The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-05
A TENDERFOOT.

the UODacCO III tne DOWA "a MS ppps PAO-
paratory to relighting that article
ssspeakin of tenderfeet reminds me Of
one lnowed oncet, sence which time
hev ben whole lot more respective IN
spealsin Of 'em.
.Twas in the summer Of tS was
then worlin fer Ole Harvey SkerTett,
who KEEP store an run ranch down ut
Three Forks. in tn foothills.
Near Skerrett. bout two miles away,
Ole 81 Hendershott he'd a 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.
Moreoyermore. all Of us galoots round
Three Forks was mp 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 Don't 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 wentin an winned --almost.
That is t say, he froze us out an KEEP
regular compny 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 81 from
some relation o. his'n, an jes' camped
right at Sis fer tn summer He was
one of these here artist chunps--not q
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 sum
sets, likewise funny lookin trees an
powders. He talked like o book an
called all tn boys Mister, besides say
ing Beg parding' If he didn't hear what
yesaid 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. likin 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 good deal OF bully, an
drank considerable, an then there was
m ole story bout his havin' skipped out
from til states, leavin wife that died q
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 thu
ole man was toler'ble dangerous cuss
himself.
"Well, tn artist Teller got t feelin
sort of soft ON Hetty himself, an most
evry day they'd go wanderin round tn
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 TIL 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.
'sBut Perry wasn't tn chap t stand this
very long; SO one mornin, happenin t.
be at TIL store an meetin Spenceley there,
he walks mp an says t him: See here.
my pale faced an weak eyed consump-
tive. Dye know whose toes you've been
steppin ON?
s.Spenceley looked at him kind Of
queer, but said he didn't know as he'd
hurt anybody.
asWell,' says Perry, its my toes, and
it'll pay you t climb from under, fore
something draps on ye. Dye know who
has tn firstclaim on Miss Hendershott's
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
n'rany 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 TIL artist
Teller t get bruised q whole lot. But he
wasn't-not any. Perry looked at him
o 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 hisseR in fer forty-four an
took shots at mark ey'ry day-vjes' fer
sport, he SEE; but ! kinder smised he
was 'xpectin Mister Roane an him. d hev
trouble in tn near foochur, which was
erect
Gone 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 Menan the OLE
man les Tux all tn dust in TIL box, hid
an TIL stock we could, nailed up til
ehop-'twas stone an lit out fer Hen
dershott's t tell them. Thar Skerret
leaves me, him havin tn fastest littl
mustang in the kentry, an goes ON
Ell folks, ez many ez he kin