Daily Republican., 1890-06-28
MADE A MISTAKE.
THOMAS P. MosTPoRr.

A few days sinos-- gentleman was rid.
ing along . Postum Ridge highway.
when, in making . turn In the road, he
came upon an old man badly battered
and bruised, sitting on . stump BY the
way side. The old man looked as II he
had been run through = threshing ma
chine, or dragged under harrow all over
twenty-sorc hold.
"My friend," said tho traveller, "what
Is the trouble herer'
"Right smart the trouble" the native
replied srufily.
"Are you hurtr
"Wal, If haviu' . leg broke, I arm put
out O. lint, an head cracked, an bein'
pounded sore, 10 any sign O. bein' hurt,
then guess Pm kinder Injured"
"How did II happeni"
Happened easy 'nough."
"Did your team run away, or some
thing like thaif'
mo, 1t didn't"
"How did It come about, then?"
1T come about through want O. sense
on my part"
81 don't understand you"
"Don't cit Wal. don't wonder at
II. Reckon . Philadelphia lawyer
couldn't understand an old ijiot like me.
Say, mebby yer don't know 1t, but I'm
the biggest, blamedest old fool yer ever
laid yer eye, on"
"Come. don't abuse yourself, but just
tell me how this happened. and what
can do for you"
"The best thing yer kin do fer me is
ter take club an pound my dinged fool
head of.
"Oh, psbaw, man, don't talk SO. There
is no Use OF blaming yourself for this &C
|
"Couldn'n Reckon I didn't bring II
all on myself, ehi Reckon didn't
banker arnr 1t an split my shirt to
| git inter III No, reckon ain't to
| blame.'
"What was 1t you got into2"
| "What wuz II? Why the fght o.
co'se. Yer seem determined to find out
all bout this yere business, so Ill jist
tell ye. Reckon you know ths, wuz a
feller holdin' . meetin' down ter the
Coon Run mee,in' housed"
Yes, heard of It,"
"Wai 1t wuE him thet chawed me up. "
"The preacherP'
"Azeckly. He's tho identical trick
that done H."
"@hat caused him to do such .
deeda'
oval, ther long an ther short o. ther
| uuel0NbJ 10 btt6t 1nsb tuHt IObAA FisSu
been holdin' mestin's down thar TO the
meetin' honse fer nigh month, goin' 1t
red hot day an night, an, everybody In
| these diRgins got to goin', cen'in, me.
| hung off, an sassed back when the
preecher talked to me, an last night he
opened up on me In his pra'rs an hilt
| me up to the Lord as q monty onery,
no.'count old cuss.
ibid he mention your name?"
"No, but he talked so everybody
! kuowed who he meant, an be went on
scan 'lous. Said stole sheep an
whipped the ole .ot ian an s.ch. "
"An, you think ne meant youa"
~ know he did, though, as l said, he
didn't mention no names"
"Well, then, WHAT"
"Wby, when hearn what he'd done.
eaid I'd git even with him, an knowin'
be wuz to pass eIlong bere to-day. l
came up yere an' laid In wait fer 'im."
"Yes.p
"Wal, arter waitin' bout hour, here
come walkin, long sinaiu' - happy a. =
coon, an jest laid low till he got up
most even with me, then | jumped out
right aioro him. an begun to r'ar AM
cuss an kevort, swarm that I'd whip
the iiide off 'on him in three shakes Of q
shesp's tall" ,.a,
oval, he tuck TO ergyin' and talkin'
soft like, an kept on = cussin'. an
arter while he see tslk want goin' to
count, go lie flung otf his coat an said:
.It yer bound to whup me, and
nothin' else won't satisfy yer. jest pile
on.
"And you piled on?"
"Yas, piled on, but did't whup lin.
reckon piled oil right smart sud
dintsr then piled on. /"
"Did he go for youi"
.WaI, sorter. Bout the time retched
fer him II 'peared like the earth rig up
and whacked me sguar across the back
Of my head, slappin' the breath clear
outer me, an then Ter few minutes IL
seemed Ike cyclone had Ahold Nv ne,
spinnnin, me rouad In tho dust an
whackin' me agln' the ssplins TIL ! felt
like thar wsrn't nothin' Lett NV me but q
few iraxlins.'
THAT preacher was fighter, was
hes
''shucks, he wux . reg lar heracane In
full blast, he wuz. / thought I'd j!st
swipe him off'n the yearth the fust pass
l mnde At I'm; but as said at fust. mis-
tor, I'm blamed old fool, an l won t
never tackle . preacher agiu. Iwouid Mt
mind aghtin' possel O. Injuns, hut yer
kin b.t I'll give preecLefs plenty Of
room."