Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-08-23
HOWPETEWASCURED
WHAT HIS SHORT STAY IN LOUISIANA
DID FOR HIM.


"I never knew any one but Pete
Raines that had ever been to Louisiana, "
said Slote Bondell of Gibson county,
Tenn, "and / never heard him say a
word against it, but from the way he
acted when he came back to Tennessee
from there can't say that gathered
the idea that Louisiana held out many
inducements for folks TO 60 there and
stay-that is, If the district Pete Raines
went to was any fair sample of the
way things strike visitors in Louisiana
That district was Tangipahoa parish.
saw Pete when he started for Tangipa-
boa parish, and I saw him just after he
got back. That's why l can't get up
and shout much when hear folks brag
about Louisiana, although Pete never
said word There was good reason for
that, though.
"Now, / s'pose that when rise to
remark that west Tennessee is the garden
spot of all creation some folks II snicker
and maybe snort. But they wouldn't if
they knew how 'shamed they'd be if
they could ever strike luck enough to be
turned loose in Gibson county once, es-
pecially around where Humboldt is.
William Zachariah Raines lives there
Zone day, two years or SO ago, Bill
Zach said to Plunk-Plunk was a mig
ger that worked for Bill Zach, and q
good one he was, too-'Plunk, said
Bill Zach, there amt no kind O. use,
we got to do something with Pete.
The better treat him the worse he
acts He won't plow, and he won't
do nothing that amt cussedness.
Kicked the bay mare in the belly this
morning, and she won't be worth a pic
ayune for week. Chased the old wom-
m from the cowyard clear to the house
and into the house and followed her
half way up the kitchen stairs. There
amt any living with Pete any longer.
Something's got to be done. Guess I'll
send him long with you down into
Louisiana.
'Gollyr said PUNK. Who'll fotch
me back ag'in den? Pete he kill me
sure! Dead niger can't walk back from
'WeesyannahP
"But Bill Zach had made up his
mind, and the mule had to 60 with
PUNK, dead niger or no dead niger.
"Guess I forgot to say before that
Pete Raines was mule, and slick one
he was tool Bill Zach raised him. He
was years old when all this happened,
and I'll bet his ears were foot and a
half long. His tail wasn't as long as his
ears, but it had tuft on it like can
non swab. Pete was fat as seal, and
his hide glistened like darky's face in
o green cornfeld. But Pete wasn't reli-
able. He had a way of kicking and bit
ing and fighting on the spur of the mo-
ment and without any provocation that
made him practically the boss of things
around Bill Zach's place, and he knew
it Bill Zach bought place couple Of
years ago down in Tangipahoa parish,
La, to which he intended to send PlunR
down to work, and SO he thought he'd
get rid of Pete in merciful sort of way
by sending him down there, too, al
though it might he that he'd get rid Of
PUNK at the same time.
''They shipped Pete on the railroad,
and he went away tickled to death. He
had it in his mind that he was going
into wider field to spread his cussed.
ness in, and he fairly yelled with de-
light in his car when the train pulled
out. It is 1S0 miles from Humboldt to
Tangipahoa parish by rail. When they
unloaded Pete down there, he came out
smiling. He thought he had it in fol
that country and would make his mark.
But he hadn't looked around much be-
fore detection seemed to seize him.
PUNK had never seen Pete that way,
and he got scared. PUNK was more un
easy still when Pete went listlessly tt
the plow and dragged it all day without
once lifting his ears or his heels
"'I bet dis whole plantation gin {
alligator what amt kotched yit, sale
PUNK, dat dey's earthquake wuckir
in dat mool, an dat when it busts it'll
hist dis niger clean to de udder side
OBJ Jurdanp
"But it wasn't so. The mule go
down in the dumps worse and worse ev
cry day, and after Pete had been il
Louisiana a week PUNK went to tn,
field after him one day, and there wa!
no mule to be seen. PUNK hunted al
over that country for three days, bu
couldn't find any trace of Pete. Ther
PUNK sent word to Bill Zach that tn,
mule had gone off somewhere and died
And Bill Zach was glad. About thre.
weeks after that Bill Zach was startled
out of his sleep at half past 8 in th'
morning by noise that awakened mem
cries. He listened. The noise broke ou
again. 1t ratified the windows; it echoed
among the hills; it walled; it yooped; i
heehawed.
"'Pete, by the living jumperP yellet
Bill Zach, jumping out of bed and hur
rying to the door. A mule was leanin.
YEARLY against the front fence. He wa
thin and scraggy, his eyes were hollow
and his ears half way to his knees, lik
a yaller hounds. When this mule saw
Bill Zach at the door, he lifted up hi
voice again and actually wept. It wa
Pete, back from Louisiana. It is 50t
miles from Tangipahoa parish to Hum
boldt by road, and so you may know
what Pete must have thought Of Louisi
ana to take his overburdened heart witt
him, SO to speak, and pull out for Ten
nessee on the hoof. Pete was as slick a
ever he was in few days and starte,
in to he nrettv near as SASSY and cusse,
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