The Jasper news., 1919-05-08
CHAPTER XVll-Continued.
~

My heart beat fast when l saw the
house and my uncle and Purvis coming
In from the twenty-acre lot with q
load of hay. Aunt Deel stood on the
front steps looking down the road.
Now and then her waving handker-
chief went to her eyes. Uncle Pea
body came down the standard off his
load and walked toward me.
'Say, stranger, have you seen any
thing of feler by the name O. Bart
Baynes?" he demanded.
Have your" I asked.
mo, sir l amt. Gosh almighty 7!
Say what have ye done with that boy
of our'n?
What have you done to our house?"
asked again.
Built on an addition"
THAT'S what I've done to your boy"
/ answered.
"Thunder an lightnin'! How you've
raised the roof" he exclaimed as he
grabbed my satchel. Dressed like a
Statesman an bigger'n q bullmoose.
l can't 'rastle with you no more. But,
say, I'll run We race. l can beat ye
an carry the satchel, too."
'purvis, you drive that load on the
floor an put up the hosses," Uncle
Peabody shouted in q moment. IF
you don't like it you can hire mother
man. l won't do no more till after
dinner. This slave business is played
out"
"All right" Purvis answered.
You bet it's all right I'm fer abo-
lition an I've stood your domineerin',
nigger-driver ways long enough fer
one mornin'. II you don't like it you
can look for another man. 49, 20 '."'
Aunt Deel and began to laugh al
this good-natured, make-believe scold.
ing Of Uncle Peabody and the emo.
tional strain was over. They led me
into the house, where delightful sur.
prise awaited me, for the rooms had
, been decorated with balsam boughs
and sweet ferns. A glowing mass OF
Niolets, framed In moss, occupied the
center of the table. The house was
filled with the odOrs of the forest
which, as they knew, were dear to me
l had written that they might expec
me some time before noon, but
begged them not to meet me in Can
ton, as l wished to walk home afte
my long ride. So they were ready fo
me.
remember how they felt the clotl
on my back and how proudly they sur
veyed it.
Couldn't buy them goods 'roun,
these parts" said Uncle Peabody
"Nor nothln' like 'em-no, SIR"
"Feels leetle bit like the butternu
trousers" said Aunt Deel as she fel
my coat.
Ayes, but them butternut trouser
amt what they used to be when the
was young and limber," Uncle Peabod
remarked. Seems so they was get
tin kind O. wrinkled an baldheaded
like, specially where / set down."
ayes! Wal l guess a man can
grow old without his pants CROWN
old, too-ayesw said Aunt Deel.
"If yer legs are In 'em ev'ry Sunda,
they ketCh it Of ye," my uncle an
swered. Long sermons are hard OF
pants, seems to me-"
All lne lOlSeT llle legs the nQrue
the sermons-in them little seats owe
t the schoolhouse-ayes!" I" Aunt Dee
added by way of justifying his CON
plant. "There wouldn't be so muc
wear in ten-mlle walk-no"
ave been wallerin' since the de,
was off gittin them berries an vi
lets-ayes !" said Aunt Deel, now bus
with her work at the stove.
aunt, you look as young as ever"
remarked.
She slapped my arm and said wit
mock severity:
stop that! wy! You know bette
-ayesw
How vigorously she stirred the fir
then.
II cant return the cLmpliment-m
soul how you've changed-ayes |" sh
remarked.
II hope you aln't fit no more, Bar
! can't bear to think o. you flynn q
folks an poundin' of 'em. Don't seeI
right-no. 1t dOn't!"
"Why, Aunt Deel, what In the worl
do you meant" | asked.
ITS Purvis' brain that does tn
poundin, / guess" said my uncl,
Its kind o. got the habit. It's reg
lar beetle brain. To hear him tai
ye'd think he an you could clean oil
the hull Mexican nation-barrln' ace