Judge — July 4, 1885 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

UL THE JUDGE. ARKER'S dead, Miss Susie.” “Poor fellow! 's gone at last.” Yes, mistiss, he hab departed this’ yere * Did he die easy? sy as a C tian, mistiss.” +L suppose you will have him buried in some nice, pleas Place?” artin, Miss Susie, sartin. Ilit’sin de ’greement, an’ I wants yo’ an’ Marse John an’ de fambly ter ten’ de funer’l at sundown.” “What!” Aresyou going to have a funeral! Isn’t that something rather wicommon?” T’se ’bleeged ter hab hit. ITit’s one uv de provisions in de papers, an’ I hopes yo" will be shore an’ be dere. 14 | cf Whe-ew!” suid Richard in surprise, but 4 Sam was in earnest he checked him- ked: you want a long one?” Not bery, jess one dat ‘spre cat loss, an’ our feelin’s under sich a powerful brreavement.” “Til do my best, but I must go to | fast now. Where es our ner dat t “down by de branch in de ealt } I'se gwine ter dig j de grube right now,” | n down there when it’s ard marched off fecling Il bring the } ” Aad quite import In avout ur he wa re flourishing ay hastened from the half-dag the result of his el » effort. “ How will this do?” and with boyish self- conceit, Richard rattled off:— . cd down to the i. yd Sam grave to hear * Old Parker now has run his race, Yet he was racer, With Death he could not ¢ v to his death a pacer His span "— te keep pace, Richard stopped in t Sam had turned away grievous disappomtment. “Ole Parker!” he muttered in great dis- gust. “Old Parker! well, he was old, uncom- monly old.” “Spozen_he ank amazement, for with a shrug of wuz! Duz yo’ tink he “No doubt some of the family will go if you wish it, | Where are you going to have wants tie uv, ’speciully at sich a “fectin’ the grave? ” z dis?” Down unner dat big ole ’simmon tree in de paster, whar he usened to res’ hi outen de sun in de summer.” “A very good place.” Mrs. Royal turned to her morning’s work of skimming milk and attending to things in the dairy, while Sam lingered a moment, went and took a drink from the cool spring under the spreading liv came back, fumbled with the brim of his old straw hat and rolled his eyes in search of something to help him in his dilemma. “ Are you w 2” said Mrs. Royal, a little surprised that he should ting for some clabber? hesitate about asking for it, ++ No, tankee, Miss Susie; hit’s suthin’ uv more ’mpo’tance dan clabber, I knows how todode preachment fer de funer’l, but I dunno ’zackly—I’se studyin’ w’at kine uv a hymn will be de mos’ suitablest fer de solumn ‘casion.” “Mrs. Royal had to control the smile which threatened to become a laugh, before she could repl “Lean hardly tell what hymn would be proper for such know of any, but then Richard has such a faculty for rhy provide on ** Dat’s so, M Susie; I specks Mass Dick kin make one ef he will, an’ I’ll go an’ ax him 1 wants eberyting done in the bery bes’ manner, an’ so ez hit would be satisfaction- ary to Parker ef he could see hit.” “At the gate Sam met Mr. Royal.“ Parker’s done an’ gone, Mz *So he’s dead at last! Did he suffer much?” “No, sah; no more’n a baby. He neber mobed arter yo’ seed him, an’ he dropt off like he wuz gwine ter sleep.” ** You must have him well buried.” **Dat’s jess w’at I’se come ter see "bout. Kin I hab de gentle mules ter haul him off wid, bout noontime? De grabe will be ready fer his ’mains by dat time.” ‘Take which pair yon please, out noon will be right in the heat of the day.” “Yes, sah; but de wedder am so ’preasive hit’ll be more wholesome fer de health ter it him in de groun’ ’fore de funer'l; an’ ’sides dat he don’t look ra’al natr’al like wid his fide off.” “What! Did you skin him?” “Sartin sah; hit’s in de papers. I shall perjuce de dockyments at de funer’l, an’ wants yo" ter be dere wid Miss Susie an’ de fambly at yearly sundown.” Mr. Royal turned away without reply, and Sam hastened in search of Richard Royal, a youth of sixteen. “Mass Dick, hit’s all ober wid Parker,” was his first remark when he found him in the cornhouse. “You don’t say so! Poor fellow; when did it happen?” «Jess a little arter midnight. 1 knowed he couldn't las’ long soon ez de tide ’gan ter turn, so I smooved de blanket fer his head ter lie easy, an’ tuck de straw up ter s’port his pore back, an’ he went off so peaceful like he couldn’t ha’ knowed his own self when hit happened.” “Then you didn’t have to be up all night with him?” “*Near “bout. Hit tuck a long time ter git him ready fer de beryin’, Dick, I’se gwine ter ax suthin’ fer Parker. ts yo" tern ‘a nice hymn. fer de funer’l, w’ich is ter be atsundown. 1 wants one fittin’ fer de ion, a good one, d Dick, fer yo’ knows Parker neber could put up wid no pore buckra doin’s.” afuneral. In fact, I don’t ming that he may be able to se John.” An’ now, Mass elf 1? he is my ole ayin’ I wants ole Pare chunes nudder at a y old wom ‘oman, ker, nor no dancin funer’l.” pat was no dancing tune, I only hap- pened to read it fast. You can sing it as 11 please.” in’t wat T Parker liked ou haven't it all; the next s were better than the first, they com- ed his earthly span with that of others, and told how s run, ar But Sam was obdurat lines, till, seeing he w chan in rejecting the bout to lo: 2 of a hymn, he changed his tone. ss Dick, I knows yo” kin m suthin’ like wat Parker wuz usened to. He allnz did like singin,’ an’ he’d kine uv ig de time w’en he we J wid de chune, an’ many’s de da doh years a wo'kin’, an’ his ey winkin’, wile 1 was singin’ so de‘good vle songs uv y v now I wants all de proceedences dis ebenin’ in cordance wid his feelin’s an’ idees, an’ I knows yo’ kin make de right kine uy a hymn ef yo’ tries.” chard was not proof against wheedling, so swinging up into the persimmon tre settled himself in a comfortable attitude and put his wits to work. He first whistle solemn tune after another, till he suce in finding one suited to Sam’s taste, and then proceeded to fit some words to the tune. Though he was much longer about it, he thought them far inferior to his first attempt. Ie took care not to read them fast, and soon had them so_impres on Sam’s memory that he could tell the plainly-written words very readily. | He then en Tea cot on de plow-handles an? red so heartily into the ar- rangements for the funeral, that he induced the whole family to attend it. Sunset found them by the persimmon comicbooks.com