The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1916-02-11
The
N1isanthrope's
Secret

Marley, was not in the running with
Tom Terrence. Tom had farms and
bank stock and township bonds and
was Just rolling in money. And Uncle
Joe said Tom Terrence was too stingy
to get married and that he was the
closest man in a trade he had known
since old Hec was pup. But ! know
better.
For when / was small. small boy.
Tom Terrence bought my soul and
thereafter I was his loyal slave unto
his dying day. When that purchase
was made Tom Terrence was young
bachelor with laughing blue eyes and
a smile that made small boy feel
good all over. And he bought me In
this wise:
II was the day had graduated from
pink slips" into the dear glory OF a
plaid blouse suit. We were at the
county fair and Tom Terrence came
up and shook hands with father and
mother, and said, IVY, amt seen
you for six yearsl Gee Whit What's
this y'u got. girl or boy?" And
they all laughed and Tom says. says
he. ''Lemme take this youngster while
you old folks trail around and see the
display in the Agricultural Hail." And
Tom took me bodily, and in the next
hour he bought my soul.
Says he. 81 got some money that I
don't know what TO do with, less l
spend IL on a small boy" And l said.
Have you enough money to buy a
'shooHy' box? They got candy and
breastpins and gold dollars in EN-.
But they cost ten cents!" And Tom
squinted his eyes and grinned and
said, Its my treat" and bought the
'Shoo-fiy' box, and In II was candy
and brass breastpin, but no gold dol
lar.
Then Tom said, Now We'll take In
the show!" And we went in and saw
the fat woman and the living skeleton
and the man with the India rubber
skin. And we saw live alligator and
three monkeys and a little couple that
were called General and Mrs. Tom
Thumb.
Then he said. Les go see the mig
ger minstrels. They sing and dance
and double shuttle and pick the banjo.
Ever hear ban1o?" never had. rs
It something like q macordeumr l
asked.
Like a ma-cordeumf said Tom.
IT'S better--a heap better. But you
watch out that II don't put the devil
in your toesl"
hung back. The devil was real
parsonage TO me-a parsonage with
horns and big tusks and eloven foot
and he sat on his long tail that had a
singer on the end.
Jaw, come on" said Tom. 81 was
just foolin'. meant banjo music Is SO
fine It makes you want to get up and
dance"
so we went In and heard the min
strels. They cracked jokes could not
understand, though Tom laughed al
them. But they sang strange, weird
melodies. war time and camp meeting
ultlOulco.. " NV hdh htoA
chorus singing except the long meter
tunes on Sundays when they had
preaching in the schoolhouse. II was
indescribly fascinating And the ban
jos-the next day when nailed a
board for a handle to my toy drum
and strung 1t with mothers best shoe
strings, mother exclaimed, For the
land sakesl" and then sat down and
laughed and said That's what comes
of letting that boy trail around with
Tom Torrence!"
There was tent where tintypes
were made. Only they called them
gems" want your picture took?'
queried Tom. YES" said, Il never
had one took since rs a boy. got
one when rs little girl and wore
dresses"
Then Tom bought me grapes and
peaches - ripe, rosy-cheeked. fine
smelling peaches. full Of Juice and
aavor. And he bought peanuts-tht
first I ever tasted And he asked me
what else I wanted and / said: =
never tasted bologna sausage. II
looks mighty good" So he bought bo
logna and crackers and they tasted
then better than the fried chicken and
rolls mother had brought in basket
And on our way back to the family
wagon tried to express my apprecia
ton and said: you must be mighty
rich, Tom" and the twinkle went ou
of Toms eyes and he said: mo; bu
l would be II had little boy like
you-who has a ma-like you have!
But when he turned me over agar
to my father and mother and mothel
said: II know that boy has been 1
whole lot OF bother to you, Tom. Ton
/ laughed and said: mo sire-ee man
l amt had as much fun since Hec wa
q pup"
That was years and years ago. Ton
Terrence grew old and had lands AM
houses and bank stocks and bonds
and was bank president, and died
Men said he was too stingy TO MARI
and keep wife. But know better.
On Boswell's Life Of johnson.
H. 49,