Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1884 — IN THE GEORGIA BACKWOODS. [ARTICLE]

IN THE GEORGIA BACKWOODS.

A. Camp-Meeting Party Get* Left and Spends the Night with Mrs. Baincrow. The boys all went into the shed room. The planks ’twixt the rooms is so thin 70a can hear every word that’s said; they whispered and giggled, and got to bed some sort of fashion, but not to sleep. Cal was so tired and sleepy she was ready to drap down as quick as the pallet was spread on the floor. The old ’oman got the baby to sleep, little John T. Morgan, 2 years old, and was glad to put him down, layed him over next to Cal, te keep him from rollin’ ofFn the pallet. “Come here, ‘AlabamyTech-me-Not,’ and lay on t’other side of your little buddy, and do you shake him and pat him if he goes to wake up, and don’t you agervate him nuther. I've had too hard a time a-getin’ of him to sleep for the likes of you to wake him up; you chillun has been a-stuffm’ of him on them old hard green peaches and everything else you could lay your hands on all day long, and I don’t look for nothin’ else but for him to have a spasm this night. Fetch yourself here to me. William Henry Forney, you and Eobert E. Lee, and wash them black feet of yourn and lay down thar side of your sis. Don't you hear me, William Henry? Come here to me quick and wash them pizen black feet of yourn, and lay down thar side of your big sis quick fore I knock you down, and don’t let me hear another whimper from you tonight. I owe you a beating anyhow for snatchin’ that chicken gizzard out’n your little buddy’s hand. Now don’t try to take up all the room and spread yourself all over that ar pallet, for your sis May Liza’s got to pile in thar some’rs.” Cal gin a groan and rolled over to the edge of the pallet, wonderin’ how she was ever gwine to sleep. Old Miss Baincrow fussed around and got the chillun’s feet washed and to bed; then she tuck a smoke and blowed out the taller candle and left it a-smokin’ and tmellin’ wusser*n the pipe, and went to ' bed grumblin’. “I lay es he comes home from that grocery drunk to-night, I lay I make him wish he never had saw no whisky.” Everything got still and Cal tuck a notion Bhe’ git on tother side of the pallet away from the child that was likely to have a spasm. She gin Eobert E. Lee a shove and he worked his way off’n the pallet up into the smutty fireplace and sot up a yell. “Git up from tiiar, Eobert E. Lee, and git yourself back on that ar pallet ’fore I stomp the life out’n you—[but he cried on] —I lay I can put you back,” and she riz in the dark and piled him over in amongst ’em, then came down on Cal with a rousin’ slap. I mought have knowed your sis May Liza wouldn’t rest tel she kicked you off’n this here pallet.” “It’s me you are a-hittin’,” says Caledony. “Don’t—oh, don’t, it’s me, I tell you!” “Yes, I know it’s * me,’ and it’s me I’m after,” said old Miss Baincrow. “You’ve been a-devilin’ and a-tormentin’ your little buddy all day long and a-eachin’ for a whippin’, and you are not a gwine to rest till you git it. Now take that (givin’ another slap) and lay still and shet up your mouth ’fore I beat the life out’n you.” J tell you Cal hushed quick feered she mought ketch it agin. I hearn the boys in the shed-room snickerin’. After a while everything got quiet, but it wasn’t long tel little John T. Morgan rolled over tother chillun and turned his heels loose, kickin’ Cal in the face. It was pitch dark. She couldn’t see him, but she yelled out, “This child’s got a spasm. Come and git him. Come quick; he’s got a spasm.” Old Miss Eaincrow riz quick and struck a light and tuck the young’un in bed longer her, and Cal was mad kase she hadn’t thought about that spasm.— Betsey Hamilton, in Atlanta Constitution.