IT WAS THE CRITICAL NIGHT.
I reaohed the cabin of the Widow Buggies just before sunset and just as tha rain began to fall. When I asked her if I could put up for the night, she said : " I have five ohildren and you'll have ta sleep with two of them if you stay." I assured her that it would be all right, but there was a troubled look on her raoe as she continued:
" Stranger, I forgot about Hoses John* son. It'a hia night fur comin'."
"And what about Moiea Johnson P" "It's his night fur droppin' in to spark." "Well, I shan't objeot to that if bt doesn't. Yon can go right ahead and do your sparking juat the same as if I wasn't here."
" But he's a powerful qnare man, Moses is," she eaid with a great deal of earnestnces. "He wouldn't sot down within ten feet of me with a stranger in the house, and he might git mad and go home. I've boon a widder four years, and Moses ia tha first feller that haß come junin* around." "And you don't want to lose him, of course P"
"Of coarse not. I don't want to turn you away, and yit I'll have to look ont fur Moses. I'll have to put you np garret, and would yon mind gittin' outer the way as soon as you've had supper P" " Not at all. I'll be out of the way ia fifteen minutes."
A a soon as supper was finished one of the children climbed the ladder leading to the garret to light the way, and I followed. After a smoke I turned in on the corn-husk bed, and being dead tired I was soon asleep and did not open my eyea till morning. When I descended the ladder the widow met me with radiant countenance and said : " Stranger, I wish to thank yon from tho bottom of my heart 1" "But for what?" lacked.
" Fur takiu' to the garret and gittin* outer Moses' way last night. Yoa had jc.t begun to snore when in he walks, and thirty minite later had popped the questioa, and I had answered him, 'You bet I * If ycu'd bin eittin' around. Moses would hey jumped the house in ten minits, and I'd hey had to shoulder a shotgun and go out aud round up another critter of some sort. Sob right down and eat and drink nil you kin hold, and thai-'ll be no bill to Eay, aud may tho Lawd bleßß you fur yer oas'tense and willingness to help tht widdfliedana thelftthjvM"
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Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Issue 5427, 30 November 1895, Page 3
Word Count
433IT WAS THE CRITICAL NIGHT. Star (Christchurch), Issue 5427, 30 November 1895, Page 3
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