Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-30
They're .worKIr

long that l reckon l wouldn't ha'
known you anyway, you're lo0k1u' -
peart and gayly. How are you. Miriam
". and how's that no count husband
Of your'n?"
The ancient negress cackled joyously.
81 tell yo' de gospel trufe, KunnI Tod
hunter, and I sho ain tellin' you no
lies-dat ar wufiess ole man o. mine
am sutt'nly mighty triHfn' sub. He
gittin' wuss'n wuss ever day. too, kun
nj Whit you reckon done happ'n to
him now. sub? Well, I jes gwine tell
yo'. Dat ole Jed been out fshin' an
come traipsin' back home wild de roo
mats, sub, an layin' fat on he hack
gruntin' an groanin' lax he gwine die
ever mint, suhI'
You're too easy on him, Mirandy.
That's the trouble" laughed the colo
mel. ''You ought to take a broomstick
and wallop him TIL he ain't too proud
to work. the old rascal! Quit cookin'
such good vitties for him, Mirandy, and
let him go hungry for awhiler'
Old Mirandy rolled her eyes heaven
ward. "Kunn1 Todhunter," she CUR
gled, 'I jes' nachuily KANT do dat, sub.
'Tain't dat ole Jed don't Assrve II, kase
he do but he sho hdn put up sich po'
mouf, sub! He's de mos mizzabul mig
ger on ENTITY stummuck, sub, dat
amt got de heart to fuse him when he
say he hungry. Dass de fac. kunn1-
| l jes' amt got de heart, sub"
| well, but, good Lord. Mirandy, you
must be put to 1t mighty hard to tend
/ to your washin' and lock after that
trifiin' old seoundrel at the same time"
81 sho' Is, kmRI amt neBber had
no baby what's mo- trubble'n dat ar
old Jed. Whuss l doin' now, sub. but
rubin dat ole fools j'ints wild lni-
ment whilst | oughter be right at my
washtub all my tiae, sub? 1 tell you.
sub, | got to scrabble TO- libbin
wussn a Scratchin hen desc heah
days, sub"
Where are you Twin now, Miriam
dyT
"Whah l libbin'? Whah l libbin'7
Well, now, sub, l mos shame TO to tell
you, sub, but men ole Jed Is Jes'
a-squat tin down yander in a serted
cabin whut wuz entity on de Black
Bottoms road, sub, 'twen men him
jes' sorter moved into it sub Yass.
sub, hits ercross FUN whah ole Mr..
Rafe Doggett an he young grand
daughter, Miss L0ttie- May, libbin',
sub An hit sho am lonesome place.
IF hit want fO' some skylarkin' young
man a-comin' out fun Nineveh 10 cote
Miss Lottie- May when her ole grand
daddy amt home, 1 tell you pintedly,
Kunn'I Todhunter, hitd be jes' lax
graveyard, sub"
81 reckon So" said the colonel. And
who are the young scamps that come
out to see Miss Lottie- May, Mirandyf'
"Lawd bless you, sub. dey's two
three NV 'em, sub. Mr.. STAN fuckers
one An Miss Iottie May sbo' am
pow'ful handsome young g'yel, sub.
/. An her ole granddad, he suttnly do
pear to be mighty skeered case she
SO gay an charlottesville, sub"
"WelI, Mirandy, reckon that's only
natural for pretty girl. You amt
never seen Tom Strickland calm on
her out there. have you?"
mo, sub: not to reckerniZe him,
KunnT Todhunter, but dat amt seyin
he amt been dar whilst 1 been away
so much o de time. kunn'L Huccome
young Mr.. Tom Strickland takin' to
anybody but Miss Mary Todhunter.
yo' own daughter. sub? Amt he tes'
p'intedly head over heels in Tub wild
Miss Mary, suhY'
He amt tellin' me so. Mirandy,"
laughed the colonel But reckon
LOttie-May amt no more to him than
any other Of dozen pretty girls. !
was just wonderln, that's all"
Then he put his hand In his pocket
and drew out a bill.
Here. Mirandy." he said IT would
not be surprised but what this might
come in handy while you're a-wraStlin'
with that old scamp Jed and his rheu-
: matism. And If you'll stop by and see
Mrs. Todhunter next time you come to
) town I'll ask her II she can't give you
-, a basketful of vittles she don't need"
= GLORY hallelooyahr' cried old Nj.
l randy. Dat ar money looks big az de
}. side Of house to me. suh-it sho' do.
2 YaEs, sub. an | gwlne drop by you all :
e house. too. sub. An amt nebber
e gTinc feFgit you TO II, kdnnl; / sho'
a amt Some o desc bright days gBine
j pay you back more'n dat ar money;
e you see If don't. subj Sudden tears
had come into the brave old woman's
/ eyes. Pouring ont food OF thanks
: she hobbled happily away.
G Colonel Todhunter looked after her
almost sadly. Them old niggers." he
:, said. II love EN- Just like they was
I kin TO me. and they love us too Bat
2 the new breed-they hate us. and
amt got no more use for EN- than
have for snake. It's curious and III
q sez$h19 - 8 sEysF. ksa szh. ri
/ be 49, 3, ttss1gE what's assa'