sputed an
sputed; he jes tuck ter me f'om de
minute he got ofY'm de train am sot
eyes on me: he am one easy chile for
GIT quainted wild so les h'isted hin,
up by me. Here am his yerlse
ma'am"
hooa-hy, Sam Lamb" said Tho
ch'ld as The negro got back on tho
poA ana gathered ~ the rel,,s, III
see you to-morrer
Miss Minerva imprinted thin. old
maid kiss on the sweet, childish
mouth. II am your Aunt Minerva,
she said. as she picked up his satchel
The little hoy 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. rs jest AIS
a.rubbin' it In. I 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 ..w
we're allowed to run wild with a. ~
groes, but your name /. WA.
liam Green Hill. and .A.w .,.,.,
upon your being call 4 BY IT."
IS On. -. ~. help him OF with
. n,s .oa,, ,e liking as she did SO:
c; wnat ~ q overcoa,; 1t Is several
Sue. .r - large for you"
Arned II I ain't," agreed the child
Iomptly.
: WHO taught you such a naughty
word?" she asked In Mortified voice
Don't you know It Is wrong t.
curse?"
"You call that cussin'?" came n
scornful tones from the little boy
"You don't know cussin' when you see
It; you Jest oughter hear ole Uncle
Jimmy-Jawed jupiter, Aunt Cindy''
husban'; he'll show you somer tht
pretties' cussin' you ever did hear"
who Is Aunt Cindy?"
"She's the colored oman what tends
to me ever sence me an Wilkes Bootf
Iincoln's born, an Uncle jupiter II
her husban' an he sho' Is a stingere'
on cussin'. Is yo' husban' much of
cusser?" he inquired.
A pale pink dyed Miss Minerva'
thin, sallow, face.
Il am not a married woman" she
replied. CURLY, and | most assured!
would not permit any oaths to be use'
on my premises"
We'll. Uncle Jmmy-Iawed Juptej
ia lest nach'elly boun' to cuss-he
got a repatriation TO keep up, san
Billy.
lie sat down in chair in front o
b., aunt crossed his legs and smiled
confidcntially up into her face.
Hell an damn is Jest easy ev'y da!
words to that niger. | wish !o'
could hear him cuss on a Sunday Jes
one time. Aunt Minerva; he'd sho
make you open yo' eye S an take In 20
sign. But Aunt Cindy don't low MI
an Wilkes Booth Lincoln to say noth
in t all only Jest darn tell we git
grown mems. an puts on long pants.
wilkes Booth Lincoln?" questioned
his aunt.
Amt you never hear teller him?
asked the child Hes ole Aunt Blue
Gum Tempys Perjury Pearline's boy
an Perjury Pearline," he continued
enthusiastically, "she amt no ord
nary niger. her hair amt got nar'
kink an she's got the grandes' cloes
They amt nothin' snide bout her
She got ten chillens an ev'y single
one Of EMS got diR'unt parpy, sh'
been married SO much. They do 50!
she got Injun blood in her. too.
Miss Minerva, who had been stand
ing prim, erect and stif. fell limpl!
into a convenient rocking chair. ant
looked closely at this orphaned
nephew who had come to live viii
her.
She saw a beautiful, bright al
tractiye, little face out of which Die
saucy. gray eyes shaded by long curl
ing black lashes looked winningly a
her: she saw sweet, childish re-
mouth. a mass of short, yellow curls
and a thin but graceful little figure