The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-03-28

at her with his bright. sweet smile.
The doll lay neglected on chair near
by and Billy wanted her to forget IL
Tell me bout Piljerk Peter"
"Piljerk Peter?" there was an inter
rogation In her voice.
"Yas'm. Amt you never hear tell
bout Piljerk Peter? He had fifteen
chillens an one time the las one OF
'em an his ole oman was down with
the fever an he amt got but one
pill an they so sick they mos bout
to die an amt nobody in the f1er fer
to pick the cotton an he can't git no
doctor an he amt got but jest that
one pill; Sc he tie that pill to string
an let the bigges' chile swaller it an
draw it back up an let the mex chile
swaller 1t an jerk 1t back up an let
the mex chile swaller It an jerk 1t
back up an let the mex"
81 don't believe in telling tales to
children" interrupted his aunt, Il will
tell you biographical and historical
stories and stories from the Bible.
Now listen, while read to you"
AN the mex chile swaller it an he
jerk it back up" continued Billy Sc
renely, "an' the mex chile swaller it
an he jerk it back up tell finely ev'y
single one of 'em. plumb down to the
baby, swaller that pill an the las one
Of EN- got well an that one pill it done
the work. Then he tuck the pill and
give it TO his ole oman an she swaller
it an he jerk 1t back up but didn't
nothin' t all come up but jest the
string an his ole oman she died
cause all the strenk done gone
outer that pill"
Miss Minerva opened book called
Gems for the Household" which she
had purchased from a silver-tongued
book-agent. She selected an article
the subject of which was The Pure
in Heart"
Billy listened with a. seemingly at
tentive ear to the choice flow Of
words, but in reality his little brain
was busy with it's own thoughts. The
article closed with the suggestion that
If one were innocent and pure he
would have a dreamless sleep:
IF you have a conscience clear,
And Gods commands you keep;
If your heart is good and pure,
You will have a perfect sleep"
Billy's aunt concluded. Wishing to
know if he had understood what she
had just read she askel:
What people sleep the soundest"
"Niggers," was his prompt reply, as
he thought of the long summer days
and the colored folk on the plantation
She was disappointed. but not dis
couraged.
Nov, William" she admonished,
Pm going to read you another piece.
and | want you to tell me about 1t,
when l get through. Pay strict atten-
ton"
"Yas'm," he readily agreed.
She chose an article describing the
keen sense of smell in animals. Miss
Minerva was not an entertaining
reader and the words were long and
fairly incomprehensible to the little
boy sitting patiently at her side
Again his thoughts wandered, though
every now and then he caught word
or two.
What animals have the keenest
sense Of smell, William?" was her
query at the conclusion of her read
ing.
Billy goats" was Billy's answer
without the slightest hesitation.
you have goats on the brain," she
said in anger Il did not read one
word about billy goats"
well. If 'tain't billy goat" he
replied, 81 do know what it's thout
it's a skunk"
81 bought you a little primer this
morning." she remarked after short
silence, "and | want you to say les
son every day"
81 already knows lot" he boasted.
"Tabernicle, he an Mercantile both
been to school an they learnt me an
Wilkes Booth Lincoln. | knows
crooked S, an broken back X, an
curly tail @. an roun' o, an can
spell cat cat, an dog dog an A
stands fer apple"
That night he concluded his ever
lengthy prayer at his kinswoman' S
knee with:
20 Lord, please make for Aunt
Minerva a little baby, make her two
| of 'em. o Lord, II you got 'em to
spare please make her three little ba
bies an let 'em all be girls SOS she
can learn 'em how to churn an sew.
An bless Aunt Minerva and Major
Minerva, f'r ever nd ever. Amen"
AS he rose from his knees he
asked: AUNT Minerva. do God work
on Sunday"
MOO" answered his relative. hes
itatingly
well, It look like He'd jest halter
work on Sunday, He's so busy jest
a-makin babies. He makes all the
niggers an heathens an Injuns an
white chillens; reckon He gifts some
body to help him. Don't you, Aunt
Minerva?"
CHAPTER VII.