The Red Cloud chief., 1882-01-26
SQUIRE SPRECKLE'S CONSENT.

SQUIRE SPRECKLE'S CONSENT.
Laws, BenTmin, do hush!" said
Aunt Peggy, looking up mildly from
her knitting; leastways find somethin'
sensible 10 talk about"
But Ben Hunter was not the man to
he easily stopped in a,story he had set
his mind on telling, and his good danes
gentle protest only seemed to whet the
curiosity OF the merry group who had
met to spend their Christmas eve with
The worthy old couple.
"Go on, Uncle Ben" came from
every side; and Uncle Ben, YOU may
be sure, waited for no second invita-
ton.
1t was thus his story ran:
when Peggy there was Peggy
White, and turned of eighteen. there
want her match for goods looks 'Ithin
a range o. twenty mild. You needn't
frown an shake your head, Peggy;
you'd'a liked to hear it well enough
then.
Peggy was left m orphan while
very young; but an uncle, as had some
property an no children. luck her home
an brung her up, an when he died left
her all he had.
at warn't that, let M say. rs made
me take a notion to Peggy. I've Jest
told you how handsome she was; but
cven eft hid been her money l was
after, I'd precious little chance of ever
gcttin' il, for by her uncle's will, ef she
married 'ithout the consent o. Josh way
Sprcckle, her guardeen, she lost all;
and there was about rs much prospect
of Josh Sprcckle c%onsentin' to her mar
ryin' me as there was of his dom any
other good-natur'd thing.
.Pcggy'n med talked the thing over,
an come TO an understanding that as
o as I'd scraped together enough
for n start, we'd hitch teams for bet
ter or wuss, 'ithout AKIN Mr.. Spree
klc's leave, let the money 60 where it
mout.
.'One day l had to take a trip to a
ncighborin' settlement. The country
was new and wild then, an my wav laid
through the woods. As the weather
was hot an my walk to be a long one,
/ didn't kcer to kerry more weight'n
necessary, an SO left my rifle at home.
'Arter trudgin' a spell l got into a
deep thicket, an pooty soon / hearn
loud hollerin' rs of somebody calm for
help.
81 made for the sound, an afore
long come to the edge of a deep gulch
18th steep walls q rock on both sides,
an araglR' stream dashin' along at the
bottom.
"On t'other side. up in the crotch OF
n tree, sot a man shoutin' murder
loud rs he could screech; an on the
ground below n big bear, squattin' on
his launches. was lookin' up an lickin'
his lips mighty wishful like.
".HelloI' says whats the mat
tcr?'
1.-The man turned his head, an lon
behold, who should it be but Josh way
Sprecklc!
...Good mornin'. Squire says /.
Josh'way, you see. ID been lately 'lected
Jestice O. the Peace, an liked bein'
called by his % title.
Good mornin'. Benjamin. says he;
I'm ever SO much glad to see you
An for the fust time in his life he
looked's eff he rally
You seem to be in a pooty tight
place, Squire says l.
81 ani,' SAYS he. Il went out hunt
in this mornin'. an all of q Student
that devoarin' monster you see there
come rushin' at me full split out o the
bushes. L ups an blazes away, but
hevin' no time for a Study aim, made
a clean miss, an the savage crittcr
come tearin' on madder'n afore. OF
course l had to run fo't, an arter a
sharp a barely succeeded in scrab'
bin up here
IL must confess | felt considerable
much like remainin' nootraL. How.
sever. says | at last:
".What kin | do for you. Squire:
You see I've got no gun.
There's a young tree over there,
says he, 'leanin' over the gulch from
your side. You kin climb up into it,
an let yourself drap over here. My
gums but a little WAYS back yonder. an
kim throw you my powder-horn an
bullet-pouch. an you kin load up an
ihoot the bear with no trouble at all
AN what'H the bear be dom all
the while? says l.. He's a lookin' al
me from the tail of his eye this minnit,
an I'm afeard eff Idrap over there it'll
he plump into his jaws. There's only
one thing TO do says j, IAN that's 10
go'n fetch my rifle an shoot the var.
ment from over here
IL guess that's so,' says he; but
don't be gone long. The desp'rit
brute's made two or three attempts to
shin up here already, an there's no
KNOWN how soon he may succeed
There's one thing I'd like TO men,
tion afore goin', Squire says i. I've
had it on my mind for some time
whats that? says he.
Your ward, Peggy White
".Well? says he, cockin' up one ear.
".l want your consent to her'n me
gittin' married. says l, speakin' squar'
out.
He Civ a look at men then one al
the bear. 1t was more'n aminnit afore
he spoke. l seed there was a powerful
in'ard struggle goin' on. Ev'rybody
knowed Josh'way Spreckle'd sot his
heart on marryin' Peggy to a nephew
of his'n, SOS to keep her money in the
family; an I've no doubt he was de.
batin', Jest then, whether to tell me to
go to Old Scratch, takin' his OWL
chances of trim out the bears patience,
or to buy my help with fair promises
Now Josh'way was a prudent man, an
q strict believer i'm the doctrine of self
preservation. So't last saws he:
"'Mr. Hunter. I've long had my eye
on you as a suitable match for Peggy.
"Td more'n wunst hearn JOSHUA
Spreckle pronounced by good judges te
be the ablest liar in the Territ'ry. but
that whopper fairly tuck away my
breath.
".Then Eve got your consent say:
/. hardy DARN to believe my ears.
"'You hev,' says he.
".An' no takin' backT says I.
"sHonor bright" says he.
waited to hear no more. but sot
ets11A speed. hopin' an prayin'
friend. the bear, mout not be
1esart his post. As l hur.
49,