St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-06-24

You wonder how II all may b,
And do not understand.
She lives IN Baltimore. md"
Means. simply. Maryland"
James @. Burnett In Century
A SHOOTING MATCH.
Story OF the Love Affairs OF Mary
Ben and DanI
81 amt much on the shoot, now,
said the old man, as he tenderly hung
his squirrel rifle on the decrhorn hook.
over the door, ''but when l was . young
ster there want no man cr boy In Pool
Fork Valley that could shoot alongside
of mc. Narv . one" and the old mar
sighed heavily. But" he continued
mans eyesight, and makes his hand
so trembly that he can't even take q
drink of liquor without wastin' half Of
It: and as fer shootin' us old fellers
might as well try to hit center with q
maui at q hundred yards"
The visitor, to whom this converse
tion was addressed, made . few desul-
tory and incongruous remarks, and the
old man resumed his talk, pretty much
as II nothing 1t all had been said, which
1t was mostly.
ON, with q good-humored reminiscent
chuclxlc, ''and that was by feller that
hadn't sense enough skeercely to go in
out of the RAIN Lesstways that's what
thought when the match come of.
He didn't live in my neighborhood, but
he had a farm about twenty-mile furder
up the Fork, and had 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 ut
the shootin'. The old mans name was
Squire Higgins, and the gals name was
Mary. Mary's purity name, and Mary
was . purity gal Nothin' ON the Fork
was . patchin' to that gal, and I wanted
her bad enough to 60 up thar sparkin'
about twict q week durin' Of q mighty
hard winter, when it was cold enough
to freeze the knobs of . 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 wss her neigh
Dor, and the same feller had the shoot
in match with. never could see how
she stuck to Ben, he was 20 dogRoned
freckled-faced and sun-burnt and sandy
headed and ignorant-lilke 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 ef
Ben didn't git out of my way I was
never goin' to git the gal, and it was
most nigh as certain that ef somethin'
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; mean these young women
that has her choice, like Mary Higgins.
Want no danger Of her film . maid
ems grave, even ef me and Ben both got |
put out of the way.
Zone mornin' when I was on the road |
leadin' up the Fork, towards Squire
Higgins farm, met Ren comm down
with load of hay, and I'll been goin' |
to see Mary then for mighty nigh .
year.
"'Howdy. Benz said I. friendly |
enough.
"'Howdy', Dan'l,' said he to me-
"'Fair to middlin',' says I.
"'Goin' up to the squire's. I reckonr
says he, questionin'.
That's what says /, spealin' - Il
I had the rights to.
Mary amt home says he.
"'who said anything about Mary?
says I, gittin' red round the years
"'The way you're go'in'.' says he,
with grin.
"'what's that to your says I, not
over polite, I reckon.
'Nothin',' says he; but ef You want
10 see her. you'd better 60 down to
mothers. She's down thar to . quilt
in'.'
Ben grinned again and I got purity
mad. but not enough to hurt anybody,
md says to him:
"'Ben wilkins says I, have you got
! gum
You don't want to fight, do your
;ays he. backin' of kinder, fer
.hought he was slreert. and mebbe he
vas.
No. says I: but want Mary Hig-
rms
so do l. says he.
''Then il cleared up bit, and we both
ooked 1t each other sorter sheepish and
rinned, fer before this we hadn't ever
nd no understandin'.
Now rs we know what we want
avs /, we orter have IL settled on short
lotice who's to git it, and ef you air
Rreeable wen settle it to the satisfae-
ion Of all parties ss intrust. as tho
lwyers say.
'How% says he.
+" We can't both have her. kin wer I
lysI.
" ".Not accordin' to law says he.
" 'Ner no way says I.
~ reckon not says he. II
Z" Then s'posin' we have . shootin' Z
,atch fer her. says /. Ia
~ amt agreeable to that says he. {
Fer why" says l.
Z" "sYou air handler than me with .
un.' says he.
~'Some mebbe,' says l. tumble q
nough, but I'll give you twenty-five {
ards advantage. and thatll about
aake it cven.' q
swell. after tallgin' ter halt an hour {
: mora ws dxed up shootin' usecA z