Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-05-16
CHAPTER I.
A s~eandaIIzed VlraIn.

stopped under the electric street light.
Perched on the box by the big, black
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 OIL earth made you ride up
there? Why didn't you get inside?"
81 Jest wanted to ride by Sam
Lamb" replied the child as he was
lifted down. "An' | see a nice fat little
man name Major"
"He 1es' wouldn' ride inside, Miss
Minerva" interrupted the driver,
quickly, to pass over the blush that
rose to the spinster's thin cheek at
mention of the major. "'Twan't no
use fer ter try ter make him ride no
whars but jes' up by me. He 1es'
fused an fused an 'sputed an
'sputed; he jes' tuck ter me f'om de
minute he got off'm de train an sot
eyes on me; he am one 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
e you to-morrer."
Miss Minerva imprinted a thin, old
maid kiss on the sweet, childish
mouth. II 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 doing7" she asked.
Are you wiping my kiss Off"
"Naw'm." he replied, 'I's Jest AIS
a-rubbin' 1t in, | 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 Will
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 overcoat; It is several
sizes too large for you"
"Darned If t ain't," 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
IT.; you Jest oughter hear ole Uncle
Ummy-Jawed jupiter, Aunt Cindy's
husban'; he'll show you ONE the
pretties' cussin' you ever did hear"
Who is Aunt Cindy?"
"She's the colored oman what tends
to me ever sence me an Wilkes Booth
Lincoln's born, an Uncle jupiter is
her husban' an he sho' is a stingeree
on cussin'. Is 20 husban' much OF a
ucusser?" he inquired.
A pale pink dyed Miss Minerva's
thin, sallow, face.
Il am not a married woman" she
replied, CURLY, land I most assuredly
would not permit any oaths to be used
on my premises"
Well, Uncle Jlmmy-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
his aunt, crossed hts legs and smiled
c~onfidentially up into her face.
Hell an damn is Jest easy ev'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' eyfs an take in yo'
sign. But Aunt CIndy don't low me
an Wilkes Booth Lincoln to say moth
In t all only Jest darn tell we gifts
grown mems, an puts on long pants"
Wilkes Booth L~incoln?" questioned
his aunt.
Amt you never hear teller hIm?'
asked the child. He's ole Aunt Blue
Gum Tempy's Perjury Pearline's boy;
an Perjury Pearline," he continued
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
she got Injun blood in her. too"
Miss Minerva, who mad been stand
ing prim, erect and stiff, fell Imply
into q convenient rocking chair, and
looked closely at this orphaned
nephew who had come to live with
der.
She saw a beautiful, bright, az
tractive, little face out of which big
saucy, gray eyes shaded by long curl
ing black lashes looked winningiy Al
Der; she saw a sweet, childish rec
mouth, a has Of short, yellow curls
and a thin but graceful little figure.
Il knows the names Of aller OH
Aunt Blue-Gum Tempy's Perjury Pearl
ines chillens," he was saying proud
": Admiral Farragut Moses tn,
Prophet Esquire, he's the bigges'; an
Alice Ann Maria Dan Step-an-Go
Fetch-Tt. she had to nuss all the res,
she say fas' as she git th'oo nussin
n an low she goln' to have +,
breathin' spell here come another on,