The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-05-07

Hold on" cried John Valiant. u
thought you were bound in the other
direction"
NO, sub. Ah'm gwine back whah ]
come f'om. All JUS druv out hyuh
case Miss Shirley done met me, en-
she Say, Unc' Jefre'son, yo' go 'treckly
out de Red Road, case er gemman
done got stalled-ed.'
'Oh-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 r
! me ter come en- git de gemman whut
-whut kinder dawg is yo' got dar?"
It's a bulldog. Can you give me
lift? I've got that small trunk and"
Oats a, right fine dawg. Miss Shir
ley she moghty fond OBJ dawgs, too"
Fond of dogs, is she?" said Valiant,
Il might have known It 1t was nice
OF her to send you here, Uncle Jeffer.
son. You can take me and my traps,
l suppose?"
pens on 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 q pool
Danny Co'ot! OATS de old Valiant
place. Ain nobody lives dar. All
reckn 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 90
cupy 1t. How is it anyway"
"Measurin' by de coonskn en- th'ow
in in de tail, cts erbout two mile.
Ain gwineter live dar yo'sef, sub, 10
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' do
Lawd Whut folks gwineter say ter
dat!" he shambled to the rear of the
motor and began to unship the steam
ertrunk. "Whut yo' gwineter do wild
dat-ar?" he asked, pointing to the car.
"Ah kin come wild ole Sukey-dats
nah mule-en fotch 1t 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.
"Spose'n de Co'ot done ben sold en-
yo' gwineter fix it up TO de 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 disremembahs,
Sump'in dat happened befo' All come
heah f'om Of Post-Oak Plantation.
Reck'n Majah Bristow he know erbout
it, er Mis- Judith-dat's Miss Shirley'n
mothah. Her fathah wus GenI Tawnl
cambridge, en- he died fo' she was
bawn."
Shirley Dandridge! 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 fleeting roadside
glimpse.
"Reck'n yo'-all come fom New |
York;" inquired Uncle Jefferson, after
a little silence. so! Dey say dats
er pow'ful big place. But All reck'n
OIL Richmons big ernuf TO me-" He
clucked to the leisurely mule and
added, "Ah bin ter Richmon' onct
Yas, sub! All nevah see sech houses
mos all bigger'n de county co'ot.
house."
John Valiant expressed somewhat
absent interest. He was looking
at the blossom in his
hand, in an absorption through which
Uncle Jefferson's "reminiscences oozed
on.
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