Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-02-01
Mr.. PeasIee Observes A Stubborn
Man.

THAT Jonas Ebbilt," observed Caleb
Peaslee as he leaned upon his hoe and
addressed Obed Quincy, ''is the stub
bornest man in Dilmouth wouldn't be
s'prised if he was the stubbornest one in
Maine"
Mr.. Quincy nodded his head in con-
firmation. "Ebbitt is sot." he conceded
mildly, "but what fetched him into your
mind right at this minute ?"
"Oh, jest got TO thinkin'," Mr.. Peas
lee replied. Last night Jone had a
chance 10 show how 'Sot' he could be,
and happened 10 bethere when he done
IT,"
lest what shape did his sotnesst take ?"
Mr.. Gunney wanted TO know; and Caleb
chuckled.
"He'd come down to the postoftice by
way OF the beach road" he began, land
he'd got gravel into both OF his shoes.
Stead of takin off one shoe and dumpin'
the gravel oul OF that and then putin II
back on again, he took 'em both of |
d'know why. presume likely he done
il 10 be different.
when he went 10 put 'em on again
he took up the lett shoe iust and tried
10 put il onto his right loot. Mebbe he'd
have shifted it 10 the other loot it Lem
Piper'd KEEP his mouth shut; but Lem
amt gifted that way.
" That's the wrong shoe you're tyin'
to put on that loot. Ebbitt, Lem says.
and Jones mouth came together like a
trap.
"'I guess ! know full's much bout
my shoes and feet as you do. Lem Piper,
he snapped out, and less it makes some
gret difference TO you, I'm goin' 10 put
these shoes on TO suit myself So Lem.
knowing that talkin' wouldn't change
him, Jest watched him, and so did the
rest OF us.
"Well. by workin' and twistin he
managed to get the LEFT shoe onto his
right loot, and then he started on the
other one, and by the time he'd got that
one on don'tbelieye days work would
have tried him more. His forehead was
all OF a sweat, and they must have hurt
him like time, but he never showed a
sign Of changing 'em.
"He sot there a spell, 10 make il ap-
pear that he hadn't been doin anything
out OF the common, and then he said he'd
got 10 be gittin long home.
"My way laid along with his, so |
started with him. wanted TO get home.
OF course, and besides that | wanted to
see how he'd make out 10 cripple home
with them shoc> Oh he wrong feet. He
didn't act very iickled 10 have me along.
and only grunted when ! told him I'd
bear him company.
al mistruSt that if hadn't been with
him them shoes would have come oil
bout as soon as he got round the iust
turn but with me there he couldn't shit
'em without glvin' in that he was wrong.
and guess he'd rather lose loot than
do that.
"If half mile ever seemed long 10 any
man, that piece Of road between the post
office and Ebbiti's place must have SEEM
ed long to him. II must have bout kill
ed him 10 walk IT, but he tried not TO
make any sign OF it. Once or twice he'd
step on stone thatd roll, or on an oneven
place in the road, and it'd fairly fetch a
groan out OF him but he tried TO turn il
off that he was kind OF singin or hum
min onder his breath.
1--WE fin'ly fetched up al his place. and
lone didn't waste any time in sayIn' good
night 10 me. He jest hobbled up that
path 10 his door, walkin' on the sides OF
his feet and groanin' every time he sot
foot on hubble. He fairly fell into the
door, and TOR what took place afterwards
well, dessay Jonas thought the win
der was open"
"'Winder was open 2" repeated Mr..
Quincy, wonderingly, and Caleb nodded l..
81 hadn't taken more'n dozen steps"
he explained, "when heard the sound
oil glass breakin', and something struck
within ten feet OF me in The road took
pains to go and pick it up, and il was a
shoe-'bom such a shoe as I'd seen
Jonas put on TO wear home.
"And from the way il come out through
that winder thee so spHefuI." Mr.. Peas
lee concluded dryly, II thought that Jonas
had sort oil give in Tor once that he was
wrong"
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