The Marshall republican., 1912-01-18
A s~candanxed Virgin.

The bus drove up to the gate and
stopped under the electric street light.
Perched on the box by the big, black
negro driver q q little boy whose
slender figure was swathed In q 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 up
there7 Why didn't you get inside?"
II Jest wanted to ride by Sam
Lamb" replied the child as he was
lifted down. AN I see a nice fat little
man name Major"
He les wouidn' 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 jes'
fused an fused an 'sputed an
'sputed; he jes' tuck ter me rom de
minute he got of'm de- train an sot
eyes on me: he am n easy chile ter
cit 'quainted wid; 30 ] jes' h'isted him
up by me. Here am his v~erllss,
ma'Am."
"Good.by. Sam Lamb" said the
child as the negro got back on the
boz and gathered up the reins. "TTi
. you to.morrer."
Miss Minerva imprinted a thin. old.
maid kiss on the sweet, childish
mouth. II am your Aunt Minerva"
she said. 40 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 on"
"Naw'm." he replied, Us Jest AIS
a,rubbin' II In. ! reckon"
Come In, william" and his aunt
led the way through the wide hall
into n 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 ! shall insist
upon your being called by H."
She stopped to help him on with
his coat, remarking as she did SO:
"what n big o%vercoat; II Is several
sizes too large for you"
"Darned II I ain't," agreed the child
promptly.
who taught you such n naughty
word?" she asked In a horriled voice.
"Don't you know II is wrong TO
curse7"
"You call that cussin'?" came In
scornful tones from the little boy.
"You don't know cussin' when you see
Il; you Jest oughter hear ole unc'e
Jimmy.Jawed jupiter, Aunt Cindy's
husban'; he'll show you somer tho
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 yo' husban' much OF a
cusser?" he inquired.
A pale pink dyed Miss Minerva's
thin. sallow. face.
II am not a married woman" she
replied. CURLY. "and ! 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 CUISINES
got q repatriation to keep up" said
Billy.
He sat down In a chair in front OF
he aunt, crossed his legs and smiled
confdentially 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' eye an take in yo'
sign. But Aunt Cindy don't low me
an Wilkes Booth Lincoln to say moth
In I all only Jest darn tell We gifts
grown mems. an puts on long pants"
wilkes Booth Lincoln?" questioned
his aunt.
"Ain't you never hear teller him?"
asked the child. Hes 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 g
She got ten chillens an ev'y single
one of ems got a dir'unt pappy, she
been married SO much. They do say
she got Injun blood in her. too"
Miss Minerva. who had been stand
ing prim. erect and stir. fell Imply
into q convenient rocking chair. and
looked closely at this orphaned
nephew who had come to live with
her.
She saw a beautiful. bright. at
tractiye, little face out OF which big.
saucy. gray eyes shaded by long curl
ing black lashes looked winningly at
her; she saw . sweet, childish red
mouth. q mass of short, yellow curls.
ana : III hut Rrac0ful uttlA figure. I