Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-11-28


~ Nj Is. yERa hind which his log
0%Nsl|V#aVE SsyNNMNQ house squatted-was
M@E wv NMM planted in peach
WY IN trees. "Roses amt
" fifteen ter eat" said
he, 'an' nothin's beauty won't sell it,"
He sowed turnips in the fence corners.
He lifted water from the well with a
pole to which bucket was attached by
leather strap. A hat generally lasted
him decade. A straw one 'hich he
found IN the woods at a camp meeting
he wore three years. Then he did not
throw it away
A hound pup playfully tore it to
pieces one afternoon. lie killed the pup
with pine knot, skinned it, sold the
hide for six bits, and had his wife con-
vert the carcass into soap-grease. But
he was good-natured and hearty, with
face smooth and red as sunhurnt APP
pie, watery mouth, blue, hunid eyes,
and nose like wild-goose PLAN. His
laugh was almost inaudible-but ear
nest, for it shook him all over.
His daughter, Cinthy, loved lawyer.
They were discussing the situation at
dinner. She was wholesome, meek
looking little girl, with yellow hair and
pale blue, bashful eyes, the counterpart
of her mother who sat quiet and thought
full at the head of the table.
''Taint no usen talkin' ter me erbout
havin' that spindle-shanks NV er Walter
Burton meanderin' erroun' these prem
ises, fur won't have it. Look at Molly
Mn,rran Che ,oorriaI or las,-uar
her daddy's got him an her an three
brats ter purvide fur. Err lawyer amt
wnth KILN, fur SIGH carcusses won't sell
fur nuthin',"
"But pappy," said Cinthy, tom Nor
gan and Mr. Burton are two very differ
emit people,
They're all erlike. Eff they amt too
lazy ter wuck, they're sutten ter turn
out wuss-steal some pusson outen house
an home"
NANNY" said Cinthy, when the old
man had saddled his horse and rode to
town to collect a debt, which he pro-
posed to 'shake outen" the fellow who
owed it, as better means than claw
ing" over it-''pappy's good an smart,
but he don't know everything. He's mis-
taken about Walter. Walter amt rich,
but he would be too proud to take cent
from pappy if we were to marry"
WAL replied the mother, ''p'rhaps
he'll see some good in i'm an change his
mind. But he's sot ergin i'm now, an
you can't do nothin' but wait"
Old Nath. hitched his horse at the
public rack and walked down the
street.
Good morning, Colonel" spoke Bur-
ton. as he passed that gentleman's Of
flee. Bnrton's legs we're thir, and his
face long and white. Old NsAh., under
ordinary circumstances, would have
pitied him; now he felt indignant.
Il fit in the war, young Teller, but
went clean through ez er privit. So l
wer'n't or Colonel then, an amt now"
Excuse me-" replied Burton. THE
term is so common, / spoke it
thoughtlessly. Yet, it is truly
one of respect, and means much.
l take it that the custom of giving
military titles to men in civil life has
direct significance. He who, by ndustry
and energy, succeeds in life-as you
have, for instances naturally spoken
of with Difference by all people Then
what more natural than that military
term, which was in war times an honor
able one, and which custom still holds
to, should be used to mark that defer
ence?"
''Waal, we won't quart over it," said
old Nath., seating himself on the gallery
and leaning against post.
Come in and have seat, Mr.. Doyle"
Burton insisted.
mo, j like ter lean ergin or post.
Contour er town hog" he exclaimed, as
two razor-b backs ran by, the foremost
with watermelon rind in its mouth
ssYou couldn't fatten one on er hunnerd
bushels NV corn"
by the way, Mr.. Doyle" said Bur
ton, 81 was crossing your range in the
Caney bottom yesterday, and saw some
of the finest hogs-well, they beat any
thing / ever did see. / wager one will
weigh five hundred pounds"
"Gimme yer fist, young feller," he
cried, rising and taking the lawyers
proffered hand. ''Tobe Singletree Of
fered ter bet me the biggest one won't
better. Betten's er FOOLS argument, but
| tole him I'd put my boss ergin his'n
that it 'ud pull within twenty-five Nv
five hundred, either way. I'll kill er
passel NV 'em on Thanksgivin' Eve, eff
the weather's favorable. Tobe's goin'
ter marry Cinthy mex Christmas time eff
he ken make the necessary grange
ments with her, an | think he kin-so
| reckin' eff | do lose er gal I'll win or
boss. Thar goes er man | wanter see."
And he tumbled from his seat and
waddled briskly away.
The news about Cinthy made Burton
paler than usual. He loved her, and it
may have been unmanly, but he did it
went into his Office and Dried.
The weather was clear and cold. On
the spring branch, in a two-acre pen, the
hogs we're ''corralled." lobe Single
tree was there, a pert, quick-spokeh
young man, with deep-set eyes and a
sandy goatee; Zcd Cants was there, 9
widowed youth of nineteen, dressed in
hirh-water suit Of red jeans, on which
fingered distressing flavor of turpen-
tine whisky. Old Nath. was there.
The prize barrow was the last to be
inundated. "Now, Zed," said Nath.,
..you say you're er good shot, an ez kilt
the others, sposen you fotch this un
down"
.All rite"
He fred. The hog threw up his head
and snorted-
.'Zed couldn't hit tn, side NV er meet
-. b,nco - eaid Tnhn
'.The fack is" protested Zed, II
couldn't hit the groun with nly hat las
mite, an I'm sorter shaky ter-day."
''Git outcn the way" said lobe, AN
see me drap i'm"
At the fash of the rifle the hog
squealed and ran limpii.g to the farthest
corner Of the pen.
Old Nath. was furious. Err man, he
rallied, '.who couldn't hit er hog ez big
ez that 'un orter be made shoot or pop
gun the ballunce NV his days. P'rhaps,
ez you bet ergin its weight, you're will
in now ter swear it won't pull twenty
pounds2 Gimme the gun.
Hold on, Colonel" said a man who
had walked up to the fence and with
his arms across the top rail stood quiet
liz enjoying the fun. Let me kill it.
"Whut with?" sneered lobe, ''er
olub29
lyon could shoot better with one,