The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-02-27
A WEDDING IN PIKE.
HOW JERRY ELWINE'S DOG WAS
KEPT IN THE FAMILY.

Squire Ira Crissman's "reminiscences of
the Boys When He was Justice Of the
Peace up in the Hoop Pole and Hem
lock County.
MILFORD, Pa, Feb. 12.@"I used
to marry good many folks when l
was Justice of the peace ins Blooming
Grove" said Uncle Ira Crissman the
other day. "They generally wanted
to get spliced on the Fourth of July
or Christmas They'd come in from
the woods, the feller and his girl both
riding on load of hoop poles or tan
bark, and sometimes holding them
selves on to a three foot log that
yoke of oxen was shaking in from q
bark peeling. One Fourth of July
took for wedding fees coon-skin, two
railroad ties, pint of apple jack,
three dozen hoop poles, twenty i've
cents in pennies, two quarts of low
bush huckleberries, and a promise TO
vote for me when / was a candidate.
But that was an unusually good
Fourth for fees. The couples that I'd
hitch, taking the average run of 'em,
would mostly likely say: s
"Wall, meow, Squire, we'm much
obleeged. When ye come long our
way, Squire, drop in and we'll flop an
extry slapjack.
"But l never hankered after slap
jacks with salt pork gravy and mo-
lasses, 30 these fees are coming to me
yet.
zone day 1 was sitting in my Office
in Moses barroom thinking what I'd
best 10 for funny pain in my stom
ach, when in walked big, strapping
hoop-pole cutter and bark forager
from way back of the Knob. He
bad his daughter with him. The
girls name was Mag. I won't say
what the last name was, but you all
know the parties. Mag. was about
10, but stars alive she was blame
near six feet high, and I'll bet she
could lift barrel of whiskey over a
seven-rail fence. She was pretty good
looking, for all that.
"'Busy, Squire?' asked the old
man.
"'Not particular said.
"'Wall, Squire, | spose ye know
that Jerry Elwine's got the best
groun' hog dog they is in the hull
Knob kentry, don't your"
"I never heard of Jerry Elwine or
his grounding dog, said l, partly
mad on account Of the pain in my
stomach and plagued sight madder
because Mag had sat down on a straw
hat of mine that l wouldn't have tak<
ell a dollar note for.
What! never heerd o that dog,
Squire?' said Mag Never heerd q
ole Tobe? w al, ef that don't take
the grease offn my griddle!
"Wail, anyhow, whether ye ever
heerd OF him or not, the old man put
in, 'he's back o the Knob, an Jerry
owns him. An the trouble is, Squire,
Jerry's So cussed 'feerd of his d, z th..l
he won't let any one hunt groun'
hogs with him but hisself, an he's
talkin' o sellin' him over into M'rOe
county,
"Ef Jerry Elwine sells that air dog,
said Mag, 'I'll rattle the teeth out'n
him; I don't care of we be agoin' tt
git splicedv
Il began to think that the old mar
and his girl had come in to get an or
der of court on Jerry Elwine to ap
pear and show cause why he shouldn't
let Tobe hunt with any person wht
wanted him, and why a perpetual in
junction shouldn't be issued forbiddine
him to sell the dog over in Monrot
county. But l was wrong.
"The fact o the matter is, Squire,
continued the father, that dogs tot
goldarned vallyble to be wasted. He
kin keep any family that amt passe
O. gluttons in roun' hogs from Sep
tember to the time they hole up. Ssm'
folks think groun' hogs is too rank t.
set we'll, an / heerd Joe Atkinson sal
oncet that he'd as lief eat a taller diI
as the best part of q groun hog. Blu
they amt nothin' that goes to the spo
with our family as hunk Of that var
mint. Is they, Mag?' Is.
"'Dad, yer shoutin! replied Mag.
"'Wall, as / was sayin', Squire. thx
dog is too vallyble to be in the onsar
tain sittywation he is noT. That dol
is got to De connected with our fam "
an and we've jest come in to see whel
you kin c,me out our way, Squire an
make the connection
"'You're going TO buy the dog, eh
and want me to draw up the deedf !!
asked, madder than hornet at all th
palaver about dogs and ground hogs.
"'N a-a W! said Mag, laughin,
, about like horse might. Yer wa
off, Squire Ye see Jerryss been q
workin' for Us for q good while, an
ben tryin' to shine round me fu
more'n six months, but he amt mucl
! of fighter, an he ain't much of
shooter, though he amt no slouch d
rippin' the bark off'n a hemlock an
,, mowin' hoop poles. But when heer,
he were goin' TO sell Tobe l weakened
That dog fastens onto too man
groun' hogs to live away from ou
plantation, says. So Jerry an m
took to settin' up nights, an the con
sekense is that Jerry an me is goir
70 jine, an the dog staysi in the family
come out an give Us the hitch. Tn
first day you kin, an the sooner. fh
better, fur they's feller from Pocon
offerin' fur lobe most enough il
) buy farm with, an Jerry may tax
il il his oFnary head TO sell hin
Coqe any day, Squire, We'm q
s;fh..'s .bou. the heft Of it, Squire