The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-15
STORY OF A MEWL.

] 10 proceed
When | left young Marvin and his
pap" hadn't a thought that the man
who had been shot at would interfere
with me even if he hadn't been driven well
out of the neighborhood. Any sensible
man when fired upon will take the fact
as a hint that he should he going and !
supposed this stranger would 20 30 fast
/ that there was no danger Of my over
/ taking him.
/ | had followed the rocky trail for a
mile and a half, and was descending into
+ the depths OF dark rayine, when a
man sprang out Of the bushes into the
/ trail and shouted at me:
who's you 'un, thar
a traveller, | answered.
"Whar fromY
Several places"
He came forward, his gun held ready
TO fire, and when he was near enough TO
look me over he growled:
"Shoo vou'un hain't he. Him's a
coward or he'd gin me a show
care you the man who is looking fOl
Lem Marvin" | asked as sat down on
a handy bowldcr
Il arr Whoop, Whars him, Whoopl
Bung his onery pictur', but whar's him.
Il left him back there about a mile
and half. Did he shoot at your
Him did: yes Whoop. Him hid be-
hind the rocks and got the drop on me-
and him's bullet went through my hiatt
Look-a'-that.'
He threw an old felt hat at my feet
and | picked IL up and saw that piece
Of the rim had been gouged out by a
bullet.
And mebbe the cowardly him sent
you'un TO giG me of my guard while him
skulks ND fur another try! howlcd the
man a. he danced around and threatened
me with the gun.
"My friend answered, tryiag very
hard to be- cool. II never saw Lem Mar
vim until an hour ago, and | never want
to see him again. He's got son named
Davey."
Yes, him has. bung his onery pictur'."
"Well Davcv stopped me on the road
with his shotgun and held me prisoner
until the old man came up. lie was of
hunting for you
"WhOOp. And what did him say when
him cum backj'
said he had fred at you and missed.
"Whoop. Yes. him fired ar me. Him
may be right around yore now''
The man sprang backwards and looked
all around him, his gun held ready t.
shoot, and though | assured him that
Marvin had given up the hunt and gone
home, he still seemed to believe that my
coming was a put up job to assassinate
him. While he was whOOping and dan
cling around and threatening [ lighted
cigar and settled back for a smoke This
Gained him down after awhile and he
stood before me and asked
do you know why him wants to
kill me-"
Something about mule, wasn't IL
"Whoop She was. And its about
that mule why want to kill he"
"Well. 60 ahead and tell me the story,
and, by the way, it's q wonder you don't
shoot yourself in the foot with that gun.
You are the most careless man / ever
saw. Put down the hammsr and stand
it up here and tell me your story"
And you'un wants to grab 1t and
shute mcw
"Bosh. You are no Drawer than Davey
Marvin"
Il haint. ell? Whoop-eel | kin hck /
the hull Marvin family with nv legs and .
hands tied Don't 80 fur to run Inc
down. stranger, or Ill shute."
smoked away in silence, and by and |
by he put down his gun and began:
Il had mewl Ii was seven years .
ago. He war mewl to dOte on. Thars .
nevis about till ye can't rest, but they
don't 90 fur shucks.'
Yes"
IL raised that ere mewl from year
ling, did. / knowed him from top to
bottom He lnOwed me from head 10
feet. Whoop | can't hold myself when
think Of ia
go on"
ii had that mewl in the family fun
nine year., he continued. "Hc growed
mo dandy all the time The old woman
sot store by him, and the children sol
store by him, and Ia hev gone without
whisky u keep he from suferin.
Whoopee! I'm a-gittin' dangerousl 1.
rises me of my feet IL think Of what
Iule made Of myself.'
Did that mule have ID name:" | asked
IN course he did. called him Da-
nascus, and he'd cum at 10Y holler 40
fur rs be could hear it. He was a run
hin mewl Stranger, that ere Damas-
Gus could beat creased lightnin' at run
lin'! He never lost one outer forty scrub
aces
"WelIf"
wall, one day was up in these dig
gins on that nevis back, lookin' fur
ace with somebody. and | got drunk
want to shed blood when
think Of it, Went and got SO drunk
hat | lost my senses. In that condishun
his Lem Marvin cuw along with an old
'allcr mewl-a ciittcr as couldn't stand
till and look sc ia the iace-the poorest,
neanest, wall eyedest, kuockkneedest
newl III all the kentryl Him got me TO
rade | kin remember that him told
ne his mewl was valued at $4,000, and !
hat him could do $50 circus tricks
Nhoop-e-e. Stranger. look up and wit
less a pictur Of terror"
$50 Oh.
The fust thing remember was of
.ittin' home with that ar onery beast.
nd Of the ole woman and children
-cryin' out arter the beloved Damascus.
heir yells and howls sobered me up
It, and when ! found that had dun
one and made fule of myself tainted
cad away! Whoop. Whoopl Stranger,
am dangerousl ] orter be tied 10
.eer'
You are all right-what else:"
"Wall, cum back up yere to git Da-
laScus, and Lem Marvin wouldn't gin /
o up. Him said it was fair trade. and !
10 only thing left was TO shute he. I've
led 10 fur the last two years, but luck
agin NE. Hip! Wool. Stranger, I've
OF to hev blood or 60 to pieces Ireckon
ouun laid in with the Maryins agin mel
Is, reckon We did"
Il didn't care t copper whether you
He'd Marvin or he killed you. | don't
elieve in murder Of this sort. Both OF
on ought 10 be arrested"
Hear he. Whoop. Hear he sidinI
gin me an wishin' had been shot!r
owled the man as he danced around.
II don't side against you, though you
rought it on 10y getting drunk. say .
,at no man has "a fhyhf 70 90 cr,,npino |