The Van Buren press., 1895-03-02
OUT OF HER ELEMENT.
Oklahoma lacked the Social Advantages Of
Possufn Ridge.

Possum Ridge.
A rickety old wagon with a weather.
stained cover drew up in front OF
little crossroads store neaz the west
line of Missouri. The wagon was
drawn by pair of poor, bony mules,
and contained q few articles of house,
hold goods, six children and woman.
The latter sat in front driving. while
the children were ranged along the
side of the wagon with their heads
poked out under the cover.
"How'r'yre, mister?" the woman ac-
eosted the storekeeper, who was
standing on the platform In front OF
his store.
Every WELL" he replied. "How are
you9'
s'First-ratc. Never better, I reckon.
I'm gittin' back to ole Missoury, an
that's enough to make me feel good,
Shore"
"Moving?" the storekeeper queried.
"Yep." .=5
"Where from?"
"Olxlyhomy."
"Where top
MlSsoury.,
"Think you like Missouri better than
Oklahomy?"
"Bet yer hide. Wouldn't live in Ok
1ahomy If they'd give me the whole
layout"
.Don't like it eh?"
MARRY"
.'Too dry for your
"Meanin' the weather.
eyes"
Reckon not. / didn't notice it If II
was"
''Land poor?"
mo, guess not"
"Too much wind?"
"Never noticed bout that
"Bad water?"
sDunno. Never made no difference
to me bout the water"
"Just didn't like the country in
general, suppose?"
"Country's right enough, I guess l
hain't no kick to make on the land,
nor the water, nor the climate, nor
nothin O that sort"
'sThen why do you dislike to live
there SO much?"
s1ts the society.
"Oh! Pretty rough, reckon?'
s'No; it wasn't that keered for. It's
too tame"
"Why, supposed it was pretty stir
ring out there?'
"Nothin' goin' on in society except
now an then a shootin' scrape"
ssThats so? No churches or anything
of that kind?"
"Oh, thar's churches enough, but
them amt enjoyment like been used
to all my life"
"Indeed?"
..Narry. Now. take it over thar on
'Possum Ridge, whar was raised, an
thar you find shore 'nough society
doins. Why, blame my buttons,
stranger, they don't have nothin' down
thar in Oklyhomy. been thar two
years, now, an marry a society event l
been to the whole time" 14t
"Indeed?"
"That's squar, mister. Now over
thar on 'Possum Ridge IFS different.
Thar's society doin's monty nigh ever
night, an body kin enjoy life"
what kind of society doings?"
"Wal, heap O. kinds. Thar's apple
parin's, an wool-pickin's, and pump
kin-cuttin's, an'-say, you've been to
them sort O. doin's, hain't you?"
mo; Inever had the pleasure"
"Wal, great lan's-goshen, you don't
know what it is to live, an you've
missed more fun than you could shake
stick at"
81 presume so."
II know it. Then thar's the hoe.
downs. Talkin' about fun! Thar's
whar you find it in great chunks an
gobs. My skin, mister, but feel like
I'd give forty dollars jest fer chance
to shake my foot to the chune OF ''The
Little Brown Jug as old Asa Cobt
used to play it on his old fiddle"
$50 you're going back to 'Possun
Ridge?" faHa
"You bet. hain't got SO powerful
many years to live, an while do live
want to enjoy life. Then I got sia
children to raise, an want 'em tc
have advantages. amt in for lettin
'em grow up like heathin'. want 'en
to have society raisin' an they shall
have it if have to bust hahn string
a-givin' it to 'em."
"That's right"
"Bet yer pelt. Wal, far'well. W.
must be joggin' on toward the Ian o
promise, whar thar's society an society
doin's."-N. Y. Tribune.
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