Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-16
CHAPTER. XIII
Uncle Jefferson's Story.

CHAFIEh AAlll
Uncle Jefferson's Story.
John Valiant sat propped upon the
library couch, an open magazine I'M
needed on his knee. The reading stand
beside him was a litter of letters and
papers. The bow-window was open and
the honey-suckle breeze blew about
him, lifting his hair and ruffling the
leaves of the papers. In one corner, in
Il splotch of bright sunshine, lay the
bulldog, watching a strayed blue-bot-
tie darling in panic hither and thither
near the ceiling.
Outside a colored maid-a new &C.
QUESTION of Aunt Darhne's - named
Cassandra, black Gin Doctor Southall's
phrase) "as the inside of cow and
dressed in a trim cotton-print swing
clear" was sweeping the big porch.
Over the little cabin by the kitchens.
morning glories twirled their young
tendrils. Before it's step stood low
shuck- bottom rocker with crimson
dyed sheep skin for upholstery on
hich was curled brindle cat.
Through its door Valiant could see a
spool whatnot, with green pasteboard
partitions, a chrome framed in pine
covers on the wall and on shelf a
creton-covered can full Of bustling
paper lighters. In the garden three
darkies were laboring, under the super
vision of Uncle jefferson. The insight
ly weeds and lichen were gone from
the graveled paths, and from the foun-
tain pool, whose shaft now spouted a
slender spray shivered by the breeze
into a million diamonds, which fell
back into the pool with a tintinabu-
liant trickle and drip. The drunken
wild grape vines now trailed with a
pruned and sobered luxuriance and the
clamor of hammer and saw came from
the direction Of tho lake, where a
carpenter refurbished the ruined sum-
mer house. 49,
The master of Damory Court closed
the magazine with a sigh. IF could
only do it all at once!" he muttered.
ut takes such a COMPOUNDED time. Four
days they've been working now, and
they haven't done much more than
clean up" He laughed, and threw the
magazine at the dog who lodged 1t
with injured alacrity. after all,
Chum," he remarked, cts been thirty
wears getting in this condition. guess
we're doing pretty WELL
He picked up a plump package and
weighed it in his hand. There are the
seeds for the wilderness garden.
Bachelors buttons and love lies bleed
ing and Jacobs ladder and touch me
ncts and daffy down dillies and phlox
and sweet williams and love in q
mist and four o'clocks-not blessed
hot house name among EN-, Chum!
Don't they sound horny and old fash
toned? The asters and dahlias and
scarlet geraniums are for nearer the
house, and the pansies and petunias
for that sunny stretch down by the
lake. Then therell be sunflowers
around the kitchens and a trumpet
vine over the side of this porch"
He stretched luxuriously. "Tll take
hand in it myself tomorrow. I'm as
right as rain again now, thanks to
Aunt Daph and the doctor. Something
of crusty citizen, the doctor, but he's
all to the good" ... .'
A heavy step came along the porch
and Uncle Jefferson appeared with
tray holding a covered dish with a
Look here" said John Valiant, II had
my luncheon three hours ago. I'm be-
ing stuffed like a milk-fed turkey
Inc Olu HAL olu1lcu Wlucly. ~
les err Ill snack err BROTH" he said.
"Reck'n eth kinder float eroun'. de-
yuddah things. Daph ain got no use
TO- tea. She say she boun' ter mex
yo fit TO- ernuddah rassle wild dem
moe sins. Dis yeah pots dat apple
buttah whit Miss Matte Sue SEN yo'
by Hickey Snyder"
Valiant shifted with satisfaction.
'Tm getting so confoundedly spoiled"
he said, chat I'm tempted to stay sick
and do nothing but eat. BY the way,
Uncle Jefferson, where did Hickey
come from? Does she belong here?'
"No, sub. She come fom Hell's-Half-
Acre" ....
| whats that?"
Oats dat ornery passle O. folks
yondah on de Dome,' explained Uncle
jefferson. "Dey's been dab longs All
lin recommembah-jes er ramshackle
lot O. shifless po-white trash whit git
erlong anyways t all. Ain nobody er-
bout dem 'less'n cts or guxment agint,
TO- dey makes dey own whisky, en- dey
drinks ct, too
That's interesting" said Valiant.
$50 Hickey belonged there?'
heah 'cepin' TO- Miss Shirley She de
one whut fotch de iii gal outen dat
place, en- put huh wild Miss Matte Sue,
three yeah ergo" ..'
A sudden color came into John
Valiant's cheeks. TELL me about it,"
His voice vibrated eagerly.
"Well, subj" continued Uncle Jeffer-
son, "dey was one , dem low down
HelTs- Half-Acrers, name Greet King,
whit call hese'f de mayah of de Dome,
en- he went on de rampage one day, en-
took aftah his wife She was er po',
sickly CONAN, wild er lii gal five year
OF by er fust husban' He done beat
huh heap O. times befo, but dis time
he boun' ter finish huh. All reck'n he
was too drunk fo' dat, en- she got err
way en- run down heah. ct was win
tab time en- dah's snow on de groun'.
Dahs de road fom de Dome dat hits
de Red Road clost' ter Rosewood =
dat ar's de cambridge place-en she
come dab. Reck'n she was er pitiful-
lookin' obstacle. 'Peahs lax she done
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