Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-08-18


scandals, fights, courtships, marriages
and other matters of moment. To-day
large crowd had gathered, for rumor
was abroad that Big Tom Latimer and
Polly Ann Rallin were soon to get
married in the face of her fathers OPP
position. The Rallin family was the
leadin' one of the county, old Tom
Rallin having q large farm several
horses and "cow brutes' and, by all
odds, the finest breed of COW dogs that
ever yelped Mt tree in Lewis county.
Big Tim and Old Tom were at the
mill, and as the latter was man of
hot temper, a fight between the men
was hopefully anticipated. Big Tim
was handsome, good -natured fellow,
who would fight only when necessity
commended. He was standing fitting
stem into a new cob pipe when old
Tom approached and said
~ hearn you an my gal wuz fxin'
ter marry?"
"We amt tixin', ole man, placidly
returned Big Tim.
eye ain't?' hopefully questioned old
Tom.
ono; we are already fxed-er haw,
haw, haw ~
The old mans fingers punched them
glittered like new dirk knives a-whirl-
ing in the sunshine.
'Fixed!' Kissed old Tom, "fixed
You lazy. goodfer nuthin rascal, I'd
like to- ,Rnow what you got ter marry
on9"
'Tve got my dads puncheon floor
to marry on, eff we can't get ter stand
up on yourn!" returned Tim with
loud eXasperating laugh.
"You think yer terrible smart, don't
YEP" said old Tom, curling his upper
lip into vicious snarl.
'Yas, | am smart whar the hides
off, az my ole grandad uster say--er
haw, haw, haw, haw Nv course I'm
er smart man, and am we'll awar' nv it,
er / wouldn't have the brass ter try
ter marry in the big Rallin family A
fool couldn't git gal like yourn ter
agree ter walk the puncheon er mater
mony with him. He must be smart
enough ter keep up the family credit.
Polly Ann amt no ham eater, az my
ole grandad ulster say. She's some
punkins herself, an she knows er smart
person like me, as soon MS her eyes
runs over his face | cum from smart
Bet of people. One NV 'em-an uncle
served NJ road overseer in Magoffin
County fer ten years, an wuz
iist on the pint o bein
'lected constable, when gun went
off in patch o bresh close to the road,
whar he wuz passin' along, an killed
him. My great grandad wuz also er
smart man. He talked six different
wimmen inter the notion o being his
wife. He waz awful smart At the
age of ninety-six, he waz still smart.
He waz peart enough ter set out on the
fence, on nice warm days, an watch
his old woman chop off hickory bush
log. Oh, tell We, old man, I'm not
ter be grinned at by them what has no
teeth as my grandad used to say. I'm
er smart feller, an thar'll be no retri-
gradin' in the stock as long az any o
the I,atimer blood il in er family-er
haw, haw, haw, haw!"
The monumental impudence OF Iatl-
mer was actually fascinating to old
Tom. While the big, good humored
fellow went rolljcking on in the above
style, it was impossible for Old Tom to
keep his sober countenance. He tried
his utmost to keep looking fierce, but
ever and anon he would grin in spite
of himself.
At the conclusion of Tins pedigree
he said "Tim, amt gotno time ter
hear more o. yer foolishness, /"
"What We in hurry about? ye got
lots o. time. The ole miller sed awhile
ago that we couldn't git our grindin'
till erbout dark, and (glancing up Mt
the sum hit amt more nor two o'clock
now. That bein' the case, we'd iist az
well put in the timo a-gasin NJ not.
The fack liz, ole man, you're mighty
interesting ole feller to talk TO. You
may not believe me, but | consider
you ter be the only man in this kentry,
outside o myself, what knows how ter
talk real smart talk-the only man
whose travelled and collected food ter
feed tho hog uv mans intellectual
mater an make it squecl for more. [
like man that | kin go to whea the
stomach NV mer mind is empty en ell
drawn up, an git the ham an eggs y