Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-24
The
Misantl1rope' $
Secret

4 g.
H Tom Terrence. Tom had farms and
bank stock and township bonds and
was lust rolling in money. And Uncle
\ Joe said Tom Terrence was too sttngy
| to get married and that he was the
| iclosest man in trade he had known
since old. Hec was a pup. But l know
better
| For when / was small. small boy.
Tom Terrence bought my soul ana
thereafter | was his loyal slave unto
his dying day. When that purchase
was made Tom Terrence was a young
| Bachelor with laughing blue eyes and
/ smile that made a small boy feel
good all over. And he bought me ID
this wise:
/ It was the day I had graduated from
i pink slips" Into the dear glory of a
| plaid blouse suit. We were at the
| county fair and Tom Terrence came
\ Up and shook hands with father and
mother, and said, IVY. amt seen
| you for six years! Gee whiz! What's
this y'u got, a girl OF o boy2" And
i they all laughed and Tom says. says
/ he. "Temme' take this youngster while
| you old folks trail around and see the
| display in the Agricultural Hall" And
/ Tom took me bodily, and in the next
|! hour he bought my soul.
|! Says he, Il got some money that
/ don't know what to do with. less
spend II on small boy" And said.
Have you enough money to buy
\ Shoohy' box? They got candy nnd
5reastpins and gold dollars in 'em.
But they cost ten cents!" And Tom
squinted his eyes and grinned and
said, TITS my treat and bought the
/ Shoo-hy' box. and in 1t was candy
md brass breastpin. but no gold dol
lar.
Then Tom said, "Now we'll take in
| the show" And we went in and saw
the fat woman and the living skeleton
and the man with the India rubber
skin. And we saw live alligator and
!. three monkeys and little couple that
we're called General and Mrs. Tom
Thumb.
Then he said, Lies go Bee the mig
ger MINISTRIES. They sing and dance
md double shuttle and pick the banjo,
ever hear banjo?" never had rs
it something like q macordeum?"
asked
Like a ma-cordeum? said Tom.
TITS bettcr-a heap better. But you
watch out that it don't put the devil
IN your toes!"
hung back. The devil was q real
parsonage to me-a parsonage with
horns and big tusks and a cloven foot
and he sat on his long tail that had a
singer on the end.
"Aw, come on" said Tom. IT was
Just foolin. meant banjo music Is 30
fine It makes you want to get up and
dance"
$50 we went in and heard the min.
strels. They cracked jokes could not
understand, though Tom laughed at
them. But they sang strange. weird
melodies. war time and camp meeting
melodies. To me. who had never heard
chorus singing except the long meter
tunes on Sundays when they had
preaching In the schoolhouse, It ives
indescribly fascinating And the ban
ios-the next day when nailed a
board for handle to my toy drum
and strung it with mothers best shoe
-{,J- lot
land sakes!" and then sat down and
laughed and said: That's what comes
Of letting that boy trail around with
Tom Torrence!"
There was tent where tintypes
were made. Only they called them
gems" Want your picture took7"
!ueried Tom. "Yes." I said. 81 never
had one took since Is boy I got
one when Is little girl and wore
dresses"
Then Tom bought me grapes and
peaches ripe, rosy-cheeked, fine
smelling peaches. full of juice and
!avor. And he bought peanuts-the
first I ever tasted. And he asked me
iiaL SiSS L "dI.lcu dllu SdlU. 1
never tasted bologna sausage. It
ooks mighty good" So he bought bo-
Iogna and crackers and they tasted
then better than the fried chicken and
rolls mother had brought in basket.
And on our way back to the family
wagon l tried to express my apprecia-
ion and said: you must be mighty
rich. Tom" and the twinkle went out
Of Toms eyes and he said: "No; but
would be if I had 4 little boy like
you who has a ma-like You have"
But when he turned me over again
to my father and mother and mother
said 81 know that boy has been
whole lot of bother to you, Tom" Tom
laughed and said: mo sire-ee nam.
I amt had as much fun since Hec was
a pup"
That was years and years ago. Tom
Terrence grew old and had lands and
houses ard bank stocks and bonds,
ard was bank president. and died.
Men said he was too stingy to marry