Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1881-07-02
Ruyt Race.

One evening a crowd of young people
concrcrated al Bill Burton's rancho, and
when the first quadrille was over he took Il
.tand in front of the fire, and, parting his
coat-tails in q comfortable mahhcr, remark
cd
"That WIS purity neat dancing; YOU all
know the step and handle yer hoois purity
pccrt. but some of YOU young folks can't
hold er candle to sofc old uns I've seed /;
an that kinder reminds me of old Widow
Harkins knowcd back in Georgy wien
wus boy" ,
ooh. tell us about her, Uncle Bill" ex-
claimed chorus of voices.
Wall. she was ther all-iircdcst actiycst
old hcifer ever knowcd, She lived up in
tbe Peach Branch settlement, nigh 10 Bill
Browns an WIS kin-aunt or suthm'- to
thor Dlllcrs from Albany. When kn0wcd
her she was crawin' on to eighty years old,
Int she WIS tougher n cr pecan sapllng, an
the way that 'ere old critter knocked dust
that June day wus er caution 10 er mustang
"Was she scared, Uncle Billy inquir-
ed the crowd.
"WaI. now. guess she wus kinder ekccrt.
Yon sec one day had jes' cum outer the
field from plowin', and turned old Jon ID
tbcr lot Durn that old mule, hc had Jes
busted 4 new pair Of traces 10 flinders try
I'M 10 kick or parcel of humble bees ofcrn
his hind legs. lie was allefs gcttin IN
waller jackets nest or slithin' else, an, con
sarn his ole pictur. he busted my Lett leg
outer lint jcs' when camp-meetln wur com
in on bout er week artcr that. As "u'
huntin' round er stable, gcttin' up cr new
set of ecar. when hcerd the dcrndest yel-
lin an er bellwir' up ther lane, an IL
pcarcd To ne it WAS cimin closer ali he
lime. so ! elm 0n the fence an gln to
look. Ther fust thing ! seed WIZ erl Bug
cl.ud ar dust an the next thing nay eyes
III on wus Bill Browns ole brindlc bull ics
er rippih' an cr rearin' an er liiiin' hls tan
an er chasin' ole Widow iIarkins fur cy-
cr,ti,inp She wuz worth Thar wus thcr
hull with his head dofn an tail up, an
thar WIS ole Widow Ilarkins, with her
balmoral histcd. ics' or clatterlH' down the
lane like er cOupieOf race horses. ! warn
much pious in those days, an gettn' klnd-
or excited. | TUX oil my hat an yelled,
Sling ont yer best hoof; 20 It, old gal, till
vou make thcr gap in the cali-Pcn, an thar
you're safe When ] hollcred to her u
bracoi her up. She puckcred her mouth
like ther butt end of 'er poIsimmon, histed
her balmoral er little higher, AZ tell yer
II fairly made me sweat 20 sec ther way that
ole citizen did climb over dirt. She soric'
looked back over one shoulder ar san that
bull about ten feet bcliI'd her, an siill .eI
cummin' 'er rippin' an rcarin'. But, ieeliii
she was safe, she jest pulled her baImoTa 'i;,
over her head, an the ole hull stood still
asi5nished an vert OF kindern a kitten1
| would Jest like to see some Of you quad
riIle dancers try to take the rag Oft Widow
Harkins"
You. Bill " shouted hia 0ife, in dismay
He stopped dead short, and there was
parseIa l0ng;lreay pause-uniil one o
/ Ibe souug men lodk6l out Of the NindoF
and said he thought it would rain be1ion
morning Tie young ladies said the.
Thought Z would, too, and old Bill Bartol
vert down to the cow-pen q rec II IN
caIy6s had been turned out, and never cam
back in the parlor again that night.