The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-08
THE OLD SETTLER.
His Unole snebeokers Story Of
the Widow Pudgecrack.


only $3.50, major" replied the
Squire. "That, Yorkshire breed O. pigs
don't seem to gether heft student ez
they mowt."
us them pigs o. your'n Yorkshires?"
asked tho Old Settler
"Nothin' shorterl" exclaimed the
Squire. Yorkshire from tail to noz.
zle"
"Yorkshires?" said the Old Settler.
maliciously. "Wull, now, b'gosh, from
the build on 'em thort they was plow.
sheers?"
"Meanin' their heads2" said the
Squire.
"Jedgin' 'em from their heads. Yes"
replied the Old Settler.
Come to think on it. major" said
the Squire, "them heads is u leetle sharp
an pntcd, an ca'c'lated poorly well to
turn up the sile, but don't keep pigs
for their heads. keep pigs for their
hams, au' tcndcrlines, an shoulders
an sctch. Our folks don't Winter over
on head cheese, our folks don't"
'Whosc folks does. b'gosb?" de-
mandcd the Old Settler, testify.
II didn't say as anybody's did," re-
piled the Squire.
''Butyc sinniwated!"
The Squire didn't say whether he
had insinuatcd or whether he hadn't,
but a suspicion of smile lurled about
him. There was silence for awhile,
which the Old Settler broke abruptly
by saying:
'Speakin' o. the summer bein' past
an the harvest bein' ended alluz puts
me in mind O. the story O. the Widdcr
Pudgecracl1 an the harvest on her
clearin', ez my uncle, Snebecker Giles,
usety tell it. It all happened in the
Wild Gander Ridge deestric', fer don't
think tina was Il man in the hull O. the
Sugar Swamp dcestric ez could a had
the heart to do wat Shadrack Biff O.
Wild Gandcr done, an tina was men in
Sugar Swamp mean enough, b'gosh, to
pass lead siXpenccs on bind fiddler at
dance, an one of 'cm were Tobin It'd
fit, which l 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. He were meaner than
COW itch. Uncle Tobin were"
But bad his good p'ints," said the
Old Settler. "He lsnow'd which dim
myjohn had the best stuff in it."
That runs in the family, major"
said the Squire, smiling again.
can he never drinlled alone. )" said the
Old Settler. THAT don't run in the
family"
That's onfort'nit for you major"
said the Squire, with a still broader
smile.
The Old Settler looked hard at the
Squire for awhile, but let the subject of
Tobin Tidfit drop and went on with
the story of the Widow Pudgecracl1's
clearing.
''My uncle, Snebecker Giles, were
goin' through the Wild Gander Ridge
deestric' long late in December, wunst,
sellin' medicine fer snitilcs in sheep, an
he came to clearin where tina were q
slommiclsin' great big chap sot out on
the woodpilc slsinnin' mushrats Uncle
SneOecller pulled up his boss an hollers
out to the chap:
Hullo, neighbcrl What clcarin' is
this?
"Thc Widder Pudgecracis clearn',
says the chap, keepin' on with his
mushrat shinnin'.
rs the wilder in?' says Uncle Sne-
becker.
"'Wull rutherv says the chap, larfn'
like Il hyeny. She's ben in these two
weeks--way in he says.
Uncle Snebeclrer didn't know
e'zactly wat to make outen this, but
he says:
"INin see the wilder, thinkq'
"Null,' says tho chap, larfin' ag'in,
not jist now; but if yer good, stiff
Hard-shell Baptis', an don't backslide,
the chances is that yell run ag'in her
one O. these days ne says.
Uncle Sncbeclser begun to git mad
now, an he says, pooty loud:
See hereP he says. If ye think We
kin pick meup fer a consarned idjit yer
barkin' up the wrong tree fer coonsI
What's the reason I can't see the wild
der now?'
"'Wull, says the chap, larfh' more'u
ever. Il dunno why we can't, unless it's
cause the widder's deadp
Then the chap went on skinnin' his
mushrats, an Uncle Snebecker were
goin' on, wen the chap hollers to him
an says:
"'Guess We don't know about the
Wilder Pudgecrack, do yep he says.
Uncle Snebeclfer said he didn't.
'Wull.' says the chap, we mustn't 90
way without hearin' bout the widder,'
says he. It'll be with yer while
$50 Uncle Snebecker stayed to hear
about the widder.
"A year ago, now says the chap,
this want the Widder Pudgecrac1
clearin', cause tina want no Widder
Dad nlr ~.
clearin'. The Widder Pudgecrack :hen
ruaro tfck y,lotv hl4l,x, 49, IcI.-A