Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-05

puffed out like balloon; his tan colored
oyeralls bagged at the knee, and his
mammoth boots, pushed along through
the soft, sandy soil, made a shallow
canal on each side of his rcW.
Firmly grasping in one big hand his
new hoe and in the other no less than a
half pint Of corn Peter, putting and
blowing like locomotive, worked him
self across the field at high rate of
speed.
Looking behind him occasionally the
exnlting husbandman would yell.
'sCome on. Come on Thought yew
knew meow to plant corn. Git u gait on
ye Git gait on We. Hawl hawl hawp
At the end Of the first "bout" the
hired man was several yards behind, and
Peter, in 4 high state of exultation and
perspiration. took double shuttle on a
fence board which CHANGED to lay upon
the ground near by. He then took
"chaw Of teTbacAer,n 2 reiilled his plant
ing bag, spat upon his hands, and, seiz-
ing his new hoe. struck out with renewed
vigor.
Il guess III let out link or two this
bout, said the sandy mustached young
man to himself.
He did so, and not only passed the
hitherto invincible one, but kept the lead
until the dinner hoursounded.
Yes, Peter had at last found his match
and little more.
Although he struggled manfully and
s,4. 6
many chesTfss of tobacco; although he
showed his sleeves far above his elbows,
removed his boots and rolled up his tan
colored overalls; although no welded
his new hoe with desperation born Of
despair, and paid no attention as to
whether he dropped one or twenty ker-
nels in hill, he at length had to own
himself out-planted, beaten, vanquished
He did it in these words:
This taInal new hoe hangs out tew
much
Robert Sharp could not only out-plant
Peter, but he could, and did, out-hoe.
out-mow and ont chop him.
One would naturally suppose that the
farmer would have been greatly pleased
with so able an assistant. He was not,
however. He dislilied the young man
because he had taken from him his
prominence as a worker.
1t was known for miles around that
Peter Cummins had at last found man
who was his superior at all kinds Of hus-
bandry. Il
The old tiller of the soil grew to hat
his yanquisher.
The young mans presence was con
stant reminder to Peter OF the many de-
feats he had suffered at his hands.
And 80 he began to cast about for an
excuse. good or bad, for discharging
him.
He found one sooner than he expected.
One moonlight evening in August
Peter paid his nearest neighbor visit,
and coming home through his back lane
at about 0 o'clock came spat upon a cou-
pie seated on i log beneath the wide
spreading branches Of chestnut tree.
The young mans arm encircled the
maiden's slim waist her head rested on
his broad shoulder. and their hands
were clasped
AS they were deeply absorbed in talk
ing an astronomical observation the
presence Of a third party was for mo-
ment unobserved.
Then Martha, lowering her eyes from
the man in the moon to the man on the
earth, saw and recognized her sire. Rob-
ert Sharp saw him at nearly the same
instant
"Marthaf' roared tho irate husband
man as though his daughter was a mile
away, you mog your boots tew the
house this minute. Come, meow, git.
AS fur ydw burning to the hired MANI
yew come with me an I'll pay yew off,
an then, yew tarnal cuss, Git off'n my
farm Ye're nuthin' but a pesky, no
account tramp. anyway II sarved ye
right I'd give 80 i lift with my boot
Peter started toward the young man
as though he really intended to bring
into action bis noted No. TO-
Why didn't he do SO?
Perhaps he saw glitter in Roberts
dark eye, and an ominous clinching of |
his sunburned hand that convinced him
that "discretion was the better part of
valor."
Robert Sharp went to the farm house,
received his wages, and thrusting his
few belongings into his old carpet bag
left the Cummins homestead, as Peter
thought, forever
Before taking his departure he asked
to see Martha for a moment, but the re-
quest was greeted witha stentorian moi"
Susan, however, bade him cordial
farewell, and slyly slipped into his hand
q tightly rolled piece Of paper.
The next day after dismissing his
hired man Peter went to Piketown, and
falling in with some old cronies did not
leave the village till nearly 10 o'clock at
night.
When within about mile of his home
he met rapidly driven wagon in which
were seated q man and woman.
Although the woman was heavily
yelled and the man pulled his hat well
down over his eyes the old farmer at
once recognized his younger daughter
and his former hired man.
,Whoai' roared Peter, swinging his
horse across the road, thus stopping the
further progress Of the evidently eloping
couple.
"Whoal Wot does this mean, you
tarnal tramp? Git out nv thet wagon at
onct, Martina an come with me Dye
hears Come, meow, mog yer boots.
As the young lady made no move pre-
garatory to obeying the order. but on
the contrary clung hysterieally to her
Peter, in order to enforce