New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-22
AuCRACKERn COURTSHIP.
HOW Pop WON THE HAND OF HIS NEIGH,
BOR THE WIDOW.

,d ,le Fla Sent 1s-Down I'm this unknown
oolr characters NAV be met who would delight those
annreciative of the fresh and distinctive in human ma
ture Here in the deepest lecesses OF the piheY
,roodss are crackers who have penetrated ten
miles from the smoky cabins in which they were born
and whose domestic life has been bounded by the i've
oeb Ioos clay walls and palmetto thach Of their
cabins Here they have lived since the time, bacB
in tho '3Os when Osccola and his scminoles were
cantured by the regulars or driven TO the gators
moccasins and miasmal swamps OF the Everglades
Incidence ignorance. ShfiessncSs, courage ana pdc
are their more prominent qualities
Some miles back from this lake is fertile tract Of
"blgh hummock" land on which stands particularly
heavy and luxuriant growth of pine. magnolia ana
uve-oak In It arc 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 a wild and virgin country. which foot
of white man nav not have trOdden since Ponce de
Leon ranged the peninsula In his quest for the tabled
fountain Of youth
Three of the clearngs are clustered closely together
one owned by the Widow Lcgare pronounced Lcgn'el'
one by Pop somcrs and the third by Uncle Bllly
Thomas. Uncle Billy has contrived to pass sixty
tbree years in single bleSsedncss, but during the last
eight years he has found cngrossing charms in the
society of the widow. On the other hand :" Pop
has had three wives the last I'm the sequence having
died a month ago If IS I'm order to state that IoP
* man of individuality. not given TO ihacll'h ana
vain repining when ne has suffered loss. Msiot'un'
has a bracing effect him and stimulates nun 10 IT.
pair his losses. Consequently was not surprised az
tbe turn conversation took which held Win MN
fortnight after the death of his third wife Replying
n some expressons of sympathy on my part, the Old
said: ,-oro.
"Yes. Yank I've done lost er good housekeepcI'
So nv cabin his in mighty pore ways 40 OF co y
done bin reckonn' for ernuther wife halht SCI It"
on none Wit. as I've done bin right tolerDie ousy'
For moment was speeches.. men, ac'i"S V"
a mischievous impulse, suggested;
"Have you thought Of the WIDOW Leeafc en-
canab,e as a housekeeper and isn't day more thah
forty-fve." ... IN. ~,
at ,lowed.s was the reply. ." that l mout settle on
tbcr wilder But thar amt no use In BEN IN slch
novv,rf,il rush Purity I'll take er DAY 10 NUM-
tpr or woman Gittin' er wife is Ike gitu CT hiuio
and er man should be keerful to nt un thatH last
and Is stjddy and don't low fur Ter KICK
Better speak 10 the widow rsht away O"'i7
Billy may cut in ahead of you" ar,.-
a. I'll resk H. Yank" said the old man. lher
wilder baint brought Uncle Billy ter time IN mu'h
as nigh eight years. But I'll speak Ter nor come "'oh
Exactly a week later Pop sadded Ms mulc al"
rode to the widows. He found the DuNom Ina'iOn
mendng the gourd that hung IN her "en anu '"'
viii tell the tale in his own words
"'Mornin. wilder HOwdyP SEE /.
".Wbat do vou-uns wantf said she-uns, suspicious
like 49, ".
so l done come right down TO 1t and sara ! IN
reckonn' low fur ter git ernuther VIC ana Mia'
ter 10 take you-unS n yOu-uns don't low Otherwise
What do you-uns think p sen IN my pear'e sridcrt
81 dunno, sheuns Amt tiS sGuuc"'
Lemme think Thars dis we're Uncle Billy ~
Durn Uncle BLY, snapped ont no, M "a. ,r
right smart critter he f.. Hes had eighl va w.
start and he haint never done nothlh a I'D
live man VII four acres cleared land ana tllo
cows ana twenty orange trees and or NUE. a. -,
say yes wilder. / fgger out that youuns VIII Ike
st..
Wall, she wouldn't Just then, but she dld t"O
minutes later. Just then tie circuit rider done come
long and done told the wilder that we'd hitcl our
hands together right thar and save time ana pr
through WI II. But she said that thar wasn't no way
10 De married. and lowed she wanted 10 ride round
by Uncle Bnlys night away and be married much a7
higher fortnight after Wall Their wilder lohn
mounted Their mule behindt me and rid Ter Uncih
By's. who was 50 'gasod (amazcdD that he couldn't
even cuss."
The wedding will take place tomorrow, the circuit
rider officiating. My present 30 the bride VIII be an
engraving plcturng the story of Young LochinVaf'
The bridal journey will be taken on muleback