Arizona republican., 1892-02-07
A TENDERFO0T.

tue tpudSNp III Nut bpNl VI Ills IllS, pro
paratory to relighting that article
"speakin of tenderfeet reminds me o.
one knowod oncet, senco which time
hov ben a whole lot moro respective IL
speakin of EN-.
Twas in the summer of lS-. was
then workin fer Ole Harvey Skerrett
who KEEP store an run ranch down al
Three Forks, in tn foothills.
Near Skerrett, bout two miles away
Ole 81 Hendershott he'd n ranch. He
likewise he'd bout tn 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 in
love with her-plumb, tearin, wide
awake mashed, as I've heard say. But
it didn't do none of us no good-least-
ways, only one of us. That war Perry
Roane, a 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 a
kid. So he went in 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 { be hitched some time or other,
when bout May along come Teller
from Boston with letter to Ole 81 from
some relation o his'n, an jes' camped
right at Sis fer tn summer. He was
one of these here artist chumps-not a
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 loolin trees an
powders. He talked like a book an
called all tn boys Mister besides say
ing Beg parding' if he didn't hear what
we said first time.
"Sure 'nough, we guyed tn chap lots
at first, but Spenceley-that wuz tn
tenderfoots name-was so doggoned
nice an pleasant an took joke so easy,
we all got { lkin 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 {
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
from tn states, leavin wife that died a
little later. But this didn't cut no figger
with 81. He had his eye ON Perry's 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
well, tn artist Teller got T. feelin
sort Of soft on Hetty himself, an most
ev'ry day they'd go wanderin round tn
country, DRAWN, an iishin, an so on, an
in tn evenin when Perry como over t
set awhile he'd find Mister Artist there
in tn settin room, cool as cucumber
an polite as polite, him not KNOWN that
Perry had first film on tn calico An
Hetty, jest like any woman, 'njoyed it
all immense.
But Perry wasn't tn chap I stand this
very long; so one mornin, happenin T.
be at tn store an meetin Spenceley there,
he walks up an says t him: See here,
my pale faced an weak eyed consump-
tive. Dye know whose toes you've been
steppin onY
"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 draps on ye. Dye know who
has tn first claim on Miss Hendershott's
company? Better find out and take care
of yourself And Perry started c go out,
staggering, but tn artist says, real
sharp. Mr.. Roalse, | 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
n'rany other rowdy can bluff me one bit.
Dye understand
Perry turned like he'd ben kicked.
Ii was tn first time we'd ever herd him
sassed and we was looking fer tn artist
Teller t get bruised whole lot. But he
wasn't-not any. Perry looked at him
whole minute and seen there was no
scare there, SO he jest turned and walked
out, grumblins and cursing.
Somebody hid, took shot at Spence
ley a few nights later, but no never
kicked none, only come up t tn store an
blowed hisself in fer a forty-four an
took shots at mark ev'ry day--jes' fer
sport, he SEE; but | kinder s'mised no
was 'xpectin Mister Roane an hind hev
trouble in tn near foochur, which was
erect
"One 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
leaves me, him havin tn fastest little
mustang in tho kentry, an goes on t
tell folks, ez many ez he kin.
"Wa-al, Hendershotts folks was
seady, real sudden, only Old 81, he
wouldn't go. SEE he: Il hain't goin one
foot This here's all I've got, 'cept tn
ole lady an Hetty, an I'm goin t stay
right here an hold it. IF them wimmen
he'd me an no ranch they'd DO wuss off
nor nothin.' An thar Ole 81 staid, an
bundled Inc n tn artist an the women
folks off fer Chloride quick. Tn VIM
men was in light Vaughn, little Jose,
Greaser kid, drivin, an two Greaser