Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-03-05
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S. ILLUSTRATIONS 81 LAUREN STOUT "a

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| Hold on cried John Valiant. Il
thought you were bound in the other
direction"
mo, sub. Aim gwine back whah l
come f'om. All jus druv out hyuh
case Miss Shirley done met me, en-
she say, Unc' Jeffe'son, yo' so streckly
out de Red Road, case er gemman
done got stalled-ed.'
HOh-Miss Shirley. She told you,
did she2 What did you say her first
name was?"
Oats huh fust name, Miss Shirley.
Vas, sub! Miss Shirley done said f
me ter come en- git de gemman whit
-whut kinder dawg is yo' got dar?"
It's a bulldog. Can you give me a
lift? I've got that small trunk and
Oats a right fine dawg. Miss Shir-
ley she moghty fond oh dawgs, too"
Fond of dogs, is she?9 said Valiant.
Il might have known, it. It was nice
Of her to send you here, Uncle Jeffer-
son. You can take me and my traps,
l suppose?"
Pens Oh whah yo' gwineter,"' an
swered Uncle Jefferson sapiently.
I'm going to Damory Court"
A kind of shocked surprise that was
almost stupefaction spread over the
others face, like oil over a pool.
Danny Co'ot! OATS de old Valiant
place. Ain nobody lives dar. All
reck'n ain nobody live dar fer mos er
hun'erd yeahs!"
THE old house has a great surprise
coming to it," said Valiant gravely.
"Henceforth some one is going to oc-
cupy it. How is it anyway"
"Meastrin' by de coonskin en- th'ow-
in in de tail, cts erbout two mile,
Ain gwineter live dar yo'se'f, sub, is
yo'?"
Il am for the present." was the
crisp answer.
Uncle Jefferson stared at him a mo-
ment with his mouth open. Then ejac-
ulating under his breath, "Fo' de
Lawd! Whut folks gwineter say ter
dat!' he shambled to the rear of the
motor and began to unship the steam
er-trunk. 'Whut yo' gwineter do wild
dat-ar?' he asked, pointing to the car.
All kin come wild ole Sukey-dat's
nah mule-en fotch it in de mawn-
in. Amt gwineter rain ter-night no
how
This matter having been arranged,
they started jogging down the green.
bordered road, the bulldog prospecting
alongside.
"S'pose'n de Co'ot done ben sold en-
yo' gwineter fix it up 70 dc new
ownah,' hazarded Uncle Jefferson
presently.
Valiant did not answer directly.
You say the place hasn't been occu-
pied for many years." he observed
did you ever hear why, Uncle JEFF
~ferson?"
"Ah done heerd,' said the other
vaguely, but All edisremembahs.
Sump'in dat happened befo' All come
heah f'om oil Post-Oak Plantation.
Reck'n Majah Bristow he know erbout
it, err Mis- Judith-dat's Miss Shirley's
mothah. Her fathah wus Gen'l Tawm
cambridge, en- he died TO- she was
bawn."
Shirley cambridge! A high-sound-
ing name, with something OF long
linked culture, of arrogant heritage.
In some subtle way it seemed to
clothe the personality of which Va
liant had had that feeting roadside
glimpse.
"Reck'n yo'all come f'om New
York;" inquired Uncle Jefferson, after
a little silence. so! Dey say OATS
er pow'ful big place. But All reck'n
oil Richmon's big ernuf TO- me-" He
clucked to the leisurely mule and
added, "Ah bin ter Richmon' onct.
Vas, sub! All nevah see sech houses
mos all bigger'n de county co'ot.
house"
John Valiant expressed a somewhat
absent interest. He was looking
thoughtfully at the blossom in his
hand, in an absorption through which
Uncle Jefferson's "reminiscences oozed
On.
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