Stetson Weekly Collegiate

V'BO» Vnivsraity stm2j^wmsfcsummi OFFICIAL STUDENTS' PUBLICATION OF STETSON UNIVERSITY m * Yol. XIX DeLand, Florida, Wednesday, February 13, 1907. ^oTl5 The April Fool of John Bartholomew. to the other player, "runup to? Slowly he sauntered out into de big house an'ax Miss Lucy (the back yard. There had been please ma'am woan she sen' me a (much rain lately, and Minervy HI piece ob bees wax tuh rub off ( Ann had taken the boards off of mah flat 'irons. Foh de lan'sUhetop of the well in order to sake, Mary Juno, git outen fum catch all the water she could undah mah feet!" jThe well top still lay on the Aunt Minervv Ann sang vi°"or-<i "ol1 brethren yuh aughtahab ben dah? ground, and the old bucked ously as she bent over her ironing. ( Y™ ma* LaW<L" . .. . £ dangled from the creaking pulley. BRETHREN, yuh oughta hab ben da Yaas mah Lawd. A settin in de kingdom To see ole Jordan roll. Roll Jordan roll, Roll Jordan roll. I wanta go to Heben when I dies To see ole Jordan roll." It was a warm, sunny morning j ^ {°hn Bartholomew dawdled Close beside the well wa8 a den8e -the first day of April Outside along towards home with the bees-j clump of bamboo> As hig . . . . , , , . wax he rolled his e\es idly the mockingbirds seemed to vie< , , ... ... with Minervy Ann, chattering farch of. P0S8lble opportunities gave ft satisrled chuckl6) with a excitedly as they hopped about C ! hasty glance at his mother, to among the fresh green leaves of the chinaberry tree. Even the old Plymouth Rock hen seemed to feel that spring had come, as she scratched diligently in the little yard, in search of tempting morsels for her family of chicks In the doorway of the little cabin purring contentedly in the sun shine, while three scrawny kittens rolled and tumbled playfully around her. And up from under the doorstep came the uhn-uhn of a lean black pig, nosing around in the sand Inside the tiny cabin, rolling and tumbling among the kittens and every now and then under the very feet of Minerva Ann herself, played ten lictle pickaninnies, ranging in age from six month to ten yeirs, and in name from Juno to George Washington "Roll Jordan roll, Roll Jordan roll." Minervy Ann slammed an iron down on the top of the stove and turned to her first born, who sat "Fo de Lawd!" he exclaimed satisiy himself that he was unob suddenly, "effen hit ain' April served? he raI1 to the wood pile Fool's Day an' Mammy's done near by and picked out a large rer*ot all about hit. I sholy am gtick of lightwood. then hastened irwine tuh fool huh, dis day, foh back to the weU# uh fac.'' And he sat down by< the side of the road to plan Fit- ^ 'jS^roU-" teen minutes later a broad grin (, Minervy Ann's back was just ^visible as she swayed back and „ n , ., , ) spread over his face and he danced an old yellow and white cat lay) r . , ,...,, .■,,, e . J ,. . ±1 ) a triumphant ng in the middle ot phant jig the road. Hi yi," he shouted, "I done W got hit! Mammy'1 sholy be scaihed intuh fits. He, he!" and he hurried away towards the cab- forth, once more engrossed in her want-a go tuh Heaven when I dies— Suh see old Jordan—" Minervy Ann evolved up from A blood-curdling shriek rent the air. From the direction of her ironing and frowned as Johnube weji came the sound of a Bartholomew entered the cabin door. "Huccome hit tek yuh so long; tuh git back?" she demanded. "Miss Lucy, she done kep me< lookin' foh de bees wax," said1 the delinquent, cheerfully, and; started for the door. "Whar yuh gwine?" asked his< mother. "Jes out tuh de well," he re in the corner playing jacks with plied, innocently. his next younger brother : "Yuh David Webster, git up fum dar an' go'n fetch me some kindlin' fum de wood pile> 'fo' fall in,' 'Min' yuh doan warned his mother. 'Yaas'm, I sholy will," he an- heavy splash. Minervy Ann dropped her iron and rushed out of the back door. Yuh, John Bartholomew!" No answer. Minervy Ann had reached the well now and was gazing frantically down at the rippled surface of the dark water. "Lawd hab mercy!" she screamed. The little pickaninnies came tumbling out of the house. Darkies from the neighboring cabins came rushing in and soon filled the little yard. Foh de lan's sake, Mis' swered, while a wicked grin dis hear nah gwine clean out?^spread over his mischievous coun-^bram~ what am, de mattah? And John Bartholomew," turning ^tenance.