Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-03-21
A Scandalfzed Viroin.
CHAPTER I.


The bus drove up to the gate and
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 on earth made you ride up
there? Why didn't you get inside?'
Il 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 jes' 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 Jes'
fused an fused an 'sputed an
'spUted; he jes' tuck ter me fom de
minute he got ofm de train an sOt
eyes on me; he am one easy chile ter
git 'quainted wild so l jes' h'isted MIN
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. "PII
see you tO-morrer."
Miss Minerva imprinted a thin, old
maid kiss on the sweet. childish
mouth. u am your Aunt Minerva, %
she said, as she picked up his satchel.
The little boy carelessIy drew the
back of his hand across his mouth.
What are you doing?" she asked.
Are you wiping my kiss OFF,"
''Naw'm," he replied, rs jest as
a-rUbbin' it in, l 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 VIII
liam Green Hill and I shall insist
upon your being called by it."
She stopped to help him off with
his coat, remarking as she did so:
What a big overcoat; it is several
sizes too large for you"
"Darned if t amt" 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 Unc.e
Jimmy-Jawed jupiter. Aunt Cindy's
husban'; he'll show you somer 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 70 husban much OF a
cusser?" he inquired
pale pink dyed Miss Minerva s
thin, sallow, face.
Il am not a married woman" size
replied. CURLY. and | most assuredIy
would not permit any oaths to be used
on my premises"
Well. Uncle Jimmy-Jawed jupiter
is jest nach'elly b0un' to cuss-he's
got a repatriation TO keep up" said
Billy
He sat down in a chair in front OF
h:a aunt, crossed his legs and smiled
cOnftdentially up into her face
Hell an damn is Jest easy ev'y day
words to that niger, ! wish you
could hear him cuss on a Sunday Jest
one time, Aunt Minerva; he'd sho
make you open yo' eyes an take in 20
sign. But Aunt Cindy don't low me
an Wilkes Booth Lincoln to say roth
in I all only Jest darn tell we gifts
grown mems, an puts on long pants. -
Wilkes Booth Lincoln?" 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
enc 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 a convenient rocking chair. and
looked closely at this orphaned
nephew who had come to live with
her.
She saw a beautiful, bright. al
| tractive, little face out Of which big,
+ saucy, gray eyes shaded by long curl
ing black lashes looked winniugly at
( her; she saw a sweet. childish red
1 mouth. mass of short. yellow curls.
/ and a thin but graceful little figure.
u knows the names of aIler ole
/ Aunt Blue-Gum Tempy's Perjury Pearl
/ ines chillens," he was saying proud
~: Admiral Farragut Moses the
/ Prophet Esquire, he's the bfgges'; an
Alice Ann Maria Dan Step-an' Go,
+ FetchIt, she had to uUss all the res
she say fas' as she git th'oo nussin
+ one an low she goin' to have a
breathin' spell here come another one