The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-09-17

be allowed that Jennie did Spite what
would hev been the goljambdest fight
that ever took place in Squigg county.
Mind yer, the stakes were $40, an
Charley had good deal of standby in
him, if he was fortune-hunter an as
for Jed, everybody knows he's got a
hogsheadful o. pluck allus on hand. It's
shame, gentlemen, the mill didn't
come off; for, to this day, whenever
man gets little hard cider in him about
here he wrastles his tongue with some
body as to which would hev licked.
But Jed an Charley only laffs about
it now, an wouldn't muss for anything
Only a drop or two, Jonas-there,
that's about right. Where was L? Oh,
yes. Well, Jennie stepped atwixt 'em,
an says:
cit was all my fault, Jed-it was all
my fault, an only did it to see if you'd
be jealous. I'm cruel. hateful, wicked
girl, an if you won't fight, dear Jed, I'll
go into the minister's with you now,
provided you'll git me home afore my
aunt's up in the mornin', an then III
marry you In church as soon as L kin glt
ready proper. Ilove you, Jed, an If you
love me you won't want to do anythin'
to hev this business talked about till
afterwards"
You can see, gentlemen, she was
level-headed gal arter all.
Then she turns, as cool as cowcum-
Der, to Charley, an she says:
81 know why you an your friend
wanted to git me. AS it stands now,
you tried to fool me an L had to return
the compliment.
can now Jed's fooled you pretty
good, said Charley, latin.
Then they all got a-laffin, an Jed
caved an Charley caved, an all went
into the minister's, Charley actin as wit
ness
Jest as they came out, Sam drew up,
with his boss lame in three legs. He
looked pretty sour when Jed intro
duced Jennie as Mrs. Billings.
Jennie was taken to her aunt's a-hyin
an Charley followed at two-mile-an-
hour gait, with Sans horse hitched on
Charley's buggy to keep him up, an
Sam walkin' aside of him to jest slim
merlate him up, now and then.
The lawyers made it all right between
'em on the way home, an in the mornin'
the old Judge found 'em both dead
corned with some of his old Otard.
The perticlers didn't leak out till long
arter the church weddin', and then there
was some big fun over it.
Everybody knows now that Jed's made
that new stock-farm o his pay like
blazes, an Jennie's as quiet and stiddy
as the Mulbrytown giiide-post, an good
deal more charitable @
When old Judge Parker died, Sam
took his practice, an then sold out to
Charley. an went West. Charley has
married a likely gal on the creek, for
love, an is a-doin' well.
But how was it ?" asked one of the
listeners, "that Jed managed to be on
hand in time?"
1t was this way, gentlemen, said
the old granger, slipping his night-cap
Jed was a-fixin' leak in the roof of
his barn, when Sam Parker drove up to
nized the old gig. When it stopped an
let Charley down an then went flynn up
the back road, Jed thought somethin'
was up. So he crep' alongside the stone
wall, an before long he was a-watchin'
Charley instead O. Charley a-watchin'
him. Then, when Charley got sick of
his Job an then went down to the direc-
ton of the livery stable, Jed jest
chucked his boss in his buggy-an'
there amt no better piece o. hoss-fesh
between here an Greenfield-an' fol-
Tered him up.
But Charley he'd a good start so
Jed got to Eatonville about ten minutes
arter the couple he'd left for Starboro'.
He got all the perticklers at Eatonville
from the hostlers, and didn't see Sam,
who was upstairs a-ponderin' what to
do. Then he set his boss to steamin'
an he arriv'.
Well, that boss is old now, and no
use but they say he winks at Jed, now
an then, as much as to say CT pulled
you through on that $40, 900 business
Ell, old man ?" Then Jed winks, an the
boss is satisfied. Jed wouldn't take no
money for him to-day.
Are Jed an Jennie happy in their
present connubial relations ?" furtively
inquired the schoolmaster.
Carn't say, replied the old granger.
You're married, an you oughter know
how it is yourself.