The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-03-10
JIM SMITHS FIGHT
BY VIM. HALL.

n one day to tell about hghl that i'm Smith had once with Jim Shadbraw down in Satar,la.
 Well. ser Potter, l was al Satartia one day. all arter had got through with my biHness an was about to advance back home Bob Wilson he ups an sez to me. Potter. sez he, thar is gwinc to be olipse of the sun here to-day, an you better stay an sec It.
 What sort of thing is Il, sez l :.
 Ser he. it's fight between the sun an moon to see which will git the upper hand. an everything will be as dark as the hinges of Dasy Jones' loekeri
 Ser l, Bob Wilson. you ar foolin' me, ain, you.
 No, sez he, its as true as preachin, an nyou go home, may be so, you won, see it.
 We'll, se1 1, Satar,ia always was great place for gittin up odd klns of shows an jigamarees, an if was to go home mout miss seem II, sure 'nuft.
 Ser l, Bob, suppose the sun should git the advanlage-thcn thar would be no moon, would they.
 Marcy moon, sex he.
 Then. scz 1, how could you tell when to SOW your turnips.
 He sorter scratched his head at tha, an couldn't answer.
 We'll, scz l Bob, spose the moon was to git the advantage an blowth the sun out, what then!
 All moonshine, sez he.
 Arter a while. when cum to consider about Il. sez Bob Wilson. is the thing fixed so tha, the clipse Is oblecgcd ,o cum of to-day couldn't they put it of till some other time!
 Sez ke, nary put of, for the show bills are out, an the almanick scz thar can be no postponement on account of the weath- CT.
 Ser l. that's it again, an s'pose I've got to stay Alter had considered a what to do, an I'm between hawk and buzzard, because fl go home you say may miss the sights. an if l. stay too long away i'i see sights when l so home Are: ths Sally of mine the tellers all laffed like town. specially me. an sez l. Bob Wilson, that's one of my best joax -ain't 1t! Sez he, hain't hearn none of your joax. Ser l, when said just now "if go home may not see the sights an if l stay here I'll sec sights when l SC home,' don't you call that good Joak 1t may be so, Potter. sez he, but you are always sayin so many cute things that scarcely ever notice um.
 We'll, talkin' bout the fight tween Jim Smith an Jim Shadhraw, was down in Satartia one day when Bob Wilson ups an tells me about the 'clipse an persudes me to stay. My daddy used to tell me i, was bad plan ever to let myself be over persuaded, for. SCI he, you waste the pre- cious mlnl,s in that way. and mlnits make hours, hours days, days make months and months years, an thus by fulin away the odd moments time with view less wings speeds on, silvering your hair till you git old and shriveled up like q October peach. an die an leave nc signw The last five words are senptur
 Well, as was sayin', lowed myself to be oyer-persuaded by Bob Wilson, an staid in town to see the 'clipse of the sun which 1t didn't come of, as it was cloudy in Satartia that day. an rained like town When went home that night they asked me why in the blue bla1es didn't come home an see the 'clipse? Ser l, wa. there a 'clipse here, too? Sex they, yes an the purticst kind of a one. Sez | how could you see it, an ita rainin? Oh ser they, it was as clear as bell here though it mout have been rainin' in Sa. tartia. Ser l, hang it 1. if ever that ar Bot Wilson fools me that way again hell know it
 Talkin' about that ar fight between Jim Shadbraw and Jim Smith, 1t was the da, of the 'clpse, an most of the fellers' eye. was so 'clipsed l don't believe they could have seed 1t if it had cum of.
 Some of the fellers was mity drunk. tell you bu, artcr chap has got sobe, an tries to behave hisself, nevel likes to joak him bout it in company, fol know how bad it makes teller feel.
 Well, we was all there in Satartia, an sum of the boys was drinkin' purty free While they was jawin' over their ticker politix was interdoosed. an I hearr among other things that linn Shadbrav should have sed white man was as good as a nigger if he behaves hisself. Tim