Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-08-21
HEP'S CHOOSING.
It Was q Choice Between Sweet
heart and Mother.

heart and Mother.
When the superintendent of railway,
that had just been built through Allen
county, KY, published an announce
ment that he would buy all the cord
wood that might be Kicked up at GER
tain places along his road, the news
flew as a carrier pigeon, conveying the
words of promised deliverance from the
cut-throat mortgage of the crossroads
merchant. The country was exceed
ingly poor. The hillside fields were
trenched with gullies, and the gushing
raintide had washed away SO much of
the soil that many patch of land,
which at its best was capable of produc-
ing only nubbins, would not now have
bprouted a black-eyed pea Along the
creeks there were strips of compare
lively fertile land, but they were sub
ject to overflow and were not, even
after the kindliest season, productive Of
sufficient grain to keep their owners
p out of debt. 1t was early spring when
the superintendents publication was
received, and instantly there was an
unhitching of old pillow horses and a
throwing of old bull-tongue plows into
the fence corners.
1t was like call to arms in patri-
otto community; it seemed to be the
movement of single impulse. Every
able-bodied man shouldered his AK
and turned toward the "big woods" a
great and rugged forest which was yet
the common property of mankind.
Cabins were built, and patches here and
there in the woods soon bore the aspect
of a mining camp.
Hep Brooks was one of the first men
TO build cabin. He was known as
Big Hep; and he was giant. He was
splendidly proportioned, and Bradford
Wellbanks, an old circuit rider who lost
his life recently while attempting to
save a worthless fellow from drowning,
often pleasantly remarked that he
would bet his saddle bags that Big Hep
could outrun buck and kill him with
his fist after he caught him. Hep was
about twenty-five years old, and al
though he was rather good-looling
Yellow, had never spent much time in
the society of women. 1t was soon re-
marked that he was adjoining his cabin
with many an extra touch, and one
evening a neighbor said to him that he
must be thinking of making some wom-
an happy
81 am" he answered.
"That's right, for you're gittin old
enough. This is mighty fine place
for women up here in the hills and they
can help right smart chance when we
begin to haul the wood down the road.
When are you goin' to git married?"
you air too hard for me now," said
= Hep.
"Why, thought you lowed you was
goin' to make some woman happy"
$50 did, but maxim woman happy
don't always mean marryin'. This
cabin"-poir ing with pride to the hut
Ills for my mother"
"Oh, I didn't know that. BY the
way don't BE- ieve ever seen her."
mo, reckon not, She is Twin over
in Barran coul y with my brother Jim
an never has len out to Allen. You
know amt been Twin here but about
two years; COM out here to see if
couldn't git q place for her, but il
'peared like the harder l worked the
wus times got, and was jest about to
give up and go somewhat else wher
this wood business come up. 1t won't
take me long now to knock out a few
dollars"
81 reckon not, but have you made
any arrangements about havin' yo
wood hauled down to the road?"
THAT was about the only thing thai
stood in my way, not havin' airy boss
but have agreed to pay Sim Joyner Sc
much to haul it out and rick it up fol
me. I've got to strike out early in tn,
mornin' after mother"
II reckon you'll have some little
trouble in hirin' boss to go that fur.
'Yes, a good deal. The truth is
KANT git boss at all, but I'll fetcl
her all right enough"
Hep set out early the next mornin,
while his neighbors were eating break
fast. He disappeared down the valley
singing his one tuneless song:
"Oh, the old raccoon was chased from his hole
And he couldn't git back for to save his soul
He tried 1t late and he tried IL soon,
But he couldn't git back, that old raccoon."
-Four days passed before they hear,
that tuneless song again, and ther
they heard 1t coming up out of tn
valley.
81 don't see his mother with him."
man remarked, shading his eyes witt
his hand "Mebby the old lady couldn'
walk so fur. He's got pretty big bun
die of something on his back"
They stood specializing until He
came up, and then they saw a woman
head protruding from roll of blanke
which the giant carried on his back
Everyone uttered an exclamation @
surprise when Hep placed his mothe
In a hickory sapling chair which he ha
made for her, and which he requisite
some one to bring from the cabin.
Now you sit right here, little lady
till | git you suthin' to eat" said tn
giant You see" he pleasantly ado
ed, turning to his neighbors, "tha
thar's a good deal of diffunce in on
size. weigh over two hundred an
little lady don't weigh but ninety"
And is she rally 20 Iuother?" som
one asked.
"Indeed am" the little, old woma