Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-02-01
Cheated.

Billy Kasnoozelum was the champion
Jumper, the best shot and the bravest
hunter in the Coon Hollow neighbor-
hood, and all the girls for miles around
admired him. His father owned a good
farm of twenty acres, six mules and ten
dogs-enough of this worlds goods to
make any man happy. The old man
advised Billy to get married and settle
down. "And be sure to marry q wo-
man what's got some property" said
he. Billy said he would get married in
the course of time if left to himself, and
there the matter would rest for a time.
One day Billy went on a hunting
jaunt and Travelled so far. from home
that he found himself in a strange
neighborhood, and suddenly he came
unexpectedly upon a house. In the
doorway stood a damsel of eighteen OF
whereabouts, looking as sweet as a green
persimmon. Billy stood as one trans
fixed and gazea in open-mouthed ad-
mirat;on at the forest beauty which had
so suddenly dawned upon his vision
like an angel visitant. He dared not
speak for fear he should break the spell
and drive the fair wood nymph forever
from his sight. 1t was left to her to
knock the enchantment higher than
Gilderoy's kite.
"What az you lookin' at, mister?"
"Why IL was just lookin' at YOU"
"Wal, eff you've got any business out
with it, an don't stan thar like yer
hadn't no sense"
Billy had no business of any import
ance on hand just then, but he managed
to get up a conversation and when he
left the two were pretty well acquainted.
Billy found out the girl lived alono
with her father, a farmer by birth, edu-
cation and occupation, and somehow he
found it convenient to pass that way
every time he went on a hunting expe-
dition.
Tabitha Wintergill's father owned
twenty acres of land, a mule and four
dogs. Billy told his father about it and
he seemed satisfied. $50 ahead Billy"
he said, '.you have my blessing"
Billy courted the fair Tabitha, the
twenty acres, the mule and the dogs
with all the ardor of his young soul.
Every time he visited the country store
he bought candy and snuff for her and
she repaid him in smiles; and she could
smile the sweetest, broadest and com
prehensive of smiles. when the weather
was dry so she could get in the middle
of that twenty acre field to do it.
Thus time went on.
Time was still going on when Billy
thought he would ask the momcntous
question that was to decide his fate.
The more he thought of it the more he
thought that too much time had gone
by. With these thoughts in his mind
he approached the house where she
lived one day about this time of the
year.
"Tabitha," said he, 81 want ter get
married."
oval, why don't yer?"
"Cause l amt got dc gals consent
yet"
"Who's de galp"
"You, Tabitha."
"Me! sho; you're only jokin' now.'
"No [ amt. I love you bctter'n 1 dc
'possum meat, and l want you fer a
wife. what dye say?"
"Wal, l sorter promised Jim Shucks
I'd marry him. l like you better'n Lido
him, though, an ef you an him kin fix
it up some way III marry you. Yonder
he comes now" and she ran into the
house, leaving Billy and Jim to arrange
matters the best they could. Billy broke
the ice thusly:
'Jim, you an rs both struck artel
Tabitha. Now I'll tell you what I'll
do; I'll give you this here gun fer yel
chance"
"Can't do it.n '
"I'll give yer six steel traps tie,
boot"
Cant do it,"
can I'll give yer a pair of pap'l
dogs"
cts a go. Gimme yer hand. Sue
cess ter you"
Time has went on a few more.
Billy has been married three years.
He is meditating. Hear him:
Il was beat so bad in my life
in a trade. But Jim Shucks nor nc
other man'n eve cheat me that way
again. Carl PretzeN's Weekly.