Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-11-13
CRACKER COURTsHIP.
How aPop" w on the Hand Of an
Industrious Widow.
Love-Making as Practiced in an Unknown
Nook Of F1Orida-The Way in Which
Old Man Somers Presented His
Case to Mrs. Legaro.

Down in this unknown nook characters
may be met who would delight those ap-
preciative of the fresh and distinctive in
human nature, writes New York Tribune
correspondent from Lady Lake, Fla. Here
in the deepest recesses of 'the piney
woods" are crackers" who have never
penetrated ten miles from the smoky cabins
in which they were born, and whose domes-
tic life has been bounded by the hve-oak
logs, clay walls and palmetto thatch of
their cabins. Here they have lived since
the time, back in the sos, when Osceola
and his Seminoles were captured by the
regulars or driven to the gators, moccasins
and miasma swamps of the Everglades.
hdolence, ignorance, shiftlessness, cour-
age and pride are their more prominent
qualities.
Some miles back from this lake is
fertile tract of ''high hummock" land on
which stands particularly heavy and
luxuriant growth Of pine, magnolia and
live-osk. In it are several clearings which
were made some four or five decades since,
by the first Crackers who came to this
section, at the time of their arrival wild
and virgin country, which foot of white
hlan may not have trodden since Ponce de
Leon ranged the peninsula in his quest for
the tabled fountain of youth.
Three Of the clearings are clustered close
ly together, one owned by the Widow
Legare pronounced Legree), one by "Pop''
Somers and the third by 'Uncle Billyn
Thomas. Uncle Billy has contrived to pass
sixty-three years in single blessedness, but
during the last eight years he has found
engrossing charms in the society Of the
widow. On the other hand Pop" has had
three wives, the last in the sequence having
died a month ago. 1t is in order to state
that "Pop" Is a man of individuality, not
gwen to inaction and vain repining when
he has suffered loss. Misfortune has
bracing effect on him and stimulates him to
repair his losses. Consequently was not
surprised at the turn conversation took
which held with him fortnight after the
death of his third wife. Replying to some
expressions Of sympathy on my part, the
old man said:
Eyes, Yank, I've done lost er good house
keeper. So my cabin his in mighty pore
ways. So Of cose I've done bin reckonin'
for ernuther wife. haint settled ION none
yit, as I've done bin right tollerble busy"
For moment was speechless. Then,
acting on mischievous impulse, sug-
gested:
"Have you thought of the Widow Legarei
She's capable as housekeeper and isn't O
day more than forty-five."
Il lowed" was the reply, "that mout
settle on the wilder But thar amt no
use in bein' in sich pow'rful rush. Purity
soon I'll take er day to hunt fer er woman.
Gittin' er wife is like gittin' er mule, and
er man should be keerful to git un that'n
last and Is stiddy and don't low fur ter
kick'' .
"Better speak to the widow right away.
Uncle Billy may cut in ahead of youn
''rll resk it, Yank," said the old man.
hoi
time in much as nigh eight years But III
speak ter her come week"
Exactly a week later Pop" saddled his
mule and rode to the widows. He found
the buxom matron mending the gourd that
hung in her well and-but / will tell the
tale in his own words:
"'Mornin', widder. Howdyl' seq L
"'What do you-uns wautp said she-uns.
suspicious-like.
$50 l done come right down to it and
sald: I'm reckonin' 1 low fur ter git
ernuther wife, and l want ter to take you
uns, if you-uns don't low otherwise. What
do you-uns thinkl' seq l. in my peartest.
80 Dunno seq she-uns. Amt this sud-
denta Lemme think. Thar's dis yere
Uncle Billy
"'Durn Uncle Billyl' / snapped out, hot
like. 'Er right smart critter he is. He's
had eight year the start on me and he hain't
never done nothin'. I'm live man wiz four
acres cleared land, and three COWS and
twenty orange trees and er mule Better
say yes, wilder. figger 1t out that you.
uns will like it,
"Wall, she wouldn't just then, but she
did two minutes later. Just then the cir
cult rider done come long, and done told
the wilder that we'd hitch our hands to-
gether right thar and save time and be
| through wi IT. But she said that thar
| wasn't no way to be married, and lowed
she wanted to ride 'roun by Uncle Billy's
right away and be married much as higher
fortnight after. Wall, ther wilder done
mounted ther mule behindt me and we rid
ter Uncle Billy's, who was so 'gasted
(amazed) that he couldn't even cussd
The wedding took place next day, the cir
cult rider officiating My present to the
bride was an engraving picturing the story
of Young Lochinvar The bridal journey
| was taken on muleback