The Opelousas courier., 1893-09-16

Scandals nghtS, cOuftsnlpS, marriages
and other matters Of moment. To-day
alarge crowd had gathered, for arumor
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 at a tree in Lewis county.
Big Tim and Old Tom were at the
mill, and as the latter was o man Of
hot temper, a fight between the mel
was hopefully anticipated. Big Tim
was a handsome, good-natured fellow,
who would fight only when necessity
commended. He was standing fitting
a stem into a new cob pipe when old
Tom approached and said:
T 81 hearn you an my gal wuz fixin'
ter marry?"
eve amt fxin', ole man," placidly
returned Big Tim.
eye ain't?" hopefully questioned old
Tom.
sNo; we are already fixed-er haw,
haw, haw!"
The old mans fingers punched them.
eelves into hard fists, and his eyes
glittered like new dirk knives a-whirl.
ing in the sunshine.
s.Fixedl" Kissed old Tom, 'tfxedi
You lazy, good-fer-nuthin' rascal, I'd
like ter know what you got ter marry
on?"
Tive got my dads puncheon floor
to marry on, eff we can't get ter stand
up on yourn!" returned Tim with 9
loud exasperating laugh.
"You think yer terrible smart, don't
YEP" said old Tom, curling his upper
lip into a vicious snarl.
'Yas, I am smart whar the hides
off, az my ole grandad ulster say-er
haw, haw, haw, hawl I'v course I'm.
er smart man, and am well awar' NV it,
er I wouldn't have the brass ter try
ter marry in the big Rallin familyl 4
fool couldn't git a 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 as her eyes
runs over his face. I cum from q smart
set of people. One NV 'em-an uncle
served az road overseer in Magofin
County fer ten years, an WIZ
jist on the pint o bein'
'lected constable, when q gun went
off in q 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 q hickory bush
log. Oh, 7 tell ye, old man, I'm not
ter be grinned at by them what hasno
teeth as my grandad used to say. I'm
or smart Teller, an thar,H be no retri-
gradin' in the stock as long az any o.
the Latimer blood il in or family-er
haw, haw, haw, hawl"
Themonumental impudence of Lsti-
mer was actually fascinating to old
Tom. While the big, good humored
fellow went rollicking on in the above
style, ii was impossible for Old Tonic
keep his sober c~ountenance. 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 sid; ssTim, I amt gotno time ter
hear more o. yer foolishness, T."
tsWhat ye in a hurry about? ye got
Lots o. time. The ole miller sed awhile
age that we couldn't git our grindins
till erbout dark, and (glancing up Of
the sun) hit amt more nor two O'Clock
now. That bein' the case, we'd iist az
well put in the time a-gasin' az not.
The TACK liz, ole man, you're q mighty
interesting ole Teller TO talk to. You
may not believe me, but ! consider
you ter be the only man in this kentry,
OuVSA0C J0CAe W4WY AAA0 ASW eS4
talk real smart talk-the only man
whose travelled and collected food ter
feed the hog nv o mans intellectual
mater an make it squeel for morei i
like q man that I kin go TO when tha
stomach nv mer mind is empty an al
drawn up, 8 n git the ham an eggs o.
knowledge thatyl stuff me out an send
me off pickin' the teeth o. my iudg-
ment with the pine splinter nv good
sense! You're iist that sort nv u ole
mfn, an its fer that reason AZ much
az anything else that has caused me
ter conclude ter Lay my matrimonial
claim in your family, and"
ssSay, Tim"
TN 81 sayin' jest as fest az I can,
ole man. Jist you stan back d few
minutes, an gimme full swing. Az ]
list 9 goin ter say. ! feel that fer
Ter marry Id your family viii b .
mighty good jump for both sides-itu
Keep the stlooks m finest inSallecks !