Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-03-19

~ LA w. 0S0o00xAy
Kind, and sAe had allowed herself TO hops
nnch ffum II, when, . abe at ct bel
.ntttthg n tns evening. Peggy the sols
donnsstic, beckoned myMeriously to hel
tron ths door; and having thus beguiled
her into the hall, informed her that Mr.,
Hosktns wanted 70 80 her 1t the gate.
To the gate Berthilda went in q state
q nervous agitation, which made the
blue ribbon bow In her hair culver like
: hnmming bird, and there she found
III. H0skins 70 red In the face with rage
that the color was perceptible by the
moonlight
And his greeting was this:
"Berthildy, ifold Flint Was anybody's
uncle but yourn, I'd 60 in and pummel
the breath out Of him. I've q minter do
It now"
"Oh, dearln sobbed Berthilda, "what
b the mattsrf"
"He's writ me q letter that was lest
cAock full Of insults from fust to last"
said Mi. Hoskina. "Said / writ cause l
Wa afraid to ask him for you said every
one knew that l killed Abigail Ara
minty with overwork, and starved her to
death, and sent her over to her mas to
b buried. Now Abigail Araminty died
With the consumption, that was In her
family, and ! spent lots in doctors stuff;
and, II she was buried from her mas,
that was the old lady's wish. And Ara
minty she would 90 there to die. And /
did all mortal man could, and / hired
help, and / want nowise hard on Abb.
rail Araminty; and your uncle he's .
har, and IL he'll come out here, I'll
wiring his neck. I've a much ~ 1 kin
do 70 keep from saying words q man
hadn't orter ray after he's jined church.
nevoS Was = mad In NY life. I'm
bussttng With RACER and he says I'm !
thief and he's no doubt I'll steal YOU II
en-; md 70 / will. It's Jest this,
Berthilda-you como along With me notr,
and got Parr0n 6peer to marry us, or
there's an end of 1t. It's all up between
us. You choose betwixt old Flint and
me, and eff you choose him, Why l amt
under NO obligations to you no longer,
and I'll make q jelly of him in three
shakes Of Z sleeps tail"
At these words Berthilda tremblei
moro than ever. The fountains that
were In her head overlooked, and ran
out of her eyer adown her cheeks"
"Oh, oh, OIL" she sobbed, twas ever
apoor woman in such troubled Oh, obi"
"ChooseI" cried Hoskins; "and
darned if / amt no mad ] don't keer
much which way you choose. I'd rather
like to DO ct liberty to 70 for old Flint
and mash him, by lingo, l had"
"Why don't I dier sobbed Ber-
thilda. But, oh, silas, I can't leave
Uncle Flint like that. It wouldn't be
decent"
"Then here goes," said Silas Hoskins,
taking of bis cuffs.
At this moment q long, lath-like figure
strobe past them, and began to hammer
1t the door.
lhe servant opened it, and Peter Per-
kins' voice inquired for MI. Flint.
Mr.. Flint At once appeared in the
entry.
Well, what do You want herer" was
his s~alutati0n.
"Wall, Mr.. Flint" said Peter Per.
kins. "seein' you was 80 'bligin' and
neighborly about that gray mare, l
kinder reckoned I'd jest step in and lead
her over tonight. You see l git in my
hay tomorrow, and there's 4 rain a
comm up along the end of the week, or
l amt no prophet.
$50 do you mean to steal herr" said
old Flint. "T've seen impotence be.
fore, but this caps ALL"
kinder guess. you've forgot who l
am" said Peter Perkins. "Don't YOU
remember = writin' to me this mornin'f
Pm Mr.. Peter Perkins, Mr.. Flint"
II know you we'll enough" said Flint.
Dye think I'm in my dotagef You're
the man that killed my brown horse last
summer, and asked for my gray mare to
do the same by this. And / told you
what | thought Of you in my note. You
must have been drinking, Mr.. Perkins.
You must be drunk, sir, to ask me for
my gray mare after what I wrote you
this morning."
"Drinkingf I never touch anything
but tea. I'm q son of Temperance, STRIP
ahOuted Mr.. Perkins, 20 that his voice
reached the ears OF the unhappy couple
1t the gate. II drunk"
"Then # you'er sober you can't readr"
said Mi. Flint.
"Y0u wrote me a note telling me to
come over, and saying there was nothing
In the way OF nay having the gray mare,S
said Mr.. Perkins.
"That's untrue, sirl" said Mr.. Flint.
"You're . lying, siri" said Mr.. Per.
kins. Hanged il I'll stand it'll" And
now Miss Berthilda saw her uncle men.
acsd BY abony fist, and Few up the path,
Hoskins after her.
Flint
"Tell me I'm drunk and . liar. .ir.n
cried Perkins to Hoskins. asked him.
neighbof-like, to lend me his grey mare.
and he wrote he would, and now calls
me all the names he ~ lay his tongue
to-"
II don't doubt it, sir" said Mr.. Hos.
kins. "He's insulted me, sir; told me I
worked my poor, late Abigail Araminty
to death, and starved her, and was q
thief, and afeard of him. Writ that to
NJ, siri Hang himW
"That's falssl" aaid old Flint.
Now ! am = liar, am II" cried Hos.
kina
You are both insanel" cried Flint.
You never writ that to met" cried
Hoskina.
No Doubts true, but l didn't" cried
He il crazy" said Hoskins.
Q are . couple of lunatics. I'll
% protected against you. Here! Helpl
Some q 60 for . constablel"
"A lunaticl" said Mr.. Perkins.
Why, there's the letter you writ nae.
II Jon weFe . younger man I'd not stop
20 argy; but you're old enough TO be nv
father"
That's another lie" said Flint.
/" You're fifty years DID,"
Well, that's the letter you writ me,
anyway. said Perkins, holding out a
crumPled sheet Of paper.
Flint took It in his hand, glanced At it.
and aid, "lt isn't," but his face al
tered.
"Contradicts anything" said Perkins.
" suppose y0u deny you wrote me that"
.aid Hoskina, Offering another letter to
the old man.
Ys., ! do" he aid, but this time he