Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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MISSM k1 L/vyFANCES B tCotlpyright, by lRei) 0 CHAPTER XViI.-Continued. "Maurice loves you. too"--she hoped to conciliate him: "!e says you are the brightest kid In town." "Kid,' was the scornful echo. "'cause he's so big a:nd tall, he's got to call me a kid. Wel, he'd jes' a-wastin' hi'self lov n' :11; I don't like !'in: an' I ain't a-:: in:' to never like him. an soo::'s I l'., on long pants he's ti: te get 'bout the worses' liekin' he ever did see. 'Say, d.es you him like you does :e s tly. look trg :; at h: usmiling face. Sh:e h'id rass::ent in a lat::ezh. "1'': :fe yh ' she replied. "I'll bet 'es k ssed you tuore'ni tfty h'."d:ed t:-.s." "Thre's T-::..y '... .. :i: for you " said Mi Cee :!a. * t .w doYou two boys :ake -. a. .:a w I would rcg et:a-y 'e ' "Is he ever 'iss ye'.: e'" as d te ch!ld. "I heard tha: y' .d: Did you' I -: " - . : - o B? : . ca . I .. ..: ' n ' t -- V I* 'x - ." E . _d :'t.'Jbm m y aint 7 * *1' F.%' ._:j tt v(: CTl - ter ha~~n a Br::b Jne'. ca : ., ..-v r bein in h p; igner.:.-- ~. 't far' He1'r larg(: beo C . :.: ''n : ( L-e bjack of a. c halr. t) " it '. r. ' I do't havei tor w;e ar r'emark' d JI:7. Polinting to, the a:rti'cle. "Ain't that a bIg one lt'u twice. 'js big 's Aui. Ni inervras. "My a.ainiin a wVearsii a big (!('ttet, too,"'iec 1 sa iJi, roy; "l lik fat womn Snu 'nothler ui.'hit ettr 'n lean on's. 'eoinan t hey in; when I g!et inarri'*d I'in Koing to) ick in~ otit? the fattest.L wife I u'.n Ii nd311, , '.v when y ucl iget in her lapi ait night for3 her'i to rcki you to she'.el yout'li havei a 5Eoft idarle to pt your head, wbIclI' she s~ings' to yotu."' enough frit' Iwo," ~addi iillly, tacking down the stays~ andi trying to hook thoem around him. ''it sho' is big,"' lhr said; "I he'rlieve it's hig 'nough to goi 'r'oundl both of us."' "Iessee if 't ain't," was the other boy's ready suggestion. lie stood behind 1hil1y and they pt i the stays around both little bodi1es1 while, w ith much mIluLezing and gig gling, 1hi1ly huooked themi safely up the front. The boys got in front of Sarah Jane's one looking-glass and danced about laughing with glee. "WVe're like the twinses what was gr'owed together like nmatmma readl mo 'bout," declared the younger child. Presently they began to feel un comfortable, especially Jimmy, whose fat, round 1ittle middle was tightly compressed. "Here, unhook this thing, Billy, and Re's take her off," he said. "I'm 'bout to p)op open." "All right," agreed his companion. He tugged and pulled, but could get Only the top and bottom hooks uan clasped; the middle ones refused tc . budge. "I can't get thesq-here hooks t come loose," Billy said. Jimmy put his short, fat arm around him and tried his hand, by with no better success. The stay were such a snug ftt that the book * seemed glued. "We sho' is in a fix,'' said Bill gloomIly; "b001( like God all time le tin' us git in trouble" "You think of more fool stunts I fINEI VA rd GREENL DYD CALHOUN ly & Britton Co.) do, William 11111, than any boy they is," cried the other; "you all time want to get us hooked up in Sarah Jane's corset and you all time can't get nobody loose. What you want to get us hooked up in this thing for?" "You done it yo'self," defended the boy in front with rising passion. "Squeeze in, Jimmy; we jes' boun' to git outer this 'fore somebody finds it out." lie backed the other child close to the wall and pressed so hard against him that Jimmy screamed aloud and began to pound him on the head with his chubby fists. Billy would not submit tamely to any such treatment. le reached his hand behind him and gave the smaller boy's cheek a merciless pinch. The fight was on. The two little boys, laced up tightly as they were in a stout pair of stays, pinched and scratched, and kicked and jerked. Suddenly Billy, leaning heavily against Jimmy, threw him flat on his back and fell on top of him. Bennie Dick, sitting on the floor, had up to this time watched the pro >-dings with an interested eye; now, -::'.king murder was being commit he opened his big, red mouth and -:ed a howl that could be heard a mile. It immediately brought 3 mother to the open door. When tee saw the children squirming on : e floor in her only corset, her indig 'a:ion knew no bounds. "You, Jimmy Garner, an' you, too, William Hill, yuh little imps o' Satan, what you doin' in my house? Didn't yo' mammy tell you not to tamper wid me no mo'? Git up an' come here an' lemme git my co'set off o' yuh." A-r r-y as she was, she could not keep from laughing at the sight they reser.:ei. as. with no gentle hand, sl ;::.c asj-ed the hooks and released ' - prisoned bodies. 'i"y all time--" began Jimmy. ..'1 time nothln'," said Sarah a; i.o use fo' to try to lay - o set business onto Billy; h is ekally in it. An' me a 1 to go to three fun'els dis a a bapziz ,' on Sunday. y t'. 'd bru':- one o' de splints, A *'. l: ;residin' at a fun'el ........a set on, an' me shape' ' :4d, E'rah Jar.e?" asked ;:4: to em 1' t.e torrent of ' amt' E-,~'F las' husban', u:aLat mollif e-d at his In -id he die ?"-Jirnmny pursued h.:s ad vantagre. I' 'o' 'way f'rn here 'bout moon : as' h'," she replimd, losing M .'.' of her griev'ance in his flatter. -a 'r erOgations. "You know.~ Sic' L''a johnr, she been married goin' on f t'': in-b. 1)ai-hrere 'ii make fo' gr-n 'a a,-. ,-he dlone buri#et an' dey ain't r2boy an rnarnage a fun'e like she kin; ';>ears like hit jes :orne natel '0 her. She sho' is done a good part by -b'ry h ingle husban' too, an' she 's figgerin' to outdo all the yuthers 'Aldr Brudder Littl(:johnj's (:o'pSe" Harah .lane almost forgot her little iau di'*ee in her intense absorption of herf tubjetct. ''Sh., tiay) to roe dis inorn .n', tEh' pay, '.\Iarri';'e am at lot t'ry, His I edd infir-i', but I sho ' is dratowed some 1.in ''r'e prti zet.' Shte got 'ern all I aId out. sid, by p Ide in i1 buharyl n' groun,' wid er littile Inige on ebr'y g rabe; an' His Alary E-:llen, ser-in' as s nn't r-ad de wr-itin' on de tomnb. soh,, tdhe got a-ff'nurt littlo :initnal ;u-sut tine' on eb'r'y be nd' res' so's she hut t uli whiuch, hutsban' nm whi'h. I itr fugs' husblan' werte all timue as-ht. in', tuu shur got at lit tie whiute mn-ibe aatig *-rstin' on ihe' h'-ad, an' hit amti a mtighty constolaqment to at po' wilda '(umlan to' to ktnow dat site canf tull die very ninuate her (yesI light on er' grabe wth-lh husban' hit am., bir secon' man ho rot er nigh ty kinky, woolly head an' he mighty mnek, so she got a little white lamb a-set tin' on lhe griabe; an' do nex'* husbslan' he did n't havo nothuin' mucli to' to dis gaeeso him f'omi (10 re' 'col'in' ho so tsl'w an' she might nigh ra('k hot' brain off, t well she happen to t hink 'bout him bemn' a lIar'dshell Ilaisps' an' so powerful slow, so she jest got a little tarr'alin ani' sot it on himi. lilt shio' am a piretty sight joe' to go in dat buryini' groun' an' look at 'emn all, side by3 sidio; an1' now she got hiruddi~er Lit. tiejohn to add to do res'. Ile (10 onli est one wvhat's got or patch o' whis. kers so she gwine to put a little whito cat on lie' gr'abo. Yes, Lo)rd, oft any think could pearten' a widda 'oman lilt would b)0 Je' to know dat yuh couldi go to do graboyard any time yuh w~ant to an' look at (dat han'some ,' lection an' toll 'zactly which am which." Sarah Jane stopped for breath and Bill1y hastened to inquire: "Yho else is dead, Sarah Jane?" > Tain't nobody else dead, yit, as I ) nows on, but my two cousins is tum' rible low; one 's got a homrage on dE S lung an' do yuther 's got a congestin ton de brain, an' I 'howvs dey '11 bofi s draD oft 'twix' , n uu oo sr." er eyes l'olled around eind haV pened to light on her corset. She a y once returned ,to her grievance, t- "An' sposin' I had n't 'a',' cam I here when I did? I'd W had to won 0 to my ownl cousins' tun2'.I 'thout pet ........-. co'set. r all gotta go right to y' all's namas an' Miss Minerva dis very Min ute. I low dey '11 settle yo' hashes. Don't y' all know dat Larroes ketch meddlers?" CHAPTER XIX. Twins and a Sissy. Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Black were sitting on Miss Minerva's veranda talk ing to her, and Lina and Frances were in the swing with Billy. The at traction proved too great for Jimmy; ho impolitely left a disconsolate little visitor sitting on his own porch while he jumped the fence and joined the other children. "Don't you all wish you could see Mrs. Urown's new twinsesr' was his greeting as he took his seat by Billy. "Where 'd she get 'em?" asked Frances. "Doctor Sanford tooken 'em to her last night." "He muster found 'em in a holler stump," remarked Billy. "I knows, 'cause that 's where Doctor Shackle foot finds aller ol' Aunt Blue-Gum Tempf's Peruny Pearline's, an' me an' Wilkes Booth Lincoln been lookin' in ev'y holler stump we see ever sence we's born, an' we ain't never foun' no baby 't all, 'cause can't no body but jes' doctors fin' 'em. I wish he 'd a-give 'em to Aunt Minerva 'stidder Mrs. Brown." "I wish he 'd bringed 'em to my mama," said Frances. "I certainly do think he might have given them to us," declared Lina, "and I 'm going to tell him so, too. As much money as father has paid him for doctor's bills and as much old, mean medicine as I have taken just to 'commodate him; then he gives ba bies to everybody but us." "I 'm awful glad he never give 'em to my mama," said Jimmy, "'cause I never could had no more fun; they'd be struck right under my nose all time, and all time put their mouth in everything you want to do; and all time meddling. You can't fool me 'bout twinses. But I wish I could see 'em! They so weakly they got to be hatched in a nincubator." "What 's that?" questioned Frances. "That 's a someping what you hatches chickens and babies in when they's delicate and ain't got 'nough breath and ain't got they eyes open and ain't got no feathers on," ex plained Jimmy. "Reckon we can see 'em?" she asked. "See nothing!" sniffed the little boy. "Ever sence Billy let Mr. Algernon Jones whack Miss Minerva's beau we can't do nothing at all 'thout grown folks 'r' stuck right under your nose. I 'm jes' cramped to death." "When I 'm a mama," mused Fran ces, "I hope Doctor Sanford '11 bring me three little twinses, and two Mal tese kittens, and a little Japanese, and a monkey, and a parrit." "When I 'm a papa," said Jimmy, "I don' want no babies at all, all they 's good for is jus' to set 'round and yell." "Look like God 'd sho' be busy a-makin' so many babies," remarked Billy. "Why, God don' have none 'a the trouble," explained Jimmy. "He 's just got him a baby factory in heaven like the chair factory and the canning Biiiy Would Not Submit1 fa tory diown by the railroad, and anigels jun' all time miake they arms and legn, like naiggers do ait the chair falctory, auid all Ghod got to do0 is juis' giluo emi toget her, and atfick in thiei r nioula. Glod got 'bout the easiest job they is." "I thought angels jes' r'lami' the goldenci stair and play thiey harps," saidl hilly. "Ain't we going to) look sweet at Mumn Cecilia's wedding?'' said Frances, after a short silence. "I 'Il botcher I 'll he the cutest kid In that church," boasted .Jimmy con ceitedlly. "You comning, ain't you, 11lly ?" "I gotter go," answered that jiltedl swain, gloomily, "Aunt Minerva ain't gbt nobody to leave me with at home. I jeis' wish she 'd git married." "WVhy would n't you be a page. Biilly?" asked Lina. '"Cause I did n't hatto," was the snappish reply.. "I bet my mama give her the finest present they is," bragged the smaller boy; "I reckon it cost 'bout a million idollars." "Mother gave her a handsome cut glass vase," said lina. "it looks like D~oetor Stanford would 'ye- give Miss Cecilia those twinses for a wedding present," said Frances. "Who is that little hoy sitting on your perch. Jimmy?" asked Lina, no ticing for the first time a lonely-look ing child. "That's Leon Tipton, Aunt Elila's lIt tle boy, Hie just come. out from Menm Iphis to spend the day with me and I'll be awful glad when lhe goes home; - h's 'bout the stuck-up-est kid they is, and skeery? lie 's 'bout the 'fr'aidest young un ever you see. And look at him now! Wears long curls like a~ girl t ,and! don't want to never get his @even a oe ndirtmy," '7 clunk he 1a a beautiful Tittle boy," championed Lina. "Call him over here, Jimmy." "Naw, I don't want to. You all 'il like him a heap better over there; he's one o' these-here kids what the fur. der you got 'way from 'em, the better YOU like 'emn." "He sho' do look lonesome," said Billy; "'vito him over, Jimmy." "Leoni" screamed his cousin, "you can come over hero if you wantta." The lonesome-looking little boy promptly accepted the invitation, and cane primly through the two gates. He walked proudly to the swing and stood, cap in hand, waiting for an in troduction. "Why did n't you clam' the fence, 'stead of coining th'oo the gates?" growled Jimmy. "You 'bout the prissi. est boy they is. Well, why don't you set down?" "Introduce me, please," said the elegant little city boy. "Interduco your grandma's pussy cats," mocked Jimmy. "Set down, I tell you." Frances and Lina made room for him between them and soon gave him their undivided attention, to the in tense envy and disgust of the other two little boys. "I am Lina Hamilton," said the lit. tle girl on his right. "And I 'm Frances Black, and Jim. my ought to be 'shamed to treat you like he does." "I knows a turrible skeery tale," re marked a malicious Billy, looking at Lina and Frances. "If y' all wa'n't girls I 'd tell it to you." . "We are n't any more scared 'n you, William Hill," cried Frances, her in terest at once aroused; "I already know 'bout 'raw meat and bloody bones' and nothing 's scarier 'n that." "And I know 'Fe, FL Fo, Fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he alive or be he dead, I'll ground his bones to make me bread,"' said Lina. "This-here tale," continued Billy, glueing his big eyes to those of the little stranger, "is one Tabernicle learnt fer a speech at school. It 's all 'bout a 'oman what was burlet in a graveyard with a diamant ring on her finger, an' a robber come in the night-" The child's tones were gut tural, thrilling and hair-raising as he glared into the eyes of the effeminate Leon, "an' a robber come in the night an' try to cut it off, an' ha'nts was groanin' an' the win' moan 'oo-oo' an'-" Leon could stand it no longer. "I am going right back," he cried rising with round, frightened eyes, "I am not going to sit here and listen to you, scaring little girls to death. You are a bad boy to scare Lina and Fran ces and I am not going to associate with you;" and this champion of the fair sex stalked with dignity across the yard to the gate. "I 'm no more scared 'n nothing," and indignant Frances hurled at his back. "You 're just scared yourself." Jimmy giggled happily. "What 'd I tell you all," he cried, gleefully. "Lina and Frances got to all time set little 'fraid cats 'tween 'em," he snorted. "It 's just like I tell you, he 'a the sissyest boy they is; and he don't care who kiss him neither; he'll let any woman kiss him what wants to. / amely to Such Treatment. Can't no woman at all 'cepting my ina ma and Miss Cecilia kiss mne. Hut Leon is 'h~out the kissingest kid they is; why, he'd Just as sooni 'a not let F'rances and Lina kiss him; ho ain't got no hectte'r sense. 'Course I gotta let Miss Ce'cilia kiss me 'cause she's 'hout the plumpest Sunday school teacher they is and the Dtbie say 'If your' Sunday school teacher kiss you on one cheek turn the other cheek and let her kiss you on that, too,' and I all time bound to do what the Bible say. You 'd better call him back, Frances, andi kiss him, you and Lina 're so stuck on him." "I would n't kiss him to save his life," declar'ed Frances; "he 's got the spindhliest legs I ever saw." CH APTER XX. Rising in the World. The painter had just finished put ting a bright green coat of paint ulponi the low, fiat roof of Miss Minoerva's long back-porch. And he left his lad der leaning against the house while he went inside to confer with her in re gard to some other work. Billy, Jimmy, Frances and Lina had been playing "Fox and Geese." Ilun nling around the house they Spied the ladd~er and sa1w no owner to deny themn. "Le 's clam' up and get on top) the porch," suggested Jimmy. "Aunt Minerva '11 put me to bed if I (do," said Dilly. "Mother 'Il make me learn a wh~ole page of the catechism if I climb a lad dher," said Lina. "My. mama 'h1 shut mie uip in the closet, but our mamas are n't bound to knbw 'bout it,"--this from Frances. "Come on, let 'a climb up." "I ain't hever promise not to clami' no laddar but ..em miste hesitated. "you Can't Clam' Di "You-all 'bout the skeeriest folks they is," sneered Jimmy. "Mama '11 whip me going and coming if she finds out 'bout it, but I ain't skeered. I dare anybody to dare me to clam' up." "I dare you to climb this ladder," responded an accommodating Frances. "I ain't never tooken a dare yet," boasted the little boy proudly, his foot on the bottom rung. "Who 's going to foller me?" "Don't we have fun?" cried a jubi lant Frances. "Yes," answered Jimmy; "if grown folks don't all time be watching you and sticking theirselfs in your way." "If people would let us alone," re marked Lina, "we could enjoy our selves every day." "But grown folks got to be so per tic'lar with you all time," cried Jimmy, "they don't never want us to play to gether." He led the way up the ladder, fol lowed by Frances and Billy; and Lina brought up the rear. The children ran the long leplgth of the porch leaving their footprints on the fresh, sticky paint. "Will it wash off?" asked Frances, looking gloomily down at her feet, which seemed to be encased in green moccasins. At that moment she slipped and fell sprawling on top of the roof. When the others helped her to her feet, she was a sight to behold, her white dress splotched with vivid green from top to bottom. "If that ain't jus' like you, Fran ces," Jimmy exclaimed; "you all time got to fall down and get paint on your dress so we can't 'ceive nobody. Now our mamas bound to know 'bout us clamming up here." "They would know it anyhow," mourned Lina; "we '11 never get this paint off of our feet. We had better get right down and see if we can't wash some of it off." While they were talking the owner of the ladder, who had not noticed them-and was deaf in the bargain had quietly removed it from the back porch and carried it around to the front of the house. The children looked at each other in consternation when they perceived their loss. "What we goin' to do now?" asked Billy. "If this ain't just like Billy, all time got to perposo to clam' a ladder and all time got to let the ladder get loose from him," growled Jimmy. "We done cooked a goose egg, this time. You got us up here, Billy, how you going to get us dlown?" "I did n't, neither." "Well, it 's Miss Minerva's house and she 's your aunt and we 's your company and you got to be 'sponsible." "I can clam' diown this-here post," said the responsible party. "I enn climub dowvn it, too," see onded Frances. "You can't clam' down nothing at all," said Jimmy contempltuously. "Talk 'bout you can clam' dowvn a post; you 'd fall and bust yourself widle open; you 'bout the clumsiest girl there is; 'sides, your legs 're too fat." "We can holla," was Lina's sugges tion. "And have grown folks laughing fit to pop their sides open? I 'm 'shame' to go anywheros now 'cause folks all time telling me when I 'm going to (lye some more Easter eggs! Naw, we better not holler," said Jimmy. "Ain't you going to do nothing, Billy?" "I 'Il jest slide down this-here post and git the painter man to bring his ladder back, Y' all wait up here." Billy's solution of the diffiulty seemed the safest, and they wore soon released from their elevated prison. "I might as well go home and be learning the catechism," groaned Lina. "I 'm going to get right in the closet soon 's I get to my house," said Fran ces. "Go on and put on your night shirt., hilly," Billey took himself to the bathroom andi -crubbed and scrubbed; but the paint refused to come off, lie tipted~ by the kitchen where his aunt wa~s cooking dlinner and ran into his owni room, le found the shoes and stnokings which wore reserved for Sunday wyear, and soon had them upon his little feet. Miss Minerva rnng the dinner-bell and he wanlked quietly into the dining root trying to miake as little noise aund to attract as little tattention from him aunt a possible; but she fastenett her eyes at once u'pon his feet. "What are you doing with yu shoes on, Wilitamse ako-. Fu ' ' I - f ll I - wn Nothin' at Al," Billy glanced nonchalantly at her. "Don't you think, Aunt Minerva," he made answer, "I 'a gittin' too big to go 'thout any shoes? I 's mos' ready to put on long pants, an' how'd I look, I'd jest like to know, goin' round' bare footed an' got on long breeches. I don' believe I '1l go barefooted no mo' -I'll jest wear my shoes ev'y day." "I just believe you won't. Go take them off at once and hurry back to your dinner." "Lemme jest wait tell I eats," he begged, hoping to postpone the evil hour of exposure. 4 "No, go at once, and be sure and wash your hands." Miss Minerva spied the paint the in stant he made his second entrance and immediately inquired, "How did you get that paint on your feet?" The little boy took his seat at the table and looked up at her with his sweet, attractive, winning smile. "Paint pertec's little boys' feets," he 4 said, "an' keeps 'em f'om gittin' hurt ed, Aunt Minerva, don't it?" Miss Minerva laid down her fork and -gave her nephew her undivided attention. "You have been getting into mischief again, I see, William; now tell me all about it. Are you afraid of me?" "Yas 'm," was his prompt response, "an' I don't want to be put to bed neither. The major he would n't put little boys to bed day times." She blushed and eyed him thought fully. She was making slow progress with the child, she knew, yet she still felt it her stern duty to be very strict with him and, having laid down cer tain rules to rear him by, she wished to adhere to them. "William," she said after he had . made a full confession, *} won't pun ish you this time for I know that Jim my led you into it but-" 'Naw'm, Jimmy did n't. Me an' him an' Frances an' Lina's all 'spons ible, but I prIomise you, Aunt Minerva, not to clam' no mo' ladders." CHAPTER XXI. Pretending Reality. The chain-gang had been working in the street not far from Miss Mi nerva's house, and Lina, Frances, Billy and Jimmy had hung on her front fence for an hopr, wvatching them with eager interest. The negroes were chained togeth ein pairs, and guark ed by two, hi g,burly white men. "Let's us play 'chain-gang," suggest ed Jimmy. "Where we goi ' to git a chain?" queried hilly; "'t won't be no fun 'thiout a lock an' e tain." "I can get the loc h and chain off 'm Sarah Jane's cabin.' "Yo' mama dlon't 'lO \you to go to her cabin," said 11111 '. "My manma don't car 't just borra a lock gomd chain; so I ' foinig to get it." "I 'm going to be the rnice of the gang," said Frances. "Perlice nothing. You all ttetalk ing 'bout you going to be a pe ice," scoffed Jimmy. "I 'm going to be perlice myself." "No, you are not," interp~osed Lina, firmly, "Billy and I are the tallest and we are going to be the guards, and you and Frances must be the prison ers." "Well, I ain't going to play 'thout I can be the boss of the niggers. It '5 Sarah Jane's chain and she 's my mama's cook, and I'm going to be what I please." "I 'll tell you what do," was Billy's suggestion, "we'll take it turn about; me an' Lina 'll first be the perlico an' y' all be the chain-gang, an' then aS 'll be the niggers an' y' all be the bosses." This arrangement was satisfactory so the younger boy climbed the fence and soon returned wjth a short chain and padllock. Billy chained Jimmy and Frances to gether by two round, fat ankles and put the key to the lock in his pocket. "We must dleeide wvhat crimes they have committed," said Lina. "Frances done got 'rested for shoot in' craps an' Jimmy done got 'rested fer 'sturbin' public worship," said the other boss. (TO DlC CONTINUED.) Color Contrasts. She (tartly)-Don't congratoliate yourself that everything is going tW be tovely when you reform. He (startled)-Why not? Bhe-BW'use rosy futures doni, with nrple asta