UNCLE TASCUS AND THE DEED
Uncle Peter Tascus Runnels has been feeble
some of late;
He has allus been a worker and he sartinly did
hate
To confess he couldn’t tussle with the spryest
any more,
—That he wasn’t fit for nothin’ but to fub
around an’ chore.
When he climbed the stable scaffold t’other day
he had a spell,
—Kind o’ heart-disease or somethin’—an’ I
heard he like to fell.
Guess the prospect sort o’ scared him; so, that
ev’nin’ after tea,
—After he had smoked a pipeful—pretty sol-
emn, then says he,
“Reckin, son, ye’ve noticed lately that your
dad is gittin’ old,
An’ your marm is nigh as feeble;—much as
ever she can scold!”
Uncle Tascus said so grinnin’; for the folks
around here know
That no better-natured woman ever lived than
old Aunt Jo.
“Now, my son,” said Uncle Tascus, “you’ve
been good to me an’ marm,
An’ you know we allus told ye, ye was sure to
have the farm.
An’ we like your wife Lucindy; there has
never been no touse
As is generly apt to happen with two famblys in
the house.
I can’t manage as I used to; mother’s gittin’
pretty slim,
An’ to hold our prop’ty longer is a whim, bub,
jest a whim!
So I’ll tell ye what I’m plannin’, an’ I know
that marm agrees,
We’ll sign off an’ make it over; then we’ll sort
o’ take our ease.
So, hitch up to-morrer mornin’—drive us down
to Lawyer True,
Me an’ marm will sign the papers, an’ we’ll
deed the place to you.”
Lawyer True looked kind o’ doubtful when
they told him what was on.
“I’ll admit,” said he, “that no one’s got a
better boy than John.
Now don’t think I’m interferin’ or am prophe-
syin’ harm,
When I warn ye not to do it; don’t ye deed
away your farm.
I have seen so many cases—heard ’em tried
most ev’ry term—
Where a deed has busted fam’lies, that, I swow,
it makes me squirm
If I’m asked to write a transfer to a relative
or son.
Tascus, please excuse my meddlin’, but—ye
hold it till ye’re done.”
Uncle Tascus, though, insisted. He was allus
rather sot.
He allowed he’d show the neighbors jest the
kind of son he’d got.
—Said he’d show ’em how a Runnels allus
stuck by kith an’ kin,
So the lawyer drew the papers—an’ they started
home agin,
Uncle Tascus held the webbin’s—he has allus
driv’ the hoss—
John he chuckled kind o’ nervous. Then said
he, “Wal, pa, I’m boss!
Now ye’ve never got to worry—I’m the one to
take the lead,
Things were gettin’ kind o’ logy—guess I’ll
have to put on speed.
An’ as now I head the fam’ly, an’ you’re sort
of on the shelf,
Guess I’ll”—John he took the webbin’s—
“guess I’d better drive, myself.”
Wal, s’r, Uncle Tascus pondered, pondered,
pondered all that day.
An’ that evenin’ still was pond’rin’, as he
rocked an’ smoked away.
John he set dus’ up t’ table, underneath the
hangin’ lamp,
Ciph’rin’ out that legal paper with its seal an’
rev’nue stamp.
Then he folded it an’ chuckled. “That’s all
right an’ tight,” he said,
“Lawyers tie things tighter’n Jehu. Dad, ye’d
better go to bed.
You an’ marm are gettin’ feeble; mustn’t have
ye up so late!
I’m the boss—” John sort o’ te-heed, “so I’ll
have to keep ye straight.
’Sides, I’ll need ye bright an’ early. In the
mornin’ hitch the mare,
Take that paper down t’ court-house. Have it
put on record there.”
Uncle Tascus took the writin’, pulled his specs
down on his nose,
Read it over very careful. Then says he, “My
son, I s’pose
You are jest as good’s they make ’em; I hain’t
got no fault to find,
You are thrifty, smart an’ stiddy; rather bluff,
but allus kind,
An’ I guess you’d prob’ly use us jest as well’s
ye really knew,
But I hain’t so awful sartin that I’m done an’
out an’ through!
—Tell ye, son, I’ve been a-thinkin’ since ye
took an’ driv’ that hoss,
—Since ye sort o’ throwed your shoulders an’
allowed that you was boss!
Hate to act so whiffle-minded, but my father
used to say,
‘Men would sometimes change opinions; mules
would stick the same old way.’”
Uncle Tascus tore the paper twice acrost, then
calmly threw
On the fire the shriv’lin’ pieces. Poof! They
vanished up the flue.
“There, bub, run to bed,” said Tascus, with
his sweet, old-fashioned smile.
“These old hands are sort of shaky, but I guess
I’ll drive a while.”