The Press., 1891-06-18

much of yo'self; but say, I told the boys over at Shady Grove that you would come back with me, an l wish you would. 7" r#
 "I'd like to accommodate you, Mark. but don't feel like strollin' today"
 sssSorry to hear that, for told the boys that I'd have you in jail by 12 o'clock today"
 II wish you hadn't told them, Mark, an you oughtenter done it, fur you didn't know how busy mout be-"
 "Yas, mebbe I done wrong" said the sheriff, 'sbut didn't know after all that you couldn't fling aside your business and come along with me. The boys air all expectin' you."
 "Yas, the boys up the river expected Gineral Jackson once, but he didn't come" .... ...
 '.So I hearn." said the sheriff; "an' you air not comin' with me?'
 "That's what I ain't."
 ssI'll bet you fifteen dollars, Bill, that you do."
 | ssI'll take that bet, but in the mean time if you don take yo' arms offen that fence I'll drop you right in yo' tracks. "
 "That's the way like to hear a man talk, Bill. Say, last night the jailer and his two sons went 'possum huntin'. They called up the dogs-and they have got some of the finest hounds you ever saw and here they came with brightness in their eyes an deep music in their voices. | You ought to have heard them go 'ounk, ounk, ounk' Well, they went out. an about midnight they came back with two of the biggest and fattest 'possums you ever saw. We'll, they dressed them right thar an then, an put them out on the top of the house so the frost could | fall on them, an this marnun' they took T Tfhem down an began to bake them along with some sweet potatoes. Then the iailer's son he says, says he, Pop, we ain't got no regular wildcat flicker to go with these here 'possums.' So the old man, havin' a mighty eye for art, gave a jug to the young feller an told him to go up in the mountains
 "The young feller went, but he couldn't t find no kicker, an at last he seen a ole feller drivin' a wagin, an when he asked the ole feller if he could git any flicker he swore that he didn't know nothin' about it; but. says he, if you will take g jug up the hillside an put dollar un- der it l don't know what mout happen, but when you come back don't believe the dollar will be there Wall, he went up on the mountain side an put dollar under jug an went away, but bless yo' life when he came back the dollar was gone, but the jug was filled with the best kicker that had passed its teens, An so at dinner today they are goin' to have them possums an sweet potatoes an that old kicker that's got bead on it like dewdrop; an say, the jailer says that you may share the feast"
 "Look here, Mark, you ain't tryin' to trife with my feelin's, air you%
 "No, Pm tellin' the Lords truth; an say, that ain't all. The Perdue boys caught big bear down in the bottoms an after dinner they air goin' to set the dogs on him in the jail yard right in full view of yo' cell. Think of that"
 "Look here, Mark, I am about con, verted. an I'll go with you if you'll let me take my rife along"
 'No, can't do that. Bill, an besides I'll have to handcuf you. Possum sweet potatoes, kicker with bead on ii like 8 dewdrop an bear fight in full view of yo' cell"
 Mark" said Bill, as he put down his rife, "fetch on yo' handcuffs. Blamed if I ain't with you" "-Opie P. Read in New York World.