Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-08-26

ever split another rail cut as long rs I
live. He had d little mite of, n Teller
hot much ih6re'n a f6ot high, with a
face as benevolent as Your own hus-
bans, an a good deal resemblin'. Ho
was dressed in red flannih' clothes; an
passed around his hat to take in tho
money, which was dropped in middlm'
brisk. l tell you he looked like the
Fourth o July uset to when you was a
gal. / tried to have a chat with him,
but 1 touldn't git n6thin' ont of him bu.
grins cuter'n LAS baby. asst the man
at the crank if the child was his own
son, an he stopped the music an want
ed to fight me. 1 couldn't make out
what it was that riled him.
: I've seed wild Injuns with their wal
paint Oh, standih' here in front Of gro.
ceries rs quiet as d varinint sneakiii'
into a henroost, without Offerin' to
skelp nobody. 1 kept considerably shy
Of 'em at fust, an made tracks for
t'other side of the road every time l
seed one of EN-. but finally I notjst
they seemed to be well-meanin', an l
didn't mind 'em any more. One of 'em
offered me q handful of seegars very
civil, but as 1 don't smoke l bid him
the time O. day an passed on.
1t would make your back ache to see
the waste u money in tho clothes tho
w6men folks here does wear. Lots of
'em is rugged out In a shape that would
git away with every brute crittcr on
our place to stand the expense. I
don't wonder that there's Robin nm
murderin' here most every day. II L
had a woman that'd want to fam ont
like that on week days the Lord only
knows what I'd do. 1t wouldn't lie
safe to have pizen in the house an let
me know it.
I've seed dogs here that seem to be
thought more Of than children is with
us, which is q comfort to know, an IL
the best thing about the people here ]
have diskivered. If people are that
kindhearted to dunn critters, what a
feelin' tenderness they must have for
their w offspring. / don't mini rs
we ever had a hired hand who was kind
to the mules that wasn't good to tLe
young'ns.
1t does beat all gosh what a powerful
sight of ardent sperits is sold here in
broad daylight, right out open an above
board, the same as groceries an hard
soap at Ciderville. I went into ono
place on an arrant, to find out how fur
it was to the tavern, an / never come
SO neal bein' struck with the palzy of
amazement in my life. 1t was q great
big grocery, bigger'n all of 'em in Ci-
Gerville put together, with tho peril
tons tore out, an what did / see? Barls
an kags an bottles by the acre, rs Il ne
as I'm a traveller, an every last ono OF
'em as full as it could stick with family
disturbance an downright human mis-.
cry. In the back eend of the store,
where they keep the molasses barls an
coal lie at home, they had a counter
finer'n anything / ever saw outside of q
picter, an behind il was some fellerS
wearin' better clothes'n I stood up in
to be married, except that they was in
their shirt sleeves, which I wasn't jest
then, for wunst in my life. They had on
vests an shirts as white as fresh milk,
an brespins that couldn't q been
bought in Ciderville for a cent less'n
two dollars l know. Behind the mon
was o lookin' glass that must a cost g
site. 1t was mighty nigh rs big rs the
board the circus bills was pasted on to
last summer, an / couldn't see o flaw
in it nowhere. 1t was a settin' up on to
q kind Of a bureau with o gravestonc
top on it, an there was more bottles an
things scattered around on it than ]
could count without stayin' ruther
longer then I csred to be seen In SIGH a
place. At the counter was a lot of men
standin' an drinkin' without the sign
of a blush on 'em. 1t was y sight that
chilled my marrer. / don't object to o
little warm cider in winter time, but l
would no more stand there in broad
daylight an drink Ticker that could
floor me than I'll take medicine when /
vas well. It's past my conceivin' how
men who looked as though they'd been
well brung up. could sink so low an
spend their money SO reckless. !
wouldn't a went back as fur into til
oncer as l did, but when / fust went
in / thought from the barls an kags
that l had struck q molasses factory,
an SEEM a sign readin' Chaplin q Gore,
| thought I'd hunt up Nh. Gore an sec
if he was any kin to the Cores in Mus
keetur County. I'm downright thank.
full I didn't find our boy there, but il !
don't git hold of him before he larns 10
smoke an wear his Sunday clothes on
week days, there's no tellin' wherc he
may bring up, SO you might as well be
prepared for the wust, old oman
This thing of writin' SO much givcf
me q pain behind the ears, an SO | shull
have to quit for this evenin'.
From your meanderin' husban'.
GAMoHIAH BAsswooD.
N. B.-I hain't seed . COW pastor in
all my trampin', an / tell You Tn git