Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-12-31
"BUSBY'S GAL"

''They say old Dick Busby's gals
got back from school," 81 Potter re-
marked to the little group of 'Possum
Ridge men who were waiting one day
at Hicks store for the arrival of the
weekly mail.
is that so" said Bob Jones. Then
/ reckon she'll fly powerful high for a
little while"
"Yas, but / low it will be fer a
moughty little while, shore enough"
old Berry Smith replied, as he bit of
a mouthful Of twist tobacco. "As |
said 10 old Busby at the time he sent
Jane away. i'7ai blamed foolishness
TO go to prn an waste money in any
SIGH way. II don't do no good 10 send
gals off TO school, an it costs lots.
Bsterlet 'em marry an settle downto
keepin' house, whar they naterly be-
long
That's so, Berry" said Hicks.
snow, Busby's gal could "A married
Rile Woods jest by sayin' the word,
an | tell you Rile hain't TO be sneezed
at. He's not purity, an he amt
larnt, but hes g~t forty acres o mon
strous good land, an in a trade it's
plagued seldom he gifts left, femme tell
you. Reckon thar amt many men
as kin head Rile off when it comes TO
maxim money. an that's the main feae
tur in a good husband"
''Wall. fellcrs." said old Silas Cobb,
sits my opinion that Janell be glad
enough TO git Rile yit. If | know any
thing about the circumstances at all,
low Rile has kinder got the drap on
old Busby, an he'll use it, as shore as
shootin'."
Flows he got the drapT' Hicks
asked.
wal, you see" said Silas. ''old Bus
by had to mortgage his farm TO raise
the al tosend Jane away 10 school,
an who do you reckon he mortgaged
il TOT"
Il haint the least notion" said
Hicks.
"Wall, he's mortgaged il To nobody
more nor less than Rile Woods"
Then Rile's got the dead wood on
EN- exclaimed old Hank Burton,
San he'll he powerful apt TO demand
the money or the gal, an us Dick can't
raise the money, why, of course he'll
have 10 give up Jane
II reckon" said Hicks, ''old Dick
could give up the farm
'Of course lie could; but / low he
won't" Silas Cobb replied. Farms
amt picked upevery day, an old Dick
knows the value o his, an il amt
likely as he'd give upthe land in pref
erenc to the gal"
You're right thar, Silas," said Bob
Jones, AN Id he willin' 10 bet a coon
skin agin postage stamp that RIle
gifts old Busby's gal fer his wife, an
that they're married inside of a week.
Bile's got the bulge ON 'em, an We kin
Jest bet yer skin he knows how TO use
it. Rile amt handsome, but he's got
a powerful long head for schemin'."
At that moment Rile entered the
store-a gawky, awkward man of per
haps 40, at least seven feet high, with
long, tangled masses of hair dangling
about MS shoulders.
lie was the homeliest man on Pos
sum Ridge. Besides, he had the repu-
tation Of being the closest man on the
Ridge. In both characteIand appear
ance lac was far from the sort of man
any woman would care to marry,
much less a beautiful, high minded,
tasty young lady such as Jafie Busby.
Rile's attire vas in perfect keeping
with himself. He was in his shirt
sleeves, wore a pair Of cotton overalls
held up by ono cotton suspender, and
his head was crowned by a peaked
wool hat without q brlm.
"Wal, Rilc." Hicks said, II hear
Busby's gal is 10 home agin.o
rs shcl' Rile replied. "Wall, I'm
downright glad TO hear it."
II s'posed you would be. Reckon
you'll be goin' over to see her fore
long"
'Yas, | b'lceve I'll go by on my
way home. It's gittin' time / WI,
married, ! ledge, an I'd best see Jane
about it at once
$50 you're sot on margin, chr
"Wal, ! iigerred il out purity well,
fellers. an | makeit cheaper 10 marry
than 20 bach. A wife costs sometbin
fer feed an clothes, but she more thar
yearns her expense. James a likely
sort o. body, an If she puts her mine
TO IL, she'll make a monstrous good
housekeeper. She's a willin' worker
an has q knack O. dom whatever sh,
turns her hand TO-"
1T may be, though" suggested
Hicks, that goin' off TO school hal
split her
oval, o course" assented Rile
that may be a sort Of a drawback a
first, but / guess il won't take long u
git all that out Of Ter. Anyhow, In
willin' 10 take 'er an chance IT,"