The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-03-13
THE OLD SETTLER.
A slot" From tho Clarion Blast
of Freedom"
How Peleg Succeeded in FolIIng His
Grandfather in Several Desperate At
tempts to Recall Some Sugar
swamp History.

Peleg was reaQlng aloud TO his grand
father the County Notes in the last
Clarion Blast of Freedom. He had got
through the "Sugar Swamp Shots" the
"Waftings from Wild Gander," the
Sprays from Sprouts Clearing" and
other jottings, and had come to the
aBlaring Ridge Billiards." The Old
Settler was lying back in the splint-bot-
tom rocking chair with his eyes shut,
quietly listening. The first jot under
the ''Blaring Ridge Billiards." was as
follows:
"a reliable citizen of the Ridge says
be saw wolves prowling around in this
neighborhood the other night. Ho for
wolf hunt!i'
'.W'at's that?" exclaimed the Old Set
tier, opening his eyes and coming bolt
upright in his chair. Peleg read the jot
again.
'Hai ha! hap laughed the Old Settler.
That's the bes' thing I've heerd in a
eoons age! A reliable citizen o. Blarin
Ridge has seen VOLTS prowlin' 'roun'
thar, has he? That's better, b'gosh,
tim any thing the Clarion Blast ever
had in its Laugh an Grow Fat colyum.
Now, II the chap that writ that had iist
said that VOLTS was prowlin' 'roun' the
Ridge, I'd ha' thunk good deal but said
nothin'. But wen he says reliable
citizen seen 'em can't keep still. Tn
meRt be setch thing ez VOLTS prowlin'
rom thar, but ez for reliable citizen,
that won't go down. Tn hain't been a
reliable citizen on Blarin' Ridge fer bet
tern forty year! Read that ag'in, Peleg,
an let me bust laughin'!'
Peleg read it again, and the Old Set
tier laughed. After he had subsidized,
Peleg said:
Do you think there is wolves over to
the Ridge, grandpop?"
Sonny" replied the Old Settler,
VOLTS hain't no durn fools. They know
their business, an consekently know
mt they hain't got no business foolin'
foun here in these days. First place,
ihuz bounty O. SO sot on their heads,
an that's agin 'em. Mex place, tn
hain't nuthin' for VOLTS to do nowadays
N none o our deestriets, like tn was in
'he good oil days O. Sugar Swamp. Watts
volts fer, anyhow? I'll tell We wat
tneym fer. They'm to prowl aroun' in
sne Wlldee wildernest an watch their
ehances to gether 'roun' the cabins o.
them THIS had the grit to build cabins
lnar, an to scratch at the door o. their
ca0lns, an rattle at the winders, an
n0Wl an yell fer the settler an his fam
" 70 come out an be eatup. Leastways
mats all th't I ever heerd VOLTS was fer.
nut tn hain'tnone o. that wildee wilder
nest no more, not in these parts, an the
pVof VOLTS don't hey no show to gether
foan the cabins an howl an veil to be
sltner let in or else fer the cabiners to
svhe = out. I'd jist like to see that relia-
o'e citizen o. Blarin' Ridge th't says he
sses them VOLTS. If he was billed down
!. 4 pate bar'l O. pork agin sap auger
= ned come out one part citizen an
nlae parts Blarin' Ridge red eye, an
sonmon leetle every day jag on that
ssseetlon II make a feller see VOLTS an
], siiaeats an fiery dragons all to wunst,
!, sosht mighty, an l know it! Read
mat agin, Peleg."
Feleg was growing a trife weary of
y, 'ae Biaring Ridge Blizzard, but he read
.as lot once more, and his grandfather
.Oafeo again, and said he hadn't ini'yed
s,as ming so much sence Bill Rapsy lost
4's ear In bar rassel.
80 they'm gointer hoe fer a wolf
sgas .,v.1 be they?" said the Old Settler.
muh, they'll hef to hoe, an they'll hef
Zee Il aeep on hoeing, b'gosh, till they git
.'sAn I'm through to Rooshy fore they strike
is 1as Old Settler laughed again. Peleg
~ ~ sae paper aside, and was soon alb
~ ~ n literature more to his fancy.
49, as miFtnfulness of the Old Settler
soaSea sos oy and by. He glanced with
MY ,0 assonlshme1t at Peleg, who, with
,eas. s'a Elbows on the table and cheek
boa,. s 8 On each hand, was poring over a
0ls e siat lay open before him. The
ne.4 essler rocked very hard for mo-
~ 5,sa@ Then he sat still and shufaed
81 - ~ - on the floor. He coughed. He
,osssLs sSsLs III his pipe, and sat down again,
nsvss 2 great hustle in doing it. Peleg
p,sss ~ saised his eyes from his book.
sA'1f me Old Settler said. sharply: