The Portland daily press., 1892-01-14
A TENDERFO0T.

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 l
hey ba'n q whole lot more respective IN
speakin of 'em.
"'Twas in the summer of 49,. was
then workin fer Ole Harvey Skerrett,
who KEEP store an run Il ranch down at
Three Forks, in tn foothills.
Near Skerrett, bout two miles away,
Ole 81 Hendershott he'd a ranch. He
likewise he'd bout tn purtiest an incest
darter tibet ever wore millinery, an 81,
he was proper proud of her, you bet.
Moreovermore, all OF US galoots round
Three Forks was up to our back hair III
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, 'tlout half tryin, cause he was
big, handsome cuss an well fixed, be-
sides havin been t. school lots when
kid So he went in an winned-almost.
That is t say, he froze us out an KEEP
regular conp'ny with Hetty.
81 guess twas all settled that they
was t. 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' cainped
right at Sis fer tn summer. He was
one Of these here artist chulnps-not
real, genooine Photographer, but one Of
tn sort that carries a lot of paper an
pencils an colors in little lead squirt
guns, an draws red, white an blue SUM-
sets, likewise funny lookin 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
tenderfoot's name-was so doggoned
nice an pleasant an took a joke so easy,
we all got t. ikin him tiptop. All Except
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 q good deal of bully, an
drank considerable, an then there was
an ole story bout his havin' skipped out
from tn states, leavin a wife that died a
little later. But this didn't cut no fgger
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 o toler'ble dangerous cuss
himself.
"We1l, 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 fshin, an SO on, an
in TIL evenin when Perry come 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 a. first film on tn calico. An
Hetty, jest like any woman, 'nJoyed 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,
he walks up an says t him: See here,
nv pale faced an weak eyed consump-
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.
"sWell,' says Perry, its 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 Memberships
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
mr. any other rowdy can bluff me one bit.
! Dye understand?
sPerry turned like he'd ben kicked.
It was tn first time we'd ever heerd 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
a whole minute and seen there was nc
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
bowed hisself in fer a forty-four an
took shots at a mark ev'ry day-jes' fel
sport, he seq; but l kinder s'mised he
was 'xpectin Mister Roane an hind hey
trouble in tn near foochur, which was
Greet
"One day not longer arter this some
galoot brung word thet tn Peaches was
out thou muzzles, an was chawin evry
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, hic
all tn stock we could, nailed up tn
shop-'twas stone-an lit out fer Hen
dershott's t. tell them. Thar Skerrett
leaves ne, him havin tn fastest little
mustang in the kentry, an goes on t
tell folks. ez many ez he kin