The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-09-13
a SKlTTlSH HOOSlER.
Characteristic sketch OF Every Day Lf
in the Indiana Slashss.


was once riding through the slashes
OF Upton County. down IN the Hoo,icr
State, when | lost Hy way. rodo
along until came 10 ''clcar,ng,' on
the edge OF which and facing the road.
stood y small pole cabin built In the
most primitive style. II had bat ono
small window; a dirty quilt hung up
did duty as door; the roof was OF un-
dressed clapboarls viii rude stick
chimney, daubed with mud, took up
nearly one entire end Of the structure
stopped my horse at the low rail
fence and, after the fashion OF the
country, hailed the occupants OF tho
cabin. In answer 20 my halloo, long.
gaunt-looking Hoosicr came from be-
hind the house with Bride which ho
had evidently been mcnding, in his
hands At the Same time, too, noticed
pale, sa low-faccd woman lift the quilt
TO one side and peer cautiously ou, at
mo.
"Can you tell me the way to the
Night Owl school-housc" inquired,
rs 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 tc
his mind.
Nothing that know OF, replied,
"but have n little business in that
noighborhood and somehow | seem tc
have lost my way
Say, hain't got any store terbacker,
hov you?'
/ noticed the hungry, eager look in
his eyes, as no asked the question, 50 |
drew 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 mo back
one piece and coolly put the other into
his pocket
Gosh, stranger" he said, as he spit
at a bumble-bce sitting on an iron
weed ten feet away, that's tho fust
taste of good store tcrbackor I've had
fer a coon's age Say light and look
at your saddle. Wen hev somo sup
per drcckly."
NO" replied, 81 am in q hurry to
get to my destination. II you can toll
me which road to take TO reach the
Night Owl school-housc, I'll be much
obliged TO you"
"Well, you air lcctlc out o yo'
rock min, but ! kin sot you right in
jitTy When fust seed you | thought
mebbo you wua that magic lantern
show fe Ter what showed 10 woes
over to Lick Skillet, an Silo s,amsoy
said he hearn hc lowed ter give show
one night this week down in the 'Possum
Ridge settlement"
"No, am not IN the show business"
] answered, "but / am in considerable
OF hurry"
well, / didn't know no replied,
ignoring my hint that he would glvo
me the information desired, "but you
wuz him. reckon, then, he contin-
ued, you must be a canvassin' fer "a
county atlas or suthiu'. / signed fer
one o the blamed things once, cost mo
'lcven dollars, an / had ter sell the
only ca'f | had ter pay forit Pp-
ty peart-lookin' chap like yourself cum
erlong here and talked me plum inter
takin it aforc | hardly knowod who |
wuz Why, say he didn't give me a
chance ter git word in odgcWays.
Mother time "A fcller cum crlong sellin
wind-mllls; an signed a note fer twen-
ty-fve dollers ter pay fer a mill after ]
got my wheat thrashcd. That uJ,o
turned up in ole Shur6' bank down ter
Upton fer two hundred an fifty dollcrs,
an | had ter mawgage tho farm ter
pay it, Oh, toll yer
Say, Bill" screamed the old wo-
man, from her place behind the quilt
what does that blame fool want2 Yum
nerstan. now, you hain't goiu' ter sign
fer nothin.' We don't want nothin',
an we hain't got nothin ter buy It
with ef we did"
Don't get s@ittish uforc you re hurt,
Mandy" said Bin, slowly, "he only
wants ter know the way over 10 tho
Night owl settlement lie amt got
nothin ter sell"
well. kin tell him that blame
quick" sa d the woman, stepping from
the door. just keep right on this
road TIL you cross Taylor.s run, bout
or half or mile below here, an then
take tho fust road that FORKS ter tho
south; keep that road fur two miles an
you're where you want 10 Co..
| thanked her and rode OF. bat bo-
fore ] was out of hearing the HoO-icr
called after me: "Say. stranger. 81
you cum this way crg.n bring cr.ong
right smart chainco o that store ter
backer. I've got a fust-rata coon pup
I'll swap you fcr iL"-EL T. Pr.tch-
II L. A-r.v..ss ..rs.T.w