The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1895-04-17


on. We both pulled up, and after pas
sin some stray compliments in regards
to the weather / ask him where he
come from and where he was goin.
A YaIier Dog Trick
s'I come from way up in the Pan Han
die, stranger, and am now on my re-
turn back home" said the man, and
went on:
Year before last the big Pan Han
die boom hit middle Texas, which l
reckon there never was such country
in the whole discovered world as the
Pan Handle was cracked up to be at
that time Well, stranger, I caught
the fever, and had an almighty durn
bad case of it. sold ont where was
then livin down here in Hill county and
we moved our washin into the great
and glorious Pan Handle country. l
bought hundred and sixty acres OF
land I'D there and settled down to do
some farmin. Jest to clam up on the
lot fence and look around, l reckon no
doubts, stranger, 1 had the prittiest
which it then seems to me like l
mought git rich and start bank ac-
count the first year. But about that
time it quit rainin, and when it saws
off and quits rainin in the Pan Handle
it quits for certain. So far as l know
it is quit till yet. had the bulliest
farm in the New Nited States, jest to
stand off and look at it, but I couldn't
raise nothin on it to speak of. couldn't
so much as raise difficulty on that
land, stranger, and when l planted
wheat could raise nothin but sand.
So finally at last >hrowed down my
hand and pulled out of the game, and l
am now on my return back to Gods
country"
1T is none OF my business maybe"
says I, ''6pt would like to hear from
the cattle trade in the Pan Handle.
What did you give for that COW ?"
1T was rale, low down, yaller dog
trick the way got that COW" said the
man, .<and don't love to talk about it.
But bein as you are a stranger in these
parts l will tell you how it come to pass.
1t mought make me feel little more
easier and better to let somebody know.
swapped eighty acres OF Pan Handle
land for that cow. That was the trade
as l made it, and it was perfectly fair
and square so far. I was to give the
other man eighty acres of land and he
was to give me the COW. But when it
come to fxin up the deeds and titles I
found out that the poor devil couldn't
neither read nor write, and I jest took
and unloaded both eighties "a hundred
and sixty acres of Pan Handle land on
him and kept the COW. It was mean
aS1 afTFy trick stranger, out times are
hard and somebody had to own that
land
True to His Friends.
Ny friend and fellow servant, Blew
Scroggins, has held every Office in the
county, off and on, from constable to
high sheriff. He never has been beat
in an open field and fat-footed race
before the people. If you would like
to know the wherefores and the
whenceness thereof l can tell you.
With all of his faults-and everybody
has their faults Bley Scroggins is true
to his friends. I remember sad and
funny story-which, you understand,
was the cold and sober truth-they use
to tell on Blew and Andy Lucas, and it
shows up the mainest strong pint in
the Scroggins character.
Blew and Andy had went to town one
cool and rainy day along in the fall of
the year. 1t was way up in the night
before they started home, and by that
time, you understand, they had both
tanked up most too free and liberal
with white ink" and 'sperits-of-cats-a-
fghtin.'' On their way home they had
to cross big deep gully and walk
single plank in crossin. Andy he was
on ahead. and when he started across
lie lost his balance and went down
headforemost in the mud and water.
About that time Blew come up and
heard monstrous fuss and founderin
goin on down in the gully.
Hello Andy" says Blew, lis that you
down there ?"
That's me to dead certainty,
"Blev," says Andy, "aud it's wet and
cold as fugins down here. Can't you
helps fellow out %
II am sorry can't Andy, but can't"
says Blev, ''cause 1 am drunker'n seven
fools myself. I doubt durn serious if
can come across, Andy, not to speak
of helpin you out But whilst can't
help you out by gatlins I'll tell you
what I can do. Andy Lucas,-friend of
my boyhood days and my side partner
in many clost places and hard rubs-
burned if can't pile in and stay with
you.
And into the gully Blev went, and
there they stayed till day light come
and they got sober enough to crawl out
and go home together.
K
The SperIt OF Persecution.