Smyrna times., 1888-08-08

ana next moment came out with a rifle in
his hands He stood on the log and looked
down the road, and as cast my eyes in
that direction | saw a man leave the road
and take to a tree.
Yes, that's Robinson" muttered nv
host Stranger, you'd better squatl
Children, lay low Jen. look out fur
YOURSELF"
sat down on the ground beside the
log. while the children took cover on the
other side The woman never moved.
''Who is Robinson and what does he
want?" finally asked
Lives down on the creek, and wants to
shoot me, was the calm reply
Hes gittin yer range, Hi" remarked.
rather than exclaimed. the woman.
Next moment a bullet whistled over nv
head and the report Of Robinsons rife
came to our ears
He couldn't hit barn at the end of
his gum" muttered Hi. who stood with
rifle ready to raise to his face
There was long silence. and then he
stepped down and said
Guess we'd better go in, stranger
ItobInson's an Onery skunk, and is prob
ably creepin up on us for clusser shot.
Jist don't mind US. but make yerself to
hum
The door had not been shut to after us
as we entered the cabin when a bullet
struck it This aroused the spirit of the
woman. and she exclaimed:
There, Iii Skivens, didn't | allus say
Robinson was a coward1"
Yes, you allus did
And you hev got to wipe him out?"
Yes, | hev Tain't no use putin up
with him no noah.
Have you and Robinson been at this
thing very long?' I asked, as sat down.
Bout three years.
Its what they call feud, is it?"
That's the name. | guess. I'd have
had him twice if my gun hadn't missed
fire and he's hit me once"
Only a trihe. though" added the
woman, as if | would regard the wound
as a stain upon his honor
I'D like to see the man as could kill
popl' exclaimed the oldest child, a girl
Go long, Nancy, and take that with
you!' said the mother. as she bestowed a
sound cuff on the ear.
Robinson now fired a bullet through
the only front window and uttered war
whoop
Coin to stand it?" queried the woman
as sEo looked over to her husband.
In course not. Stranger, I'm sorry
for this muss. That onery Robinson has
took advantage of your bein' here to raise
furze Don't blame it on to me-"
excused him and asked him for the
origin of the feud. He could not give
clear reason. and after ten minutes argu-
ment lie consented to let me go out and
talk with Robinson. I opened the door,
waved the only white cloth the woman
could find in the house, and soon after
went out. Robinson was behind tree
across the road
'Howdy, stranger?" he queried as l
came up. Has Hi surrendered?"
When | told him that l had come to act
as peacemaker he laughed the idea to
scorn.
Didn't he tell hull bar room full of
fellers at Athens that he could put me on
my back?" he howled.
"And what else2"
Didn't he call me a sassafrax chewer
and make fun of my shooting"
went back to Hi, and he roared out:
Didn't he brag Of how he could out
jump me2'
What else2"
Didn't he say we run off durin' the
war;"
went back to Robinson, and Just as
darkness settled down l patched up a
truce. He was to come into the cabin and
talk matters over, being guaranteed pro-
lection. When we entered Hi sat on the
edge of the bed, rifle in hand The two
men glared at each other minute, and
neither the wife nor children seemed to
have a quicker heart beat. Robinson
finally placed his gun in q corner, went
over to Hi with extended hand and said:
We've bin onery long huff l know
you kin out wrassle me-"
Yes, we've bin powerful onery," re.
| piled Hi. Il allus lmowed you could out
| jump me"
"And l chewed sassafrax'
And we run off durin' the war"
That settled it, The wife set about
getting supper, and it wasn't ten minutes
before Robinson was trotting one Of the
children on his knee and saying:
Mighty peart youngster, III. Seems to
take arter both Of ye Wife hevin' any
chiIls this summer2"
And the pioneer, whose rife was at half
cock and only two feet away, replied
Purity far, child. as they run No,
Jen isn't chillin' any this sezun Say,
Jim. let's fix fur hunt tomorrer | got
track of bar yesterday up yere piece"
And they went off together in the morn
ing before was up.-M Quad in Detroit
| Free Press