The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-19
THE OLD SETTLER.

marchln long IN the IrOnI RANKS lhe mum
lest % the huInly in his day an gineration
Now. thar were 'Riar Simms' old mule Lad
dybuck. That mule were so old that t0lks
around the Corners usety say that he kim thar
with the hills an CROWD up WITH
'em. Anyhow, Laddybuck hadn't pen
knOw'd 20 sca'cey look hlgher
n his knees in twenty year. n nobody
couldn't recommended wen he'd ben Omen
walk. N durn slow walk at that. ~ Ter
being skeert, the mule had been dashed at by
bars, n yelled at by painters more times
thu he had hairs, most. m no bar ner no
painter had ever yet ben know'd to MAKE
Laddybuck eZ much eZ prick up one ear tie
has even ben druv suddenly Onter the Wild
Gander Ridge brass band eZ It struck up 10
play tune one generl trainin' day. over at
the Corners. N all Laddybuck done were
10 kinder squat n shiver leete. Then he
went on 10y the band 'thout turnin his head
70 look at EN-.
"Nosey Frazelpeck was keeping tavern at
the Corners long in them heydays O OF
Iaddvbuck's life. n his uncle, Jake Slybox,
were maxim him a visit. 'Rlar Slmms druy
over with the mule one day, n et HIM stand
in front % the tavern same Ell he'd done Tor
twenty year n better. Uncle Jake Slyoox
had the reputation o. ben' the humilest
man that We're in all that kentry, but | don
believe him nor ms folks nor nobody else had
any idee till that day jest edzacly how humly
he actly were. 'Riar had nice. lively VIslt
with NOsey n Uncle Jake, N long IN the ar
ternOOu he got up 20 start fur num- Uncle
Jake went out % the tavern with nm.
The mule was standin' facin' the door n
hadn't even wunst gone TO the bother o shak-
in the flies often his ears all day long. ~
Unkle Jake stepped ont, the mule kinder
opened his eyes mOre'n usual, n they popped
wide open, N Laddybnck raised ms head
FZ he looked at Uncle Jake his eyes began 10
bulge He stood for q second ez II he couldn't
believe his eyes, n tht he mus be dreamln
Then he stuck his ears straight up IN the air,
N r'ared up n paved. n snorted IKE a mao
three-year-O Then he got down on the
ground agin, give another look at ncle
Jake, ~ then turned round like skeert buck
m went snOrtin' away toward the Corners so
fast that he were out o. sight 10 less than th n
it takes TO tell it. his trail bein' blazed by
pieces o. Riar's gig th't he strung along 81 he
went EVERYBODY had been so took back by
Laddybucks onheered on pfOrmances that he
were on fore they KID put out hand 10 stop
him.
That's a mighty sllittish mule v got thar,
'Riar.' said Uncle Jake. inherent ez could be.
'H-a-a-a-s,' said 'Rlar.
They never tol Uncle Jake wat skeert
the mule. cause ne were glttn old n they
didn't want to hurt his feelins. But Nosey
Frazelpeck paid Riar fer the gig. They mowt
ha' ben humler men thin Uncle Jake SlyDOX.
Major but ii tina was hist'ry hant got EN-
down"
After hearty laugh over Uncle Jake and
Laddybuck and an exchange of compliments
with the Squire at the bar the Old Settler
said:
Member the Tidits, Squire, ez usety to
live over bevOndt Galus ridgeF"
Right by the McGonical run crosslnI'
asked the Squire.
NO said the Old Settler. Them was the
sheep-sninles Tidfts. Don't We member we
usety cali 'em the sheep SMILES Ildhts
cause tina wa one "a EN- from their yaller
boun' up through the family o nine young
uns n their pap m NANNY 20 the oil brindle
steer but " at alluZ seemed % hey cold IN
tie head Course we do. 'Ian't them |
mean. but the 'lidhts tint lived turder up on
the ridge on edge o the big wlnd-fal, wnar
81 Golfer killed the big six-prOng buck with
fence-rall. Y member them Ildhts, don y
Squire :" -
"Sh'd say sou assented the Squire ','N'
nice folks they was too. But about ~ Golfer
KILN that six-prong buck with fence rail-
he never done lto
Golfer never killed that buck Wull, Squire,
that's bout ez clean-cut way O calm lei
Ter "A liar Ell / ever had run agin me-"
who said you was liar:" demanded the
Squire.
You said 81 Golfer never killed that buck
with fence rail, didn't ye;' cried the GA
Settler.
YES. 1 did, exclaimed the Squire
"Wull. | said he did kill it with fence
railln declared the Old Settler If that haln't
calln' me a lar wat in Sam Hill Is 1t,
thenN
Did you see 81 Golfer kill that DEER"
asked the Squire.
NO replied the Old Settler.
How do v know he done it, them"
He tot me so. b'gosh.'
"Oh, he top y
Yes, He top me so"
He k'd lie if he wanted to, s'pose. Tha
hain't no law to p'yent him"
"Wull then. how'm calm you llar:'
"Y sniwated. any wav"
"Sinniwate. Pub, Yer fletcher thin a snap
dragon. " started in by askn me who were
the humliest man / ever know'd or heerd on,
IN tely, m then v start off on sumpin' tht
hain't got nuthin' to do with humly folks, n
end up by quarlin'
'A on Orter--'
But HOP on. Squire the Old Settler in
terrupted The 1idfts did Eey sumpin' TO
do with humly folks ! were jist gointer asst
Y, Wien y went of a flynn on NJ Colter'n' the
six-prong buck, il " ever know'd Ketury Ann
PepperwelF
NO" snapped the Squire.
'Y' missed a good deal. Squire" said the
Old Settler. smoothly. "She were a corker."
The Squire grunted.
she were some KIND OF relation or Otner
10 the Tidfts m had a clearn' with q heap
o. money over ON Rouzer Run. Me n young
Pete Tid6t was welkin' the woods together
one fall, IA Pete says TO me.
MY cousin. ketury Ann PepperwelPs
comm down 10 visit us for a spell. Slle,' SAYS
be- She's got durn snug clearln' up on OF
RouZer.' says he. W better take to droppin'
round our way now n then N 'casonally,
says he. a-wlnkn.
81 hadn't took to goin with M'riar yit, n
not hayin' any gal in my eye jist then, / tot
Pete. bgosh, tht I'd drop round his way
some eyenin'. m | Winked ez hard ez Pete
had. hadn't never seen Ketury Ann, a
nobody didn't seem 70 know her round
Gallus Ridge, that bein' consid'able outen her
bailwick. TO drop inter a snug cleaun
want sumpin th't We're turnln' up ev'ry day
m l thort 10 myself th't if | KID ketch Re
tury's eve N settle down on her place on OF
Rouzer Run I'd jist be about fixed, n the
fust thing know d mebby I'd be shurrut or
sumpin'. IA who know'd but the Legislator
mowt sail around my way, ! had an idee
Pa like 10 90 20 the Legislator IN them DAYS,
but known wat know now, N seem Wat
see. Pm kinder thankful, b'gosh' int my
posterity won't hev that ag'in EN-.
II were chuck full o Keturys clearin' N
Shura'n the Legislator the AFTERNOON ] start
ed fer Iidht's 20 make my tust call on ketu-
nv Ann 'Twere long late IN the fall, bout
the time punkins was in season. n squrls
was gatherin' in their last stores fer winter,
m bars had their heads all p'lnted to'ards
their cold weather dens. Fer all th't 1t were
late in the fall the weather We're warm-one
% them deceivn kind % days IN 10
4 Ton fnsff 100