The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-11-03
A Great Occasion.

An old fellow with grizzly beard and
lips indelibly dyed with tobacco juice
sat on a log near rude house. A
stranger, well dressed and muscled in
no delicate way, rode up, dismounted,
tied his horse to sapling, approached
the stranger and said:
81 am lost"
The man on the log made no reply,
but discharged a mouthful of Gambler
at a lizard that poked his head over q
chip in front of him.
81 say, I'm lost"
"Wall, did L say yer want?" and he
chewed his tobacco in apparent uncOn-
Germ.
The stranger took off his coat and
rolled up his sleeves. Il know all
about you" he said. "You are an
Arkansaw squatter and have been liv-
ing here since forty-fve. Hundreds of
benighted beings, lost in these Internal
woods have begged you for information
concerning the road they desired to
follow, and you have given them all
kinds of evasive replies. / am prize
fighter and have been sent here by an
Eastern syndicate to thump you into
civilized Submission. Now, | don't like
to pummel an old man, and l propose
to give you chance. am lost and l
don't know where ] am
The squatter discharged another
mouthful of juice at the lizard and re-
| manned silent.
GLOW would.you advise me to get
out of this devilish community"
'Td advise yer ter ride
Come now, none of your foolishness.
I know how to take you. Which way
would you advise me to ride. -"
GAS fast as yer KEN
II see that I'll have to discharge
my duty l thought at first that Id
scare you by saying l was prize
fighter. | am only an unpretentious
citizen and have come a long way to
look for the house of Emanuel Peters"
"Wall, why don't yer look?"
II have looked"
"Looll agin."
"But which way must l look?"
"Outen yer eyes, | reckin.'
'Old man, I'll have to fight YOU"
"All right" and turning around he
yelled: ooh, Tom, tell yer muir and
the chillun ter come here, fur we're
gwine ter have some fun. Fetch the
gun an dog with YER
Il don't want to hurt you, old man."
'Don't be skeered. You won't hurt
me-"
"But I don't want you to hurt me. ="
"Then mosey."
al won't mosey For the last two
days have been looking for the house
of Emanuel Peters and have been put
off by such fellows as you and have
decided not to stand it any longer.
Now, am going to jump on YOU" and
without giving the old man time to re-
ply, he seized him. The old fellow
exhibited remarkable activity, and in a
moment had thrown the young man
against the ground with q force that
made his teeth chatter He was up
again in an instant. This time he Sc
cured better hold. He danced around
in way of which the old man could
hardly keep track. Tom and the old
woman came out, but did not bring the
dog and gun.
watch his capers, pap said the
old lady. Hug him, fur he's mighty
peart.
Finally the young man downed the
old fellow, sat on him and asked:
''Now will you tell me where [ can
find Emanuel Peters,"
81 amt never objected ter tellin'
whar the old man is"
Eyes, you did" and he held the old
fellow in manner not to be mistaken
for gentleness.
eyer never axed whar the old mar
was. Yer aXed whar was his house
The old man amt got no house. The
high water washed it over on another
feller's land, and since that he has beer
rentin' it,"
"Well, where's the old man?"
I'm him."
"Great goodness said the young
fellow, arising, Pm your son anC
havn't seen you since / was Il child"
"Well, I'll be dog gon!' exclaimed
the old fellow, grasping his sens hand
l thought something strange when fel
yer grip. | mouter knowed then tina
yer belonged to the family. Muir, slut
yer son. Tom, fetch the bottle an m,
yaller coat. This is occasion fur put
tin on style.-Arh0nSa1c 1raceJer.