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If Miss Rose Mary weren't strong and bendy as a hickory saplin she couldn't prop up all them old folks." "Yes," answered the Senator in one of his most judicial and dulcet tones as he eyed the little bachelor in a calculating way as if deciding whether to take him into his confidence, "what you say of Mr. Alloway's being too old to farm his land with a profit is true.
An' ef I do say it myself, they got off pow'ful cheap at the price, an' I'm not runnin' down Henry, either." Long Jim Hart, a most matter-of-fact man, stared at the shiftless one. "Do you know, Sol Hyde," he said indignantly, "that I believe more'n half the things you're tellin' are lies!" Shif'less Sol burst into a laugh. "I never tell lies, Saplin'," he said.
"Not that that's anything for or against," declared Gaffer Lezzard. "Power of hand's nought against brain." "It gaws a tidy long way 'pon Dartymoor, however," declared Bonus. "An' Blanchard doan't set no 'mazin' store on Hicks neither, if it comes to words. I heard un say awnly t'other forenoon that the man was a weak saplin', allus grumblin', an' might be better for a gude hiding."
Well, I stops and listens, and who should be near the ash saplin, but Jim Munroe, a tryin to persuade Sall to run off with him to Rhode Island to be married. It was all settled, he should come with a horse and shay to the gate, and then help her out of the window, jist at nine o'clock, about the time she commonly went to bed.
The saplin was no sooner bent than secured to the ground by a notched peg and a noose, and a slip knot was suspended from the tree, jist over the track that led from the pathway to the house. Why, my Gor, massa, that's a . Hold your mug, you old nigger, says I, or I'll send your tongue a sarchin arter your teeth; keep quiet, and follow me in presently.
"Squire Elrod give her the cottage rent free after her mother died, and betwixt nursin' and doin' fine needlework she made a good livin' for herself and the boy. "Little Richard was a child worth workin' for from the start. Tall and straight as a saplin', and carried himself like he owned the earth, even when he was a little feller.
Sam, says she, I do believe you won't wind that are twine off all night, do give it to January, I won't stay no longer, I'm een a most dead asleep. The old feller's arm is so plaguy onsteady, says I, it won't do; but hark, what's that, I'm sure I heerd something in the ash saplin, did'nt you Sall?
"Then," said Shif'less Sol, "we'd better pick up the other fellers, Tom an' Saplin' an' Paul, ez soon ez we kin, an' git ahead o' the Indians." "Where are the others?" asked Henry. "Off that way lookin' fur you," replied Sol, waving his hand toward the southeast. "We scattered so ez to cover ez much ground as we could."
They say he doctored Miss Jane in Philadelphia, an' got in good with her, more'n a dozen years ago." "Well," drawled the second watcher of affairs, "if he thinks he can get anything out'n o' her by hangin' round Cloverdale, he's barkin' up the wrong saplin'. Miss Jane, she's close, an' too set in her ways now. She must be nigh forty." "That's right. But, I'll bet he's goin' there now. Let's see."
'Dear, dear, said he, 'I didn't think it would come to pass so soon, but I knew it would come; I foretold it; says I, the last time I seed him, "Jim," says I, "mind what I say, YOU'LL SWING FOR IT YET." Give me the sword I wore when I was at Bunker's hill maybe there is life yet I'll cut him down. The lantern was soon made ready, and out we went to the ash saplin'. 'Cut me down, Sam, that's a good fellow, said Jim, 'all the blood in my body has swashed into my head, and's a-runnin' out o' my nose, I'm e'enamost smothered, be quick for heaven's sake. 'The Lord be praised, said father, 'the poor sinner is not quite dead yet.
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