Year: 1878

industry, and q good name, and
never told lies on anybody nor stole
any nything-that is, until our George
got ut it few years ago aklIordin'
! to tho independent records, and I
have thought that if tho old lady
could be made to believe it she'd
wollop him now, as old as he is,
and then lay down and die broken~
hearted.


Well, you see We boys had to go
by old Ike Andeer's cotton patch
on the way to school, and one day
we peeped through tho crack Of tho
fence and perusId some water


melons a lyin' around and we
thought we would jest get over
easy and sec how big they was and
thump en- little, only this and
nothing more. But you see Luster
he wouldent go. for he said his
mother wouldent like it, and so the
rest of us made the venture, and
shore enutf old Ike was watchin'
of us all the time from his gin
house winder, and he slipped around
grabbed us before we could say
"Jack Robinson" and then he
marched us along to sold Pat" the
teacher, and old Pat whipped us all
round until Ike was satisfied, and I
tell you we three boys yelled amaz II
but Luster never opened his mouth
nor batted his eyes, which old Pat
said WAS the unrepentin spirit, and
he whipped him all the harder, and
that evenin' he kept us all in to pray
for us, for ho was a mighty good
man, old Pat was, and when we told
him about George he begged his
pardon and hugged him, and I dis
remember whether he left him out
of his prayers or put him in, but
that cvenin' goin home, he was the
first one to propose loadin' up with
rocks and pitchin' in to old Ike like
a harrycane rs soon as we met him.
And we loaded, but fortunately for
both sides we dident meet and the
battle was indefinitely postponed.


Well, in the course of time and
tide Luster got to be right smart
yearling, and Judge Hutchins took
Il likin' to him and took him in his
offs to read and study books with
calf-skin backs Oh en-. He got
along splendid for while, but one
day shure enuf he gotta bad fall and
it liked to killed him, for you see he
fell in love and struck on his left
side, and as the girl wouldn't have
him, it seemed to affect his heart.
Well, the girl she liked him very
much as q friend, you know, but she
said he looked SO much like bear
she was afeered to get right close
up to him. But Luster rallied af-
ter awhile and picked his flint and
fired away at ano ther one and missed,
and from that time on he just went
about lovin' of EN- all like Hice
Howell, and he jined O. debatin'
society, and one night when the
school room was crowded with all
the nice people of the town the
question was whether q man in O
state of natur had more gumption
than woman or not. Luster was
for the women, Of course, and he
made q splendid speech, and quoted
Il power of beautiful poetry from
General Byrun and Bill Shakespeare
and Colonel Milton, and the girls
throwed flowers at him, and he set
down purity we'll satisfied with him.
self and the rest of mankind. But
I've noticed that if man hain't got
the conclusion in an argument he
amt safe by no means, especially if
Gus. Wright is to follcr him. But
this wasn't Gus. this time. It was
Glib, Glib Wright, the same feller
who is brother to Bill, and is Judge
down country somewhere and car
rios his head on his left shoulder for
convenience in case he's to be hung.
Well, Glib was splendid boy, and
he thought he would set our George
back little; SO he rose forward to
a perpendikler, exseptin' his head,
and havin' throwed his tobakcr out
of the winder, ses he, TIadies and
gentlemen, if quotin other folks
poetry is to gain this case, I am
some myself" "Old mother Hub
bard, she went to the cupboard to
get the poor dog bone" "Hey
diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
the COW jumped over the moon"
"Old King Cole was jolly old soul,
a jolly old soul was he.' And he
went on after that fashion some
minits ontil he got the grin on
Luster, and Luster got mad and
rose to O. pint of order, and he and