The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-12
A TENDERFOOT.

observation-disclosures said Jim
Harden, as with critical air he packed
the tobacco in the bowl of his pipe, pre-
paratory to relighting that article
"speakin of tenderfeet reminds me of
one | knowed oncet, sence which time
hev ben whole lot more respective in
speakin of em.
"Twas in the summer Of l8-. | was
then workin fer Ole Harvey Skerrett,
who KEEP store an run ranch down at
Three Forks, in tn foothills.
"Near Skerrett. bout two miles away,
Ole 81 Hendershott he'd ranch. He
likewise he'd bout TIL purtiest an incest
darter tibet ever wore millinery, an ST,
he was proper proud Of her you bet.
Moreovermore, all of us galoots round
Three Forks was up to our back hair i'll
love with her-plumb, tearin, wide
awake mashed as Eve heard say. But
it didn't do none Of us no good-least-
ways, only one of us. That war Perry
Roane, IL young rancher from down tn
creek bout ten mile. Perry, he cut us
all out. 'thout half tryin, cause he was
big, handsome cuss an well fixed, be-
sides havin been t. school lots when
kid. So he wentin an winned-almost.
That is t say, he froze us out an KEEP
regular comp'ny with Hetty.
Il guess twas all settled that they
was t be hitched some time or other,
when bout May along come a Teller
from Boston with letter to Ole ST from
some relation o his'n, an jes' camped
right at Sis fer tn summer. He was
one of these here artist chumps-not
real, genooine Photographer, but one of
tn sort that carries lot of paper an
pencils an colors in little lead squirt
guns, an draws red, white an blue sun
sets, likewise funny lookin trees an
powders. He talked like book an
called all tn boys Mister besides say
ing Beg parding' if he didn't hear what
ye said first time.
Sure 'nough, we guyed tn chap lots
at first, but Spenceley-that wuz tn
tenderfoot's name-was SO doggoned
nice an pleasant an took joke so easy,
we all got t lilin him tiptop. All kept
Perry Roane. He hated him lots soon's
he seen him. Cause why? Jest cause
Spenceley was under tn same roof with
Hetty, an he knowed that it might turn
out kind of bad fer him, specially as he
knowed right then-which nobody else
did-that Hetty want much stuck on
him, anyhow, an had only promised t.
marry him t please tn ole man Ye see
Perry was a good deal of bully, an
drank considerable, an then there was
an ole story bout his havin' skipped out
h Oh ~
little later. But this didn't cut no figger
with 81. He had his eye on Perrys pile,
an was willin t take chances on maxim
Perry treat Hetty first rate, cause tn
ole man was a toler'ble dangerous cuss
himself.
"Wen, tn artist Teller got t. feelin
sort of soft on Hetty himself, an most
ev'ry day they'd go wanderin round TIL
country, DRAWN, an fishin, an so on an
In tn evenin when Perry come over t.
set awhile he'd find Mister Artist there
IN tn settin room, cool as a cucumber |
an polite as polite, him not KNOWN that
Perry had first film on tn calico. An
Hetty, jest like any woman, 'nioyed it
all immense.
!"But Perry wasn't tn chapt stand this |
very long; so one mornin, happenin t.
be at tn store an meetin Spenceley there.
ne walks up an says t. him: See here !
my pale faced an weak eyed consu1np-
tive. Dye know whose toes you've been
steppin on?
''Spenceley looked at him kind of
queer, but said he didn't know as he'd
hurt anybody.
"'Well,' says Perry, it's my toes, and
it'll pay you t climb from under, fore
something Craps on ye. Dye know who
has tn first claim on Miss Hendershotts
company? Better find out and take care
of yourself And Perry started t go out,
staggering, but tn artist says, real
sharp, Mr. Roane, wasn't aware that |
was interfering with you. If | am, how
ever. and you don't like it, I'm sorry; but
wish you t understand that nyther you
mir any other rowdy can bluff me one bit.
Dye understand?
"Perry turned like he'd ben kicked
1t was tn first time we'd ever heerd him
sassed and We was looking fer tn artist
Teller t get bruised q whole lot. But he
wasnt-not any. Perry looked at him
a whole minute and seen there was no
scare there, so he jest turned and walked
out, grumbling and cursing.
Somebody hid, took shot at Spence
ley few nights later, but he never
kicked none, only come up t tn store an
blowed hisself in fer forty-four an
took shots at mark ev'ry day-jes' fer
sport, he SEE; but l kinder s'mised he
was 'xpectin Mister Roane an hinl'd hev
trouble in tn near foochur, which was
erect.
zone day not longer arter this some
galoot brung word tibet tn PEACHES was
out thou muzzles, an was chawin ev'ry-
thin in sight-an, moreovermore, comm
our way, an not fur off, nuther Nope,
we didn't wait none. Men an the ole
man jes' TUX all tn dust in tn box, hid
all tn stock we could, nailed up tn
shop-'twas stone-an Lit out fer Hen
dershott's t. tell them. Thar Skerrett