Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-12-07
THE OLD SETTLER.
His Uncle Stockholders Story OF
the Widow Pudgecrack.

don't seem to gether heft student ez
they mowt"
us them pigs O. your'n YorkshiresP"
asked the Old Settler.
"Nothin' shorteri" exclaimed the
Squire. yorkshire from tail TO noz-
zle"
"Yorkshiresp" said the Old Settler,
maliciously. "wull, now, b'gosh, from
the build on 'em thort they was plow-
sheers2"
"Meanin' their heads2" said the
Squire.
"Jedgin' 'em from their heads Yes"
replied the Old Settler
Come to think on IL, major" said
the Squire, "them heads is q leetle sharp
an p'nted, an ca'c'lated pooty well to
turn up the sile, but don't keep pigs
for their heads. keep pigs for their
hams, an tenderlines, an shoulders
an setch. Our folks don't winter over
on head cheese, our folks don't"
"Whose folks does, b'gosb2" de-
manded the Old Settler, testify.
II didn't say as anybody's did," re-
piled the Squire.
But ye sinniwatedr"
had insinuated or whether he hadn't,
but a suspicion Of smile lurked about
him. There was silence for awhile,
which the Old Settler broke abruptly
by saying:
"Spealsin' o. the summer bein' past
an the harvest bein' ended alluz puts
me in mind o. the story o. the Wilder
Pudgecrack an the harvest on her
clearin', ez my uncle, Snebecker Giles,
usety tell 1t. It all happened in the
Wild Gander Ridge deestric', fer don't
think tina was "a man in the hull o. the
Sugar Swamp deestric' ez could a had
the heart TO do wat Shadrack BiR o.
Wild Camden done, an tina was men in
Sugar Swamp mean enough, b'gosh, TO
pass lead sixpences on n blind fiddler at
dance, an one of 'em were Tobin lid
fit, which hadn't orter say, don't
s'pose, Squire, bein' ez he were rela-
ton o. your'n; but facts is facts"
The Old Settler paused TO see how
this little reference affected the Squire,
and he seemed disappointed when the
Squire said;
That's So lie were meaner than
COW itch. Uncle Tobin were"
But bad his good p'ints," said the
Old Settler. "Te kuow'd which dim
myjohn had the best stuff in It,"
THAT runs in the family, major"
said the Squire, smiling again.
AN he never drinked alone, said the
Old Settler. THAT don't run in the
family"
That's onfortnit for you, major"
said the Squire, with II still broader
smile.
The Old Settler looked hard at the
Squire for awhile, but let the subject of
Tobin Tidht drop and went on with
the story of the Widow Pudgecracl's
| clearing.
"My uncle, Snebecler Giles, were
goin' through the Wild Camden Ridge
deestric' long late in December, wunst
sellin' medicine fer SMILES in sheep, an
he came to n clcarin' where tina were n
slommiclSin' great big chap sot out on
the woodpilc 5kinnin' mushrats. Uncle
SnebeclSer pulled up his boss an hollers
out to the chap:
"'Hullo, neighborl What clcarin' is
this2'
"'The Widder Pudgecrack clearin',
says the chap, lSeepin' on with his
mushrat skinnin'.
"'Is the wilder imp says Uncle sne-
becker
"'Wull, ruther' says the chap, lariln'
like hyeny. She's ben in these two
weelss--way in,' he says.
"Uncle SncbeclSer didn't know
exactly wat to make outen this, but
he says:
"'Iiin / see the wilder, think?'
"'Wull,' says the chap, larfn' agin
mot jst now; but II yer good, stiff
Hard-shell Baptis, an don't baclfslidc
the chances Is that yen run agin hei
one o. these days, he says
"Uncle Sncbccker begun TO git mao
now, an he says, pooty loud:
"'Scc herer he says. II We think "
kin pick me up fer q consumed idjit yei
barkin' up the wrong tree fer coons
What's the reason can't see the wild
der now?'
"'Wull says the chap, larfih' more'r
ever, 4 dunno why ye can't, unless III
cause the widder's dead.'
"Then the chap went on skinnin' hi
mushrats, an Uncle Snebecker wcr'
goin' on, wen the chap hollers TO hin
an says;
"'Guess We don't know about thu
Wilder PudgecracS, do YEP he says.
"Unclc Snebeclser said he didn't
"'Wull, says the chap, we mustn't g
way without hearin' bout the wilder,
says he. TIN be wuth yer while
80 Uncle Snebecker stayed TO hea
about the wilder.
"A year ago, now says the chap
d this want the Widder Pudgecracl
clearin', cause tina want no Wilde
: Pudgecrack then, an tina want m
clearin. The Wilder Pudgecrack thel
were list plain Tabithy Ann Flint, c
teached theWild Gander deCstric' school
Tabithy Ann were gettin' to'ards tn
time wen II want no trick at all fe
her tD recomembcr back fer forty yea
an better, an the chances was tina
she'd be Tabithy Ann Flint when sh
I passed over Jordan. But Sampsol
Pudgecrack kim along about then, an
thinlkin' Tabithy Ann mowt be saviI
sort OF wife 10 tie TO- he asst her, al
Z Tabithy Ann didn't waste her time 1
I sayin' no. Sampson he bought tn
here land an put up that air cabin yeI
; der, an him an Tabithy Ann sot dow
! In it, sampson he buckled in like
) house ahrc an cleared of the brusl
! an by the time the snow went oil he ha
( clerrin' that nobody could sneeze a
! lie sowed ii 10 rye an he plowed
fer 'taters, an left room fer corn a
iDs,nkashit an Eataii.