Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-07-16
A FOURTH.
Aunt Melinda's Target Shooting and
What Came of 1t,

What Came OF 1t.
"Old Scratch is at it ag'in," said
Aunt Melinda, looking toward the
garden, where the family hen was in
dustriously scratching. as usual. "It's
a good thing we han't no Vegetables
CROWN, fur old Scratch would have
'em up in less'n no time. This ere
soil don't grow 'nothin' but gold and
silver. Howsomever, l wouldn' mind
havm' a good crop o. that" and with
a sigh Aunt Melinda set down her iron
and took a hot one off the stove.
"Waal, no." answered Uncle Jona-
than, taking his pipe from his mouth:
ga good crop O. gold and silver would
be powerful convenient to hev, an here
in Colorado no more'n we ought to
expect"
YOU'D want it ter come up coins"
said Aunt Melinda, with a whitening
glance. ''You wouldn't take a pick
and dig if you knew sartin sure you'd
strike it rich. Why don't you 90 up
the mountain prospectin'?n
"Melindy," said Uncle Jonathan.
solemnly, you forgi6 my wooden
leg"
"Fiddlesticks!" replied Aunt Me-
linda, Il don't want you to take oft
your leg an dig with it. You're we'll
enough to walk to town for tobacco
every time you can git the money out
o me to buy it. Here l stand washin'
an ironin' to earn money to keep us
alive, and mebbc up there on the
mountain yonder is a gold mine jest
waitin' fur the first man that has grit
enough to dig down fur it. Hain't you
ashamed O fyourself Jonathan Schrim!"
''I'll start out airly in the mornin',"
answered Uncle Jonathan, meekly.
"Kin I go with you?" asked Jim,
eagerly.
Jim was perched up on a barrel,
his neck. He was peeliny potatoes for
dinner, and swinging his feet to and
fro.
You can go if your aunt can spare
YOU" answered Uncle Jonathan. II
reckon l won't 20 fur"
IL reckon you WON'T" remarked
Aunt Melinda, significantly.
''I'd rather dig gold than peel pota-
toes" began jim, discontentedly.
''Peelin' potatoes is girls work"
"Well, you're all the girl I've got,
so l have to make use O. you," replied
Aunt Melinda II can't do every
thing" with a glance at poor Uncle
Jonathan.
''Whcn I've dome the potatoes, kin
go out and play2" questioned Jim.
eyes," said his aunt, ''when you've
peeled the potatoes and pared the ap-
pies and brought in some wood and set
the table for dinner"
'Jiminy cricketsr' thought Jim,
"'tain't no fun to play bein' a girl"
Old Scratch was already at work and
throwing the dirt in every direction
when Jim came out in the garden the
next morning at seven O'Clock. Her
owner put his hands in his pockets and
watched her admiringly.
"She's the best hen in the hull
camp" he was thinking, when bang!
bang! vent something right at hisfeet.
"Hullo, Jim!' called out a bow on
the other side of the fence. ..What
are you jumpin' fur? Didn't you know
twas the Fourth OF July?"
~ IL: Salu Jlm~ II Clean tor
got. Gin me some O. your crackers"
Jim Schrim," called Aunt Melinda.
"come right in here and wash these
dishes"
And Jim went reluctantly into the
house.
"It's the Fourth o July" he ex-
claimed, as he entered the door.
Uncle Jonathan nearly dropped his
pipe in surprise.
II declare to goodness!" he began.
"if here l wasn't startin' out to work
on a national holiday. I'd forgot all
about it's bein' the Fourth. The people
in this ere country don't care nuthin'
fur Sundays an holidays"
"kin l hev some crackers?" beooed
Jim, who had tied on his gingham
apron and was industriously using a
dish-towel.
"Ask your aunt" suggested Uncle
Jonathan. .'She used ter be noted fur
bein' SO patriotic"
Il hain't got no money to spend on
them kind O. crackers, J." said Aunt
Melinda, grimly.
Never mind,' whispered Uncle
Jonathan to Jim, with a wink. ..IIl
let you fire off my pistol"
so, when Jim had finished the dish.
es and swept up the kitchen, he fol-
lowed his uncle out in the garden and
they nailed a board on a tree for a
marx. 1t was fortunate that they had
plenty OF cartridges, for neither were
very good shots, and the balls went
nylns many yards from the target.
FINALLY, Aunt Melinda came to the
200 OF the cabin and c~ondescended to
make remarks on their skill.
could 40 better than that myself,
jonathan Schrim.' she declared.
than. 'ona'
90 auns Melinda took the pistol
n,.t.y IN her right hand and pointed it
! her husband SAueAAeo