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


could shot along,
side of me. Nary one," and the old
man sighed heavily. But" he con.
tinued, "this githn' old KNOCKS the edge
OH mans eyesight, and makes his hand
so trembly that he can't even take a
drink of water without wastin' half of
1t; and as fer shootin' us old fellers
might as well try to hit center with
maui at hundred yards"
The visitor, to whom this conversation
was addressed, made few desultory and
lncongruous remarks, and the old man
resumed his talk, pretty much as if
nothing at all had been said, which It
was mostly.
~ never got beat but once" he went
on, with a good-humored reminiscent
chuckle, land that was by a felIer that
haan sense enough skeercely to 90 in
out oil the rain. Leastways that's what
thought when the match come of. He
didn't live in my neighborhooi, but he
had farm about twenty mile furder up
the Fork, and had habit of eoiu' u
thar to see mighty likely gal, that Was
darter to the man that owned the place
next to the chap that beat me at the
shootln'. The old mans name was Squire
Higgins, and the gals name was Mary.
Mary's a purity name, and Mary was a
purity gal. Nothin' on the Fork was a
patchin' to that gal, and l wanted her
bad enough to go up thar sparzin' about
twict a week durin' of mighty hard win
ter, when it was cold enough to freeze the
knobs of bureau. Mary kinder liked me,
too. Liked me betterin' any of the other
young fellers that was haugin' round,
eIceptin' Ben wilkins, and it was neck
and neck betwlxt me and Ben. Ben was
her neighbor, and the same feller had the
shootin' match with. l never could see
how she tuck to Ben, he was SO dog
goned freckle faced and sun burnt and
sandy headed and ignorant like and
foo!er than Thompson's colt, but you
can't tell about women, aud thar wasn't
no goin' back on the solemn fact, that ef
Ben didn't git out of my way, / was
never goin' to git the gal, and it was
most nigh as certain that ef somethin'
didn't happen to me, Ben wasn't goin' to
git her neither. 1t was close rdunin',
Mister, and the gal settin' on the fence,
aggin' US on. That's another weakness
women has; mean these young women
that has ther choice, like Mary Higgins.
Wasn't no danger of her film maiden's
grave, even ef me and Ben both got put
out of the way"
lone mornin' when was on the road
leadin' up the Fork, towards Squire Hig-
ginss farm, met Ben comm down with
load of hay, and I'd been goin' to see
Mary then fer mighty nigh a year
"'How'dy', Benz says I, friendly !
enough.
"'How d'y', Danl, says he to me.
"'Fair to middliu',' says I.
'''Goin' up to the Squire's, reckonI |
says he, questionin'.
&" That's what says :, speakin' as if
! had the rights to.
"'Mary amt home says he.
"Who said anything about Mary7 |
Gays I, gettin' red round the years.
The way you're goin',' says he,
with grin.
WHATS that to you2' says I, not
ovsr .,olte reckon.
:. 'Nothin', says he; "but eff you want
to see her, you'd better go down to
mothers. She's down thar to a quiltin'.'
"Ben grinned again and got purity
mad, but not enough to hurt anybody,
and says to him:
g Ben Wilkins says I, have you got
q gun2'
" You don't want to fight, do you2" p"
says he, backin' off kinder, fer 1
thought be was skeert, and mebbc he
was.
NO says I, 'but want Mary Hig-
GINS
1" SO do l. says he.
Then it cleared up bit, and we
1oth looked at each other sorter sheepish,
md grinned, fer before this we hadn't
ven had no undcrstandin'.
" Now, as we know what we want
ays I, I'VE orter have it settled on short
lotice who's to git it, and eff you air
.greeable, we'll settle it to the satisfsc-
ion of all parties at intrust, as the law
'ers say
L" 'How2' says he.
"'Wc can't both have her, kin veg
ays !.
"'Not accordin' to law says he.
/" 'Ner no way says I.
" Il reckon not, says ne.
"'Then s'posing we have a shootin
aatch fer her, says I.
" Il amt agreeable to that Gays he.
" Fer why2' says I.
I" You air handler than me with o
IN, says he.
" Some, mebbe,' says I, tumble
cough. but I'll give you twenty-five
ards advantage, and that'n about make
svcn.'
''Well, after taikin' fer half an hour
r more, we fixed up shootin' match
lr next day, on Ben's farm, fer he was
(eeit to go anywherc's else, and l rid
@cI home. and next forenoon 1 was on
and feelin' as slick as whistle. fer ! {
las Ramblin' on aittin,M = Nobody