The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-26
ONE WAY TO WIN A BRIDE
RITHERS THREATENED TO SHOOT
HIS DAUGHTERS SUITORS.
But Young Man Got Her with the
Coloners Own Weapons, and Scared
Him Too

From the Chicago Neics
Col. Rithsrs was fat, but very game
He had but one pride-a lovely daughter.
He looked upon her with the deep love of a
devoted father and with the admiring eyes
of an artist Indeed, he was something of
an artist, having once painted pictu of
a Tennessee river sunset; but unfortunately
had to shoot man VINO innocently asked if
it did not represent brush pile on fire.
Whenev er Lucie Rithers went into society
the old man went with her He had COM
| PEELED her to promise that she would never
be married, and he had ia tn In her avowal.
| Still, he did not like TO see her thrown In
the way of temptation. Once a handsome
commercial traveller took brazen occasion
to smile at her. but he left the community
the next day, carrying with him a note,
which read something like this:
II should like to meet you early to =
morrow morning, with a view to shooting
ing an ordinary-sized hole through your
head. | should have obliged myself bv
doing so to-day, but this being Sunday, and
our law imposing fine for firing a gun on
the Sabbath, refralned. Do not let any
| business engagement prevent our meeting,
| for assure you that l shall detain you but
a few moments
One bright morning, while a chipmunk
was sitting on a stump rhyth Ally nod
ding his head to the song of g catbird, the
colonel stood under a tree, communing with
nature and wondering how he was going to
get the steers out Of the cornfield. He had
| just decided to waddle into the field and
curse them out when young man rode up
to the fence, diSmounted gracefully and
approached.
us this Col. Rithersp' the young man
asked.
YES. sab. What can do for your
The young fellow, without replying, took
out two pistols, and as he politely extended
their handles toward the colonel, said:
Take your choice"
"What forw tue colonel asked.
u haven't the time nor the inclination to
explain. Take one and step off about thirty
steps,"
Young man." said the colonel, 1T am
not acquainted with you, but l must say
that like your methods, and therefore am
compelled to accommodate you"
The colonel measured OFF thirty steps
and at signal mutually agreed upon both
| men fired. The colonel caught proiectile
in the fieshy part of his right shoulder.
| GOOD morning." said the young man.
| Good morning, sab, rejoined tie colonel,
| as he leaned against a tree. The young
man gracefully mounted his horse and rode
away, and the colonel went home and lay
down.
Several months passed. The catbird was
gone and the chipmunk was hidden away
| under the snow. The colonel stood In the
country road watching the wild geese fly
| over. A young man came riding along at
an easy canter, and seeing the colonel, dis
mounted, tied his horse and approached.
"Good-morning, said the young man.
How are you, sah!" the colonel res
pended.
Rather bright but chilly day."
Yves. but don't think this snow will last
long"
mo, think not The wind is shifting
around to the south By the way, colonel,
are you busy this morningF"
mo. not particularly. l haven't fed the
pigs yet, Tut can let them go for awhile.
Is there anything can do for youg"
| "Yes. think So" the young man an
swered, drawing two pistols and telling the
colonel to take his choice.
Look here, young fellow, as I told you
some time ago, l do not know you. or
course, am thankful for the attentions
which you are showing me, but it has gener-
ally been my rule not to accept courtesies
| from stranger"
That's all right; step Off thirty yards.n
| "rll have to 20 you, although l haven't
fed the pigs yet"
| The distance was measured and again
| they fired at each other. This time the
colonel was slightly wounded in the leg. The
young man babe him polite good morning
| and rode away.
When the colonel went to tho house his
daughter, seeing that something was the
matter with him, said: Pap. do wish you
would take better care of Yourself IL
seems to me that tho older you grow the
more careless you become. What has hurt
| you this timeW
so, nothing, only that Internal spotted
sow snapped me when l climbed over into
| the pen,"
"Well, but you should not expose your
self so. If you should die what would be-
come of meW
30, you'd marry, suppose"
"But you have told me that shall never
marry"
You shan't so long as Ilive.'
Months passed. The plow hands were in
the field and the scent of burning grass pre-
vaded the murky atmosphere. The catbird
had come back to look for her song and the
chipmunk timidly looked from his hole.
The colonel stood under the budding
alder bush; young man climed over the
| fence.
"Why, good morning, colonel There has
been slight change in the weather since
| we last met"
Eyes, as l predicted, the snow is all
gone"
Are you busy this mornings"
mot excessively"
The you G man produced two pistols.
Look here" said the fat man: II told you
some time ago that We were not &C.
Qualnted, and now l positively refuse to
associate with you until we have been in
troduced."
| "Ah," the young man said, 81 hope you
will pardon my seeming lack or good breed.
| ing. l am John Piller."
swell, Mr.. Piller, suppose / must ac-
| commodate you"
This time the young man was slightly
wounded, but he bowed gracefully and
smiled as he rode away.
| The season had undergone another change
The gray squirrel ran along the top rail of
the fences with brown nut in his mouth !:
the catbird was teaching her young ones to
| fly and the chipmunk siyly stole through
the dying grass. The colonel walked in the
orchard where the red apples cleaned in
| the Indian summer haze Suddenly he dis
covered that John Piller was sta ding near
| him.
ga beautiful and dreamy day, colonel"
Eyes, nature seems to be humming q
sleepy tune"
"And you are surely not busy at such a
timer
| "No, l can't say that am"
And you cannot say that you are not
acquainted with me?'
''Oh no for the last time we met
you we're polite enough to introduce your