Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-01-16
The Story Of O Mewl.


terfere with me, even if he hadn't
been driven well out of the neighbor-
hood. Any sensible man when fred
upon will take the fact rs hint that
he should be going, and supposed
this stranger would 90 SO fast that
there was no danger of my overtak-
ing him.
l had followed the rocky trail for a
mile and half, and was descending
into the depths of dark ravine, when
a man sprang out of the bushes into
the trail and shouted at me:
who's you'un thar ?"
"A traveller" l answered.
"Whar from p
Several places"
He came forward. his gun held
ready to fire, and when he was near
enough to'look me over he growled
"Shoo! you'un hain't hel Him's a
coward or he'd gin me a show !"
Are you the man who is looking
for Lem Marvin ?" asked as | sat
down on a handy bowlder.
"Iar! Whoop! Whar's him 2
Whoopl Bung his onery pictur', but
whar's him I"
IL left him back there about mile
and half. Did he shoot at you p
"Him did; yes. Whoopl Him
hid behind the rocks and got the drop
on me, and him's bullet went through
my hat Look-a'-that !"
He threw an old felt hat at my
feet, and l picked it up and saw that
a piece of the rim had been gouged
out by bullet.
"And mebbe the cowardly him sent
you'un to git me off my guard while
him skulks up for another try y
howled the man as he danced around
and threatened me with the gun.
"My friend" answered, trying
very hard to be cool, 81 never saw
Lem Marvin until an hour ago, and
l never want to see him again. He's
got son named Davey."
Eyes, him has, bung his onery pio-
tur'."
"Well, Davey stopped me on the
road with his shotgun and held me
prisoner until the old man came up.
He was off hunting you"
"Whoop! And what did him say
when him cum back I"
"Said he had fred at you and miss.
ed you"
"Whoop! Yes, him fired at me !.
Him may be right around yere now!'
The man sprang backwards and
looked all around him, his gun held
ready to shoot, and though | assured
him that Marvin had given up the
hunt and gone home, he still seemed
to believe that my coming was put
up Job to assassinate him. While he
was whooping and dancing around
and threatening, | lighted cigar and
settled back for smoke. This calm
ed him down after awhile and he
stood before me and asked:
DO you know why him wants to
kill me?"
Something about a mule. wasn't
it"
"Whoop. She was And it's
about that mewl why l want to kill
he."
"Well, 60 ahead and tell me the
story, and, by the way, it's a wonder
you don't shoot yourself in the foot
with that gun. You are the most
careless man ever saw. Put down
the hammer and stand it up here and
tell me your story"
"And you'un wants to grab it and
shute me y
"Bosh You are no braver than
Dayey Marvin"
II amt, ehi Whoop-ee l kin
lick the hull Marvin family with my
legs and hands tied Don't 60 fur to
run me down, stranger, or I'll shute!"
smoked away in silence, and by
by he put down his gun and began:
II had a mewl. 1t was seven years
ago. He war mewl to dote on.
Thar's nevis about till ye can't rest,
but they don't go fur shucks."
"Yes."
IL raised that ere mewl from
yearing, / did. ! knowed him from
top to bottom. He knowed me from
head to foot. Whoop! | can't hold
myself when | think of it !'
"Go on"
III had that mewl in the family fur
nine years" he continued. "He grow
ed mo- dandy all the time. The old
woman sot store by him, and the child
rem sot store by him, aud I'D gone
without whisky to keep him from suf
ferin'. Whoop-ee! I'm gittin' dam
gerous. Ii rises me of my feet to
think what fule made Of myself"
"Did that mule have name ?" ]
asked.
"In course he did / called him