Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-01-20

Iutly, Jul Tie view WOIIu IL.
A hoarse litter came from the con-
veyance, which gave forth sundry
creakings of leather. "Huyh! Hugh!
OATS so, sub. OATS so! Hmm.
Reck'n Ahl be gittin' erlong back"
He clucked to the mule and proceeded
to turn the vehicle round.
Hold on cried John Valiant. Il
thought you were bound in the other
direction
mo, sub. Aim gwine back whah J
come fom. All JUS druv out hyuh
case Miss Shirley done met me, en-
she say, FUnc' Jeffe'son, yo' go 'treckly
out de Red Road, case er gemman
done got stalled-ed.'
"Oh-Miss Shirley. She told you,
did she? 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?"
Its a bulldog. Can you give me
lift? I've got that small trunk and"
Oats right fine dawg. Miss Shir-
ley she moghty fond oh dawgs, too"
Fond of dogs, is she?' said Valiant.
ST might have known it. 1t was nice
of her to send you here, Uncle Jeffer-
son. You can take me and my traps,
1 Supposed"
opens on whah yo gwineter," an
swered Uncle Jefferson sapiently.
Pm going 20 Damory Court"
A kind of shocked surprise that was
almost stupefaction spread over the
others face, like oil over 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"
"Measurin' by de coonskin en- th'ow-
in in de tail, cts erbout two mile.
Ain gwineter live dar yo'se'f, sub, is
yo'?"
81 am for the present." was the
crisp answer.
Uncle Jefferson stared at him mo-
ment with his mouth open. Then ejac-
ulating under his breath, go 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.
"Ah 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'posen de Co'ot done ben sold en-
yo gwineter fix it up TO de new
ownah," bazarded 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.
DUMP IL OcI udppSuSO uSIO All COAuS
heah fom oil Post-Oak Plantation.
Reck'n Majah Bristow he know erbout
it, er Mis- Judith-dat's Miss Shirley's
mothah. Her fathah wus Gen1 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 fleeing roadside
glimpse.
"Reck'n yo'-all come fom New
York; inquired Uncle Jefferson, after
little silence. so! Dey say OATS
er pow'ful big place But All reck'n
Oh 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 biggern de county co'ot-
house"
John Valiant expressed a somewhat
absent interest. He was looking
thoughtfulIy at the blossom in his
hand, in an absorption through which
Uncle Jefferson's "reminiscences oozed