The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-08-23

ter conclude ter lay my matrimonial
claim in your family, and"
"Say, Tim"
'1'm er sayin' jest as fast az I can,
ole man. Jist you stan back few
minutes, an gimme full swing. Az
wuz iist q goin' ter say, feel that fer
me ter marry in your family will be
mighty good jump for both sides-it'll
keep the best looks an finest intellecks
in the county all bounded tergether.
l know you think you can't bear to
lose yer gal, but lemme say, right
hur, you shant lose her. She can stay
right with you"
ooh, hush, Tim |" said the old
man, grinning and turning away.
'1 see can't get no sense outer you.
But want to tell We now before you
string out agin, that you can't have
my gal. I'll die first. You know
when I say anything mean it. You
are good-natered sort NV a cuss-in
fact too good-natered-bu you are
not fit ter be husband, and ye can't
never hev gal O. mine"
''Say, ole man, want you ter jist
up an tell me what you object ter me
SO strong fer?'
''wal, in the fust place, you huin't
got no hoss."
'Is that all?
'Noap you hain't got no cow"
Anything else?"
eyes; ye amt got no good coon
dog"
"What else?"
''You won't never have none: won't
have son-in-law that has no hoss. "
oval, lookee hur, ole man, you've
got all o them things-more than
you'll ever need. Jist suppose you
give me enough to qualerfy me ter be-
come yer son-in-law? You've got more
stock than you need?"
'1'd see you dead fust ~ spoke the
old man fiercely, as he turned away.
'Tm goin' ter have Polly Ann an
one of your best horses afore two
weeks feel it in my bones" shouted
the big, jolly fellow, as the old man
started off.
"You won't" shrieked the old man,
grinding his teeth, and viciously shak-
ing his fist
you'll see, ole man. Hit won't do
fer such fine stock as the Rallins and
Latimers not ter mix up in matermony
-er haw, haw, haw, hawl"
Late in the afternoon, about dark,
old Toms "turn o. corn" was ground
and he was just shouldering it up,
ready to carry it out to his horse when
Tim came up and, smiling, said:
''Old man, let me carry out your
turn, an put it on your hoss. It's too
heavy for You. don't want ter see
ye kill yerself up, even if am goin'
ter marry yer gal an inherit yer prop
erty!"
"You go to the d-p' viciously
spoke the old fellow between his teeth,
as he slowly strained the bag to his
shoulder.
''Wait iist a minite, ole man, "
spoke Tim, laughing, 'my turn will
be ready in a minite. l am going
your road, and I'm shore you'll want
good company Besides it's an awful
lonesome road" But the old man
was riding away and he didn't hear
Tins last words.
"Confound that ar Tim !" the old
fellow spoke to himself in amused vex-
alton. ''He beats any feller ever
seed. He'd tickle dog to hear him
talk. If he only had hoss might
give in arter while, but never, never,
ever shall gal O. mine throw herself
away by marrying a feller what amt
got no hoss.
Darkness was now filling the road
and shutting out the view of all
things. Suddenly an owl brawled out
almost Immediately in front at an an
gle of the road simultaneously, the
horse, being a spirited animal, leaped
far TO one side, and then, oh horrors,
the old fellow felt the horse sinking
rapidly into the ground.
"Myl" he shouted, while he at
tempted to free himself from the ami
NAL, he's jumped into that big miery
hole" With these words he made a
desperate scramble to get away from
the horse, but the frightened animal,
sunk now to his body in the slough,
gave "a houndering surge, fell to its
side, catching the old fellows leg, and
rolling the bag of meal off on top of
him. Both horse and man were now
securely fast, unable to move.
The old follow was almost delirious
with fright. There he was, helplessly
fast in the slough. And to add further
to his terrors, it was turning colder
every minute. OF course, in such a
place, it was only question of few
hours when he must perish. And such
a death A man, in good health, to
begin to die gradually without being
able to summon a single human being.
His hands and feet must first get
numb. Gradually, slowly his blood
must go from the surface, until, finally,
It turns to ice in his heart
He began to pray, and the lips that
never before had trembled in divine
appeal now became fountains of beg
ging exhortation.
Soon he heard the sounds of a
horses hoofs.
Then, like n lightning flash, broke
on his soul the recollection that Tim
Iiatimer was to follow him ON the same
road. He stopped praying and began
to shout.
"What's the matter?" asked Tim,
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