St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-10-05
A skiTT,sn >HooslER.


a SkITTlSH HOOSIER.
0Aaraeearistie Stretch ee Everyday LIZ
In the Indiana slasheA
Iwas once riding through the slashes
Of Upton County. down in the HoOsier
State. when lost my way. rode
along until came to clearing" on
the edge OF which and facing the road.
stood q small pole cabin. built in the
most primitive style. 1t had but one
small window; . dirty quilt hung up
did duty - door; the roof was OF I'm.
dressed claPboards. while rude stick
chimney, daubed with mud, took up
nearly one entire end Of the structure
l stopped my horse at the low rail
fence and. after the fashion Of the
country. hailed the occupants OF the
cabin. In answer to my hallo0. . long.
gaunt-looking Hoosisr came from be-
hind the house with . bride. which he
had evidently been mending. in his
hands. At the same time. too. Noticed
q pale. sallow-faced woman lift the quilt
to one side and pesr cautiously out at
me.
Can you tell me. the way to the
Night Owl school l-house?" inquired.
as the man came closer.
''Why. what's goin' on over thar"
was the answer, In . tone which plain
ly showed his interest in the idea which
my question had evidently suggested TO
his mind.
''Nothing that know Of" I replied.
''but have . little business in that
neighborhood and somehow seem to
have lost my way"
Say. hain't got any store terbacker.
hev you?"
l noticed the hungry. eager look in
his eyes. a. he asked the question. SO l
drew q good-sized plug from his pocket
and handed it to him and waited pa
tiently while he slowly filed his capa-
cious mouth. and then. cutting the plug
In two in the middle. handed me back
ono piece and coolly put the other into
his pocket
Gosh. stranger" he said. ~ he spit
at bumble-bee sitting on an IRON
weed ten feet away. that's the fust
taste OF good store terbacker I've had
fer coOn's age Say. light and look
at your saddle Well hev some sup
per dreckly."
mo-" l replied. 'I am in a hurry to
get to my destination. II you can tell
me which road to take TO reach the
Night Owl school-house. I'll be much
obliged to you"
"Weli. you air q leetle out o yo'
reck' MIN. but l kin set you right in .
ji6y. When I fust seed you thought
mebbe you wuz that magic lantern
show feller what showed last week
over to Lick Skillet. an Sile Ramsey
said he hearn he lowed ter give n show
one night this week down in the 'Possum
Ridge settlement"
mo. I am not in the show business" )"
I answered. "but I am in considerable
OF q hurry"
''Well. I di8a't know" no replied.
ignoring my hint that he would give
me the information Idesired. ''but you
wuz him. reckon. then. he contin-
ued. ''you must be . canvassin' fer a
county atlas or suthin'. signed fer
one o the blamed things once; cost me
'leven dollars, an I had ter sell the
only CAT l had ter pay ferit Pur-
ty peart-lookin' chap like yourself cum
erlong here and talked me plum inter
takin' it afore hardly knowed who !
wuz Why. say. he didn't give me a
chance ter git q word In edgewayA
Mother time Teller cum erl0ng sellin'
wind-mills; an signed note fer TWEEN
ty-five dollers tor pay fer . mill after !
got my wheat thrashed. That note
turned up in ole Shurk's bank down ter
Upton fer two hundred an fifty dollers.
an I had ter mawgage tho farm ter
pay it Oh. l tell yer"
Say. Bill" screamed the old wo-
man. from her place behind the quilt
what does that blame fool want? Yum.
nerstan'. now. you hain't goin' ter sign
fer nothin.' We don't want nothin'.
an we hain't got nothin' ter buy it
with ef We did" .-.I-. .t.sl
Don't get skittish afore you 10 hurt.
Mandy" said Bill. slowly. ''he only
wants ter know the way over TO the
Night Owl settlement He amt got
nothin' ter sell" "a
"Well. ! kin tell him that blame
quick" said the woman. stepping from
the door. Just keep right on this
road till you cross Taylors run. bout
er half or mile below here. an then
take tho fust road that forks ter the
south; keep that road fur two miles an
you're where you want 70 60"
thanked her and rode Oil. but b.
fore was out Of hearing ths Hoosier
called after me: Say, stranger. ef
you cum this way ergin bring erlong .
right smart chaiuce o that store ter.
backer. I've got fust-rate coon pup
I'll swap you fer it"-Ed B Pritch-
ard, In Arkansaw Traveller.
Give the Fly . Chance.