Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-02-01
"WAITIN' FUR PAP.n

washington Ratchet
"WAITIN' FUR PAP"
I had just reached the top Of long,
straight climb on trail leading over a spur
Of the Blue ridge, and had dumped down to
get rest before proceeding EDWARDS, when
the bushes on the opposite bank parted to let
the barrel Of gun protrude, and at the same
moment voice called out:
''You'un is a dead man if you move a
handl"
Some things come SO suddenly that you
have no time to get ratified. looked up to
see the face Of boy behind the gun, and in
stead of being frightened I was surprised.
"What are you pointing that gun at me
torg' 1 asked.
I'm kivering you,n he replied.
eyes, but I don't want to be Evered.
What's the fussg'
He followed the gun out Of the bushes, eye
ing me like hawk, and sitting down on
rock on the edge of the other bank, not over
eight feet away, he queried:
docs you'un surrender2'
81 guess I do"
''Then you'un keep mighty quiet till pap
comes. He has gone by the other trail'
He was boy of IA, his hair down on his
shoulders, his face pinched and peaked, and
he was excited and trembling.
''Who is your paper presently asked
Item Marvin"
'And why do you stop me in this fashion?"
''You'un's been looking to shoot pap"
s'Boshl I never even heard of himl I
came up from Whittaker's this morning"
Dr. bnl l. u
"Whyg"
because don't know and pap does. You
may be him, and you mayn't. Pap will tell.
If you be him pap will blow yer head off"
''Your pap must be quite blower. Say,
what did some one want to shoot him for?'
''Had furse.n
''About what!'
GA me4l."
''Whens"
"a right smart ago. He said he'd shoot
pap, and pap wants to get the drop on him.
''Well, my boy, I'll wait till your pap ar
rives, and meanwhile you'd better drop the
hammer of that shotgun It smells to me as
If the weapon was loaded with buckshot and
buckshot amt healthy this time O year."
''Won't you'un pay me slck?"
"No: 1 could have killed you long ago if
had wanted tor
"If you 'un tries to draw on me shall
shute!" he continued.
"That's all right. Now, then, where do
you live!"
, "Over yere," he replied, jerking his thumb
over his shoulder.
,ss.What does your father do?"
ssMakes some whisky, hunts bit and
trucks leetle."
Elbow many children?"
Give, and I'm the biggest!"
"Well, let's see how much you know. Who
is the presidents"
ell dun forget" he answered after a
minute.
"Who is the governor of this states"
"Pap never dun tole me-"
Scan you reads"
"Almost l kin tell circus picters."
"Did you ever see railroad?'
"Oncst-almost I heard he'un toot"
"Ever see steamboats,"
'tReckon not"
"What are you going to do when you grow
upY'
''Do like dad''
"Come down here where + can talk to
you"
''But you'un wants to funny me and get
| the drop!"
NOuSeuS0! 1 w away your oio JUL thi1u
come down here. I'm not the man your pap
wants to send to the happy land. Pm going
to have a smoke and talk"
''We'un all smokes, though pap is agin II. !"
"Did you ever smoke cigar2"
"No.n
"Well, come and get one"
| off you'un should try to draw on mel"
| he cautioned as he stood up and looked
| around.
"Come on! There! tossing my revolver
| five feet away. Now, can't draw on you,
you can bring your gun if you are afraid"
| ''Afraid! Him never see the time he was
| afraid" he said, as he leaned his gun against
| the bank and sat down beside me. When
| our cigars were alight he grew more easy
and l asked:
"Suppose this man your pap is after gets
the drop on him frstF'
Him can'tn
"But why?'
"'Cause paps lightning. Nobody kin git
the drop on him."
s'Don't you know it's awful business to
hunt man to his death in this cool way9'
@Hain't him hunting fur pap? Won't him
shoot pap if he kips"
'eYou are all wrong. If a man threatens
you the law will take care of him."
1.-THE law is too fur away"
He couldn't view the matter in any other
light than to ''get the drop" and he had a
pretty good defense in saying that the other
man began it,
eff him didn't cum huntin' fur pap, PAP
wouldn't so huntin' fur him." he put it.
Taking out a newspaper pointed to big
ga" in an advertisement, and asked him
what it was.
Dunno"
''Thats A"
'Who says so9'
st do.n
"Mebbe you don't know"
swell, everybody else says so. Why don'i
you learn to reada"
"What fura"
80 that you will know what's going Or
about you"
"Thar,s nuthin' ever goes on. Pap say,
readin' is all foolin'."
'Do you know how big this country isr'
"Whoppin' big, reckon"
"Wouldn't you like to read of what goes
on in the other states?"
''Whats the goods I'd be yere jist the
same all the time. wouldn't Is'
Look at this figure. It's figure 2. Here's
figure g. Can you add the two of them to-
gsther?'
81 never dun tried"
"Cant you count~
tsWhat's the use? Pap says countin' is all
foolin', and l reckon him knows"
"But suppose you wanted to count up some
money"
'Never had any"
''If you had two bits and gave you two
more how many would you haves'
s'Wouldnt it be all thar?"
eyes, but how much!'
ssJist the same as bcfo' counted.n
Icerlaa't make anything Of him in that