The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-08-29

and exciting contest, his antagonist
either tacitly or openly admitted his
defeat, Peter would say:
oval, yew dew wot ye kin. Yew
can't hev more NV a cat than her
skin; an it hain't tew be expected
that yew, er any man in this part NV
the kentry, kin keep his eend up with
old Peter. Dew wot ye kim"
Oneevening, having fully recovered
his health and strength, Peter said
to Robert Sharp:
I'm goin' deown tew Piketown
this evenin' tew buy me a new hoe.
Tew-morrer, yew know, we air tew
plant the Green lot tew wife flint
corn. Yew go to bed arly an rest
jest all yew kin, fer yew;ll hev tew git
right tew the front tew-morrer, an
don't yew furgit it,"
Bright and early the next morning
the two men started for the "Green
lot," the hired man carrying a bag
of seed corn, while Peter fourished
two bright new hoes.
O~AN oAO 'NA AACA3 1o oOOu Dis CQ0 lou
was reached
Pm jest a-goin tew make this new
hoe fly tew-day. This piece has got
tew be planted afore night"
With these words, having filed to
overlooking his planting bag with
corn and his mouth with tobacco. he
struck out at terrific rate of speed,
the hired man following after.
Firmly grasping in one big hand
his new hoe, and in the other no less
than a half pint of corn, Peter, puff
ing and blowing like locomotive,
worked himself across the field at a
high rate of speed.
Looking behind him occasionally,
the exulting husbandman would veil:
"Come on. Come on. Thought yew
knew heow to plant corn. Git a gait
on We. Haw! haw! haw!"
At the end of the first "bout' the
hired man was several yards be-
hind, and Peter, in a high state of
exultation, and perspiration, took a
double shuttle on a fence board which
CHANGED to lay upo n the ground near
by. He then took a "chaw of ter
backer," refllled his planting bag.
spat upon his hands, and, Selling his
new hoe, struck out with renewed
vigor.
II guess I'll let out a link or two
this bout" said the sandy mustach-
ed young fellow to himself.
He did SO, and not only passed
the hitherto invincible one, but, kept
the lead until the dinner hour sound
ed.
Yes, Peter had at last found his
little more.
Although he struggled manfully
and well, and received the assistance
of many chews af tobacco; although
he showed his sleeves far above his
elbows, removed his boots and rolled
up his tan-colored overalls; although
he welded his new hoe with des-
peration born of despair, and paid
no attention as to whether he
dropped one or twenty kernels in a
hill, he at length had to own himself
out-planted, beaten, vanquished. He
did it in these words:
'"This tarnal new hoe hangs out
tew much.''
Robert Sharp could not only out
plant Peter, but he could, and he did,
out-hoe, out-mow and out-chop him.
One would naturally suppose that
the farmer would have been greatly
pleased with so able an assistant.
He was not, however. He disliked
the young man because he had taken
from him his prominence as work
er.
1t was soon known for miles around
that Peter Cummins had at last
found d man who was his superior
at all kinds of husbandry.
The old tiller of the soil grew to
hate his vanquisher.
The young mans presence was a
constant reminder to Peter of the
many defeats he had suffered at his
hands.
The next day after missing his |
hired man Peter went to Piketown,
and falling in with some old cronies,
did not leave the village until nearly
10 O'Clock at night.
When within about a mile of his |
home he met arapidly-driven wagon
IN which was seated a man and |
Although the woman was heavily
yelled and the man pulled his hat !
we'll down over his eyes, the old
farmer at once recognized his young !
n daughter and his former hired |
man.
"Whoa!" roared Peter. swinging
lis horse across the road, thus stop
ping the further progress of the evil
1ently clipping couple
'Whoa! Wot does this mean, you
5arnal tramp? Git out Nv tibet wag-
~