Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-09-11

e out toward every
household the news of deaths, births,
scandals, fights, courtships, marriages
and other matters of moment. To-day
slarge 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 large farm several
horses and "cow brutes" and, by all
odds, the finest breed of COW dogs that
ever yelped at tree in Lewis county.
Big Tim and Old Tom were at the
mill, ard as the latter was n man of
hot temper, 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
o stem into a new cob pipe when old
Tom approached and said:
81 hearn you an my gal wuz fxin'
ter marry"
eve amt fxin', ole man," placidly
returned Big Tim.
. "Ye ain't?" hopefully questioned old
Tom
"No; We are already fxed-er haw,
haw, hawl"
The old mans fingers punched them
selves into hard fists, and his eyes
glittered like new dirk knives a-whirl.
ing in the sunshine.
IL
You lazy, good-fer- nuthin' rascal, I'd
like ter know what you got ter marry
on?"
GIVE got my dads puncheon foor
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
YEP" said old Tom, curling his uppel
lip into a vicious snarl
''Yss, | Am smart whar the hidei
of, az my ole grandad uster say-el
haw, hsw, hew, haw! " course I'm
er smart man, and am well awar' NV it,
er l wouldn't have the brass ter try
ter marry in the big Rallin family, A
fool couldn't git a gal like youru ter
agree ter walk the puncheon er mater
mony with him. He must be smart
snongh ter keep up the family credit.
Polly Ann ain't no ham eater, az my
ole grandad uster say. She's some
punkins herself, an she knows er smart
person like me, as soon as her eyes
runs over his face. cum from a smart
set of people. One nv 'em--an uncle
served M road overseer in Magoflin
County fer ten years, an wuz
Iias ou the pint o bein'
'lected constable, when a gun went
of in patch o bresh close to the road,
uhar he wuz passin along, an killed
him. Ny 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 wss peart enough ter set out on the
fence, on nice warm days, an watch
his old woman chop off hickory bush
Log. Oh, I tell ye, old man, I'm not
ter be grinned at by them what has no
teeth AZ my grnndad used to say. I'm
er smart feiler, an thsr'll be no retri-
gradin' in the stock a. long az any o.
the Lstimer blood iz in er family-er
hsw, haw, haw, haw !'
The monumental impudence of Lati
mer was actually fascinating to old
Tom. While the big, good humored
fellow went rollicking on III the above
style, it was impossible for Old Tom to
keen his aoher ccuntenauce He tripl
his utmost to keep looking fierce, bat
ever and anon ne would grin in spite
of himself
At the conclusion of Tins pedigree
he said Tim, / amt got no time ter
hear more o. yer foolishness, /"
What ye in a hurry about? ye got
lots o time, The ole miller sed awhile
ago that we couldn't git our grindin
till orbout dark, and (glancing up at
the sum hit amt more nor two o. clock
now. Thnt bein' the case, we'd list az
we'll put in the time a-gasin' az not.
The fack il, ole man, you're a mighty
interesting ole feller to talk to. You
may not believe me, but / consider
you ter be the only man in this kentrv
outside o myself, what knows how ter
talk real smart talk k--the only man
eh~ee Travelled and collected food ter
feed the hog nv mans intellectual
mater nm make it squeel for morei I
like q man that ] kin go to when the
stomach nv mer mind is empty an all
drawn up, an git the ham an eggs o