Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-04-18

was to know anything about our settle
rint, and when 1 seed Ben, he was set
TN, on the fence, about quarter of a
mile from his house, with his gun acrost
bis lap, lookin' lonesomor than cat in a
rain storm. Thar was an old frame barn
standin' by itself in the field, and we
went over to it to have quiet place foT
the closiu' arrangements. 1t had pile
of loose straw in it, and as we sot thai
talkin, l seed knot hole IN the plank
about two inches acrost, and l ast him {
1t wouldn't make a good enough mark
with the straw inside to ketch the bull
lets. You see was doin' the most OF
the engineerin', fer Ben was that shook
up he didn't seem to know his head
from hole in tae ground. He said he
thought the knot-hole would do, SO we
went outside and il was like as eff it had
been put thar purpose.
"We stepped off hundred yards fust,
and druy PIN down, aud then went on
twenty-five yards and druv another, and
me and Ben took our places. We was to
shoot ten times apiece, me five and Ben
five, turn about, and neither of US was to
go nigh the other, to Illustrate him dur
inI the shootin.' l was feelin' in regu.
lar shootin' trim, and when I shot my
five l knowed Ben was goin' to have to
do some mighty tall shootIn' 'er lose the
gal. We went to the mark together and
pegged up three holes, not half an inch
from the knot hole, and two bullets had
gone smack through, leavin' no sign.
"Fhen Ben he took his turn, and |
was shore l seen him shake when he
sighted his gun, but he shot off his five.
and we went up to see what he had
aone-and what do you think, mister?
There WASH the sign OF bullet hole any
where's
Il looked at Ben and he looked at
me.
" you amt shootin' very spry TO-
day, says he, GRIMM
You air. says /, looking ugly an l
feelin' my holts on Mlry slippin.'
"Next round was dead sot on doin'
my level best and 1 put three balls
through the hole and scraped the edges
with the other two.
''Ben was lookin' peakid, and l seel
his knees wabb,in'. but he braced up
and went back to settle who should nave
the gal, and it 'peared to me like as If
he was takIu till CHRISTMAS to fire them
five shots. Ee got it done at last,
though, snd we walked up to the marx
kinder unslrtin, both of US, but thar
wasn't any need of it."
odd you win2" broke in the visitor,
in a high state of excitement and inter
est.
"Nary win mister" chuckled the
old man. "That sandy headed, thumb
headed coss had sent every one of his
five bullets smac,o through the knot
hole, AMI thar wasn't the sign OF
scratch anywheres in sight.
"That ended it fer me, both fer
shootin' and fer the gal, and 1 rid home
feelin' like saw log had fell on me butt
end fo'most, and Ren went lopin' acrost
the fed lords Squire Higgins's.
About a month after the shootin'
match Ben aud Mary was hitched and I
was to the hitchin' feelin' a good deal
pearter than l did the day Ben beaU me,
and gettiu' some consolation out OF
new gal, jist moved onto the Fork. BIT
couldn't quite git over Ben's beatiu'
me shootin'.
"Along about midnight, had to 60
home, and as started to git on my hoss,
Mary followed me out on the porch.
"'Dan'l," says she, kinder cooin' and
soft like, you won't git mad at me cf !
tell you sonethin', will youl"
"'Of course not, Mary, saysI. Moth
IN you could say er do would make me
mad at you
"'Well, then, Danl,' says she, shak.
n some, fer was holdIn' her hand and
znowed, when you and Ben had that
hootIn' match fer me, Ben didn't have
10 bullets in his gun. They was Is,
yads.'
"Well, sir, you could a knocked me
lown with a splinter, and got hot all
,ver, but shet my jaws down hard fer
minute and heldin, thinkin' about them
yads.
"'And ne didn't beat me shootin',
.fter all2' says I, feelin' mighty good
'ver 1t, all ut once.
"'No, he didn't, says she, pattin' me
IN the arm like as eff she was my mother.
"'But he got you, says 1, dropping
'ack a peg er two.
"'Yes,' says she, but 1 put him up to
t, Dan'l.'
"Then she smiled, till 1 thought the
un was rasiu' and says 1:
MARY says 1, you've got moro
ense than Ben and me put together,
ertickerly me, and Pm glad you've got |
he one you wanted,' and with that l |
umped on my hoss and rid lickety split
er home, and when got thar 1 just |
ugged that rifle Of mine as eff it had |
een Mary Higgins.
"Dan'," called the old mans wife
rom the kitchen, at this point, "supper's
eady."
$50 air we, Lizzie" he said, rising. |
The visitor locke at him inquiringly |
S he rose to accompany him supper
ard.
"Yes,n smiled the old man, "she's the
,me that was the new gal on the Fork
he night Mary and Ben got hitched. y
'etroit Free Press.