The Portland daily press., 1895-10-18
TUCSON JENNIE.

'Whyever amt l married man?' says
you" So spake the old cattleman as he
settled himself in chair. The question
had just been asked him.
''Weu,' he continued, re6ectively, puff
fng his pipe 81 was dispisitioned that
away when I'm colt. But that's long
time ago, an 1 amt in line for no such
gymnastics no more. My years is way
agin it; likewise females. You've got
to ketch folks young to marry 'em. After
they gets to be 30 years they goes slowly
to the altar. If you make out to marry
man after he's SO, you has to blindfold
him an back him in. Females, of course,
amt SO obdurate.
"No; l s'pose this yere bein married is
heap habit, same as tobacco an bug
juice. A man takes hand early; it's
all right-way good game, makes no sort
of doubt But let him get to pesterin
round in the forties an him not begun
none yet he don't marry nothin. OF
course there is people that sordid they
takes to layin for some woman's stack,
wharby they even makes such desperate
play as margin ner to win; but me an
you don It discuss no low games like that.
"Bar onexplainable difference with
the girls old man, spose I'd be all mar
ried right now. 1 was maybe 20 them
times 1t was way back in Tennessee.
This girl was nice, luscious girl-corn
fed too. They all lives about II miles
from me- out or the Pine Knot pike, an
oncein two weeks 1 saddles up an goes
over Thar was jest her old man an
mother an her in the family, an it's that
far alters made TO stay all night. Thar
was only two beds, an SO I put to camp
along OF the old man, tho times l stays I
was way bashful an behind on all social
plays an plenty aWestruck about the old
folks. I never feel happy a minute
where they are. The old lady alters does
her best to make me easy. an free too.
Comes out when rides up an alters leJs
down the bars for my boss an asks me to
rest my hat the second I'm in the door.
"Well matters go on good enuf until
maybe the eighth time I'm thar. + remem-
bers thu night all perfect. Final l gets
to sleep a-layin along the aige of the bed,
amin to keep way from the old man,
who's snorin an thrashin round an takin
on over in the middle.
81 don't recall nuthin until comes to
a-holdin to the old mans y ear with one
hand an a-hammerin of his features with
t'other 1 don't know yet why-I s'pose
gets to allowin he's tryin to kill me.
s'Well, son, it's way back long time.
but I shudder yet when I recall that old
mans language. L jumps up the second
realizes things, grabs my raiments, an
gettin my boss out of the lot goes p'intin
down the pike more'n mile fore I stops
to dress. The last I sees of the old man
he's pitchin an tossin, an the females
a-holdin of him an reachin to get Haw
kin's rifle as hangs over the door. never
goes back no more, cause he's mighty
vindictive about it. He tries to make it a
gran jury matter next cou't time.
"You can't tell much about women.
There was girl who surprises us once in
a way out in Wolfville. Mis- Rucker,
who runs the o. Z. restaurant, gets this
female from Tucson to fry fapjacks an
salt boss an hep her deal her little CASTRO
nomio game. This yere girls name is
Jennie-Tucson Jennie She seems nice,
good girl, too, an in less'n two weeks
there's half the camp jest whinin to marry
her. 1t affects business, it's that bad
almost changes the channels Of trade.
Cherokee Hall tells me therA amt half
the money gets changed in at ftSo as usual,
an the New York store reports men goin
broke again lied shirts an similar dead
falls daily. OF course this yere first frenzy
subsidies whole lot after month.
.sIf Jennie notices it, don't know, but
she never tips her head to nobody, jest
shoves these foolish youths their daily
beans an ignores all winks an looks com
plete At last one of the various hands
goes in the discard, an the boys, gettin
discouraged, shoves back an quits. Final
they're all out but two, an one of them
was never in so far as himself or any one
else ever secs. These yere is Tut an a
man named Jim Wallace. Tutt is tall an
good lookin enuf, but backward an bash
full No one ever detects him once lookin,
an I don't think be does. He confdes in
me all quiet after the smoke Glars away
that he never thinks Of it.
but Wallace is different. He sets in
to win Jennie hard an heavy an tries to
crowd the game an get action for his mon
ey. 1t looks like he g doc to make the trip
zoo Miss Rucker is backin his play, and
Jennie herself sorter let's him set round in
the kitchen an watch her work, which this
yere is license an rot itself compared with
how she treats others. Occasionally some
of us sorter tries to stack up for Wallace
an see whar he stands with the game.
g 'How's it goin Wallace? Enright asks
one day.
:" It's too many for me- says Jim.
Sometimes thinks corras her. an then
agin il looks like I amt in it. Jest now
I'm feelin some detected
Something oughter be schemed to set
tie this yere, says Enright. 1t keeps the
camp in q fever an may get serious
g IF somebody would only prance in,
says Doc Poets, IAN shoot Jim up some
you'd have her easy. Females is like u rab-
bit in a bush pile-you has to shake things
up lot to make 'em come out. Now, if
Jim was dyin an she cares for him, she's
shorely goin to show her hand
~ want to pause right yere to observe
Doc Poets was the smartest an best edu
Gated man 1 ever sees in my life, an what
he don't know about sauaws in valueless
information! But to proceed:
g That's right says Cherokee Hail.
but of course it amt goip to do to shoot
Jim none
's'I don't know, says Jim. Il stands
creasin a little too quick if I'm shore it
fetches her.
/" What for game says Cherokee
Gxr,o,,Jd II he 70 iect r,a1y lilo Ii m rpac Ghote