"Cracker Jim" [pp. 51-70]

52 " Cracker Jim." FJuly
be the chief speaker, and like the inhabi- gin us er sarmount last Sunday," oracularly,
tants of Lystra, they readily accorded to him replied Tom who did not enter Jim
the attributes of both Jupiter and Mercury. Snyder on his list of friends.
His father had been elected and re-elected "Tom ~Velsh, I ken tell ye ez Jim Snyder
Jestice 0' the Peace," and was acknowl- haint never had narry ter dew with hants nur
edged to have "er power 0' larnin' in the the Devil nuther, en I haint erfeard ter
law;" and naturally the prestige of his in- say so, barrin' hurtin' yer ole mammy's
fluence fell upon the shoulders of his son. feelin's," interrupted Dick Harjoe, the most
Indeed the sagacity of the sire, old Ned well-to-do farmer in the neighborhood. "Jim
Snyder, not unfrequently enabled Jiin to Snyder war borned for luck. I rid my critbe even with the "town uns," while the ter er mile beyant Big Mounting the night
continued and increasing prosperity Uf his Jim Snyder war horned, er huntin' er stray
orchard and garden, as well as his general keow. I didn't find the keow, but thar war
thrift, induced the belief that "Natur'" or luck in every stair in the firmament, en that
some other supernatural patron had taken luck war fur Jim-en no mistake."
him under especial protection. His pigs "Yaas, yaas, Dick Harjoe," answered
and cow were always in excellent condition, Mrs. Welsh, shaking her head solemnly.
his apples were the finest, his plums, that "I mind me 0' the night; thar war signs,
most uncertain and capricious crop, ripened thar war signs, fur true, I recolleck."
at the time most propitious for transporta- "But they war all fur luck-all fur luck,
tion to market; he made the best vinegar Mis' Wel~h," persisted Dick Harjoe. " It
and cider, and in his hands the raising of haint in mortyal man ter run agin Jim Snyfruit tree scions became a profitable busi- der's luck."
ness; while a well-known instance was The afternoon was late and the sun near
duly recorded by neighborhood gossip of its setting when a company of men and
his having made a "right smart spec" by women assembled at Dick Harjoe's house,
retailing crab-apple blossoms to students at the largest and most conveniently situated
the university of Tuscaloosa. Such excep- in the settlement, for the purpose of making
tional successes outside of the conser~ative coutfibutions to Jim Snyder's wagon, which
channels of barter and exchange were not was about to start on its periodical journey
to be looked upon without serious misgiv- down the country. The house, a pretentious
ing; for whatsoever came not within the one for the neighborhood, was a log cabin,
comprehension of the Cracker mind, un- consisting of four rooms, two on each side
questionably came of evil. of a puncheon floor, which in the summer
"The tradin' 0' blossoms air agin Natur', season served the various uses of diningen er sin-the blossoms on the yearth air room, passage, and place of general assemjest ez free ez Almighty's grace, en it bly. With the exception of a few chairs,
haint fur no sich ez Jim Snyder ter be a with split oak and rawhide seats, the only
settin' boun's by er puttin' er price on`em," piece of furniture in this passage was a ponsaid Tom Welsh's mother to him as she derous spinning-wheel, which stretched its
puffed her cob pipe. grotesque length against the log wall. A
"Hey-hey-but folks ez has dealin's with quarter of a mile from the door stood Big
hants en mebbe Satun hisse'f haint er gwine Mountain, the largest elevation of that spur,
ter stan' on tradin' 0' blossoms-it air mighty belonging to the range which girds the clear,
easy makin' money when er body air got er beautiful waters of the I'ennessee,as it winds
pardner like the Prince 0' the Power 0' the its way across the river State. The rich and
A'r-ter fetch er kotation frum the rider ez variegated coloring of autumn had already