Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-05-10
She Wanted Society.
That Was why the Oklahoma Settler
Was ''GittIn' Back to ole Missouri

That Was why the Oklahoma Settler
Was .'GittIn' Back to ole Missouri"
A rickety old wagon with weather.
stained cover drew up in front of a little
crossroads store near the west line of Miss
ouri. The wagon was drawn by pair of
poor, bony mules, and contained few ar
ticles of household goods, six children and
a 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' We, mister?' the woman accost-
ed the storekeeper, who was standing on
the platform in front of his store.
Every well, he replied chow are you?"
First rate. Never better, l reckon. / N
gittin back to ole Missoury, an that's
enough to make me feel good, shore
"Moving?' the store keeper queried.
Yep"
"Where FROM"
"OklohOmy.'
''Where to?"
Missouri"
Think you like Missoury better than
Oklohoma?"
BET yer hide Wouldn't live in Oklo-
homy if they'd give me the whole layout.
Don't like it, eh?'
Marry"
"Too dry for YOU"
''Meanin the weather.
Yes"
Reckon not l didn't notice it if it
was"
Land poor?"
"No, guess not"
TOO much wind?"
"Never noticed bout that"
"Bad water?'
Dunno Never made no difference to
me bout the water"
"Just didn't like the country in general,
l SUPPOSE"
"Country's right enough, l guess.
hain't no kick to make on the land nor the
water, nor the climate, nor nothing O. that
sort"
Then why do you dislike to live there
so much?'
'Its the society"
"Oh, Pretty rough, reckon"
mo; it wasn't that ! keered for. It's
too tame
why, supposed it was pretty stirring
out there?'
"Nothin' goin' on in society except now
an then shootin' scrape.'
THAT so? No churches nor anything
of that kind?'
"Oh thar's churches enough, but them
amt enjoyment like been used to all my
life"
Indeed"
Marry. Now take it over thar on Pos
sum Ridge, whar was raised, an thar you
find shore 'nough society doin's. Why,
blame my buttons, stranger, they don't
have nothin' down thar in Oklohomy. l
been thar two years now, an nary a so
ciety event been to the whole time, 'ceptn'
once / went to a hangin'."
Indeed"
"That's squar, mister. Now over thar
on 'Possum Ridge it's different. Thar's
society doin's monty nigh ever night, an a
body kin enjoy life
"What kind of society dongs?"
oval, a heap O kinds. Thars apple
parin's an wool pickin's, an pumpkin
! cuttins, an'-say you've been to them
sort O doin's, haint you?"
''No; never had the pleasure"
oval, great lam s-goshen, you don't know
what it is to live, an you've missed more
fun than you could shake stick at
Il presume So"
Il know it. Then thar's the hoe-downs.
Talkin' about fun! Thar's whar you find
it in great chunks an gobs Ny skin, mis-
ter, but l feel like ia give forty dollars
| Jest fer chance to shake my foot to the
chune of The Little Brown jug as old
Asa Cobb used to play it on his old fiddle
$50 you're going back to Postum
Ridge?"
"You bet. / hain't got so powerful
many years to live, an while l do live l
want TO enjoy life. Then l got six chill
dren to raise, an l want EN- TO have ad-
vantages. l amt in for lettin EN- grow
up like heathin'. I want 'em 10 have So
ciety raisin' an they shall have it if ! have
to bust haimstring a-givin' it to EN-"
That's right"
bet yer pelt. Wal, far well. We
must be joggin' on toward the Ian O prom
| Use, Mhar thar's society an society dninls y