The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-05-05
A SHOOTING MATCH.
Story Of the Love Affairs Of Mary
Ben and DANA

Il amt much on the SnOOU, now,
said the old man, as he tenderly hung
his squirrel rifle on the deerhorn hooks
over the door, "but when was young
ster there want no man er boy in Poor
Fork Valley that could shoot alongside
of me- Nary one" and the old man
sighed heavily. But" he continued,
this gittin' old knocks the edge off a
mans eyesight, and makes his hand
so trembly that he can't even take
drink of liquor without wastin' half of
it; and as fer shootin' US old fellers
might as well try to hit center with a
maui at hundred yards"
The visitor, to whom this converse
ton was addressed, made few desul-
tory and incongruous remarks, and the
old man resumed his talk, pretty much
as if nothing at all had been said, which
it was mostly.
II never got beat but once" he went
on, with good-humored reminiscent
chuckle. land that was by feller that
hadn't sense enough skeercely to go in
out of the rain. Leastways that's what
I thought when the match come off.
He didn't live in my neighborhood. but
he had farm about twentymile furder
Up the Fork, and had a habit of goin'
up thar to see mighty likely gal, that
was darter to the man that owned the
place next to the chap that beat me at
the shootin'. The old mans name was
Squire Higgins, and the gals name was
Mary. Mary's purity name, and Mary
was a purity gal. Nothin' on the Fork
was patchin' to that gal, and l wanted
her bad enough to go up thar sparkin'
about twict a week durin' of a mighty
hard winter, when. it was cold enough
to freeze the knobs off bureau. Mary
kinder liked me, too. Liked me better
in any of the other young fellers that
was hangin' round, eXceptin' Ben
Wilkins, and it was neck and neck be-
twiXt me and Ben. Ben was her neigh
Dor, and the same feller had the shoot
in match with. l never could see how
she stuck to Ben, he was so doggoned
freclSled- faced and sun-burnt and sandy
headed and ignorant-like and fooler
than Thompson's colt, but you can't
tell about woman, and thar wasn't no
goin' back on the solemn fact, that eff
Ben didn't git ont of my way l was
never goin' to git the gal, and it was
most nigh as certain that eff somethin'
didn't happen to me, Ben wasn't goin'
to git her neither. 1t was close runnin',
mister, and the gal settin' on the fence,
aggin' us on. That's another weakness
woman has; mea N these young women
that has her choice, like Mary Higgins.
Want no danger of her film maid
ems grave, even eff me and Ben both got
put out of the way.
Zone mornin' when was on the road
leadin' up the Fork, towards Squire
Higgins farm, met Ben comm down
with load of hay, and I'd been goin'
to see Mary then for mighty nigh
year.
"'Howdy, 'Ben?' said I, friendly
enough.
"'Howdy', Danl, said he to me.
"'Fair to middlin',' says 1.
Coin up to the squire's, reckon"
says he, questionin'.
"'That's what, says I, speakin' as if
! had the rights to.
Mary amt home, says he.
"'Who said anything about Mary%
says l, gittin' red round the years.
1.-The way you're go'in',' says he,
with grin.
"'What's that to you? says I, not
over polite, l reckon.
"'Nothin',' says he; but eff you want
to see her, you'd better go down to
mothers. She's down thar to quilt
I'M
Ben grinned again and I got purity
mad, but not enough to hurt anybody,
and says 1 to him:
Ben Wilkins says I, have you got
gum?
"'You don't want to fight, do you%
says he, backin' off kinder, fer 1
thought he was, ,skeert, and mebbe he
was.
NO says I; but want Mary Hig-
gins
" so do T. says he.
"Then 1t cleared up bit, and we both
looked at each other sorter sheepish and
grinned, fer before this we hadn't ever
had no understandin'.
o." Now as we know what we want
says /, I'VE orter have it settled on short
notice who's to git it, and eff you air
agreeable Well settle it to the satisfac-
ton of all parties at intrust, as the
lawyers say
"'How?' says he.
"'We can't both have her, kin we%
says I.
Not accordin' to law says he.
'Ner no way says !.
81 reckon not says he.
Then s'posin' we have a shootin'
match fer her, says l.
Il amt agreeable to that says he.
Fer why?' says 1.
"'You air handler than me with q
gum says he.
Some mebbe,' says I, tumble
enough, but I'll give you twenty-five
yards advantage, and that'll about
make it even.'
"Well, after talkin' fer half an hour
sr more, we dSed up 9 shgoti9' match,