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- Mar 25, 2014
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Old man Moss carried the mail on'is mule in these parts for years. Some of our neighbors lived so fer back that only a one lane dirt foot path took you to their place. Caleb Wilson lived inna one room converted chicken coop back there and got'is mail just twice a week, weather permitting. Had ever thing he needed inside, though. In the Summer time, he could raise the whole west end of his "cabin" and prop it up with two hedge posts and make'im a pretty nice little porch. That's where old man Moss would find'im as he come ridin' up on'is dirty lookin' little white jenny, Lucille. Lucille had carried that leather mail sack so long that the hair on'er side grew in a funny pattern. Had a nice disposition and was pretty patient. Now cousin Martin was carryin' a package wrapped in brown paper to Caleb and it was pretty big. Martin wanted to git rid of it in a hurry and was makin' a bee line to the Wilson shack. Whachu got there, Martin? I betcha it's my new shavin' mirror frum Monkey Wards! Martin didn't say nothing, but watched Caleb unwrap it. Sure enough, it was a new mirror. Round and onna bail so's it could be flipped side fer side. One side magnified and the other was just regular size. Wislon stood there and smiled. His eyes was goin' bad. Had them cataracts I heard tell.
People back then had stands outside or on the porch for wash pans. Was common to have to worsh your hands before you come in the house. It was polite manners, you know. Caleb took that mirror and set it on the worsh stand and stood there admiring it. Martin told Caleb that it was a nice mirror and it was a good idea to git'im one. 'Bout then Lucille noticed the sun a shinin' off the mirror and turned'er head to look see what it was. Curiosity aroused, she walked over and stuck her muzzle over ol' Moss's shoulder. Her head did a little jerk and she pushed agin Moss's back tryin' to git a closer look. She got'er nose up to the mirror and took a big sniff, cocked'er haid, and took another sniff. She shook'er head real quick like she was shuckin' a pesky fly and eye-balled that mirror alookin' at it side ways.
Old man Moss had to finish the mail route so he hoisted'imself up inta the saddle and told Caleb he'd see'im come Friday. He pulled the reins off to the left to turn Lucille and give'er a little heel in the ribs. Lucille turned like she was headin' fer the pathway, but she just kept on turnin'--back 'round to that mirror. Had to have another look at it. Ol' Wilson thought that was pretty funny and laughed. Moss tugged the reins again and Lucille spun to the left, but back to that mirror once again! She didn't want to leave that mirror! After some trials and tribulations, Wilson had to take the mirror inta the shack and drop'is porch roof so Lucille couldn't see it. She then headed down the path towards Browning.
Cousin Martin thought long and hard on what had happened upta Wilson's homestead and figured out a plan. Had'is brother, Granville, go inta town. Had a auction house there. Found a lady's cheap little dresser that had a large mirror on it. Bought it and brought it back to the house. They took that mirror off and hung it in Lucille's little stall out to the shed. When she wasn't haulin' the mail, she'd stand there a lookin' inta that mirror fer hours on end. Granville said he never seen the like and Martin answered that he hadn't either, but'e figured Lucille was lonesome fer'er own kind. The Moss family just had the one jenny on the place, you know. Now that was a long time ago, but I'll bet you a chew off'n my black Kentucky twist chewin' tobacco that were Lucille still alive, you'd find'er still lookin' inta that mirror today.
People back then had stands outside or on the porch for wash pans. Was common to have to worsh your hands before you come in the house. It was polite manners, you know. Caleb took that mirror and set it on the worsh stand and stood there admiring it. Martin told Caleb that it was a nice mirror and it was a good idea to git'im one. 'Bout then Lucille noticed the sun a shinin' off the mirror and turned'er head to look see what it was. Curiosity aroused, she walked over and stuck her muzzle over ol' Moss's shoulder. Her head did a little jerk and she pushed agin Moss's back tryin' to git a closer look. She got'er nose up to the mirror and took a big sniff, cocked'er haid, and took another sniff. She shook'er head real quick like she was shuckin' a pesky fly and eye-balled that mirror alookin' at it side ways.
Old man Moss had to finish the mail route so he hoisted'imself up inta the saddle and told Caleb he'd see'im come Friday. He pulled the reins off to the left to turn Lucille and give'er a little heel in the ribs. Lucille turned like she was headin' fer the pathway, but she just kept on turnin'--back 'round to that mirror. Had to have another look at it. Ol' Wilson thought that was pretty funny and laughed. Moss tugged the reins again and Lucille spun to the left, but back to that mirror once again! She didn't want to leave that mirror! After some trials and tribulations, Wilson had to take the mirror inta the shack and drop'is porch roof so Lucille couldn't see it. She then headed down the path towards Browning.
Cousin Martin thought long and hard on what had happened upta Wilson's homestead and figured out a plan. Had'is brother, Granville, go inta town. Had a auction house there. Found a lady's cheap little dresser that had a large mirror on it. Bought it and brought it back to the house. They took that mirror off and hung it in Lucille's little stall out to the shed. When she wasn't haulin' the mail, she'd stand there a lookin' inta that mirror fer hours on end. Granville said he never seen the like and Martin answered that he hadn't either, but'e figured Lucille was lonesome fer'er own kind. The Moss family just had the one jenny on the place, you know. Now that was a long time ago, but I'll bet you a chew off'n my black Kentucky twist chewin' tobacco that were Lucille still alive, you'd find'er still lookin' inta that mirror today.
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