Mexico Missouri message., 1912-01-04


three children whose acquaintance he
had made the day after his arrival,
and the quartet became staunch
friends and chums.
All four were sitting In the swing
one warm spring day, under the sur
yelllance of Billy's aunt sewing on
the veranda.
Let's tell tales" suggested Jimmy.
"All right" agreed Frances. I'll
tell the first. Once there's--"
Nav, you amt neither" interrupt
cd the little boy. You all time talk.
ing bout you going to tell the first
tale. I'm going to tell the first tale
myself. One time they 8"
NO. you are not ether" said
Lima positively. Frances is girl
and she ought to be the first n she
wants to. Don't you think 80, Billy?"
Vas, does" championed he; go
on. Frances"
That little girl, thus encouraged,
proceeded to tell the first tale:
Once there 8 man named Mr..
Elisha, and he had friend named
Mr.. Elijah, 30 his mantelpiece fell on
top of his head and make him per.
fectly bald he hasn't got a single
hair and he hasn't got any money,
cause mama read me bout he rented
his garments, which Is Clo'es, cause
he didn't have none at all what be.
long TO him. ! spec he Just rented
him a shirt and a pair O. brooches
and wore 'em next 10 his hide 'thout
no undershirt at all. He was dreadful
poor and had a miserble time and
mean Mr.. Per'dventure took him up
on high mountain and left him, 80
when he come down some bad little
children say, Go long back, bald
headi' and they make pock-mocks on
him. Seems like everybody treat him
bad, 80 he cuss 'em, 30 never see
anybods with a bald head 'thout run,
cause don't want to get cussed. SO
two Teddy bears come out Of the
woods and ate up forty-two hunderd
of EN-"
why, Frances" reproved Lima,
you always get things wrong. / don't
believe they ate up that many chill.
dren'
Yes, they did too" championed
Jimmy, "'cause it's in the Bible and
Miss Cecilia splained all bout 1t to
me, and she's our Sunday school
teacher and bout the bullyest 'splain.
er they is. Them Teddy bears ate up
bout a million chillens, which is all
the little boys and girls two Teddy
bears can hold at time"
Il knows a man what amt got no
hair t all on his head" remarked
Billy; hes a coniure-man an me
an Wilkes Booth Lincoln been talkin'
TO him ever sence we's born an he
! amt never cuss us, an ! amt never
got eat up by no Teddy bears neither
Huccome him to be bald? He's out
in the fel' one day a'pickin' cotton
when he sees a turkey buzzard an he
talk to her like this:
az say turkey buzzard, say,
Who shall l see unexpected to
day?'
IF she flop her wings three times
| you goin' to see yo' sweetheart, but
! this-here buzzard amt flop no wings I
all; she jes' lean over an th'ow up
on his head an he been bald ever
sence; ev'y single hair come out"
Did you-all hear bout that Italian
| Dago that works on the section gang
| eating a buzzard?" asked Frances.
Nav" said Billy. Did 1t make
| him sick?"
That It did," she answered; "he
sent for Doctor Sanford and tells him,
Me killa de big bird, me eat-a de big
bird, de big bird make-a me seek"
Them Dagoes bout the funniest
talking folks they is" said Jimmy,
but they got to talk that way cause
| it's in the Bible. They 'sputed on the
tower of Babel and the Lord say Con.
found you!' Miss Cecilia 'splained it
| all to me and she's bout the dandiest
'splainer they Is"
You may tell your tale now.
| Jimmy" said Lima.
I'm going to tell bout William Tell
cause he's in the Bible" said Jim.
my. "Once they's a man name"
William Tell isn't in the Bible"
declared Lima.
Yes, he is too" contended the lit
| tie boy, Miss Cecilia splained it to
me. You all time setting yourself up
| TO know more'n me and Miss Cecilia.
/ one time they's a man name William
! Tell and he had a little boy what's
| the cutest kid they is and the devil
| come long and temp him. Then the
Lord say, William Tell, you and Adam
| and Eve can taste everything they
| Is In the garden 'cepting this one ap.
| pie tree; you can get all the pears
| and bunnanas and peaches and grapes
| and oranges and plums and persim-
| mons and scalybarks and fig leaves
! and bout a million other kinds of
fruit if you want to, but don't you
tech a single apple And the devil
| temp him and say he going to put
| his cap on a pole and everybody got
| to bow down to it for a idol and If
William Tell don't bow down to It he
got to shoot apple for good or evil
on m his little boys head. That's all
the little boy William Tell and Adam
and Eve got, but he amt going to fall
down and worship no gravy image on
top pole, so he put a tomahawk in
his bosom and he token his bow and
arruh and shot the apple plumb hoo
| the middle and never swinge a hair
OF his head. And Eve nibble off the
apple and give Adam the core, and