St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-10-10
so.a Dick and tho Bu...rd.

Roam Dick and the Buzzard.
''One day last week had took and
made pallet in cool place out on tie
back porch and laid me down to sleep q
looked off down in the paster and there
was my roam horse Dick layin down
broad side in the shade of big persim-
mon tree. / could tell from his general
appearance that he was slcepin as sound
and sweet rs baby, At the same time
! Likewise took notice of a turkey bug
zard which was sailin round and round
over the paster, ana swimmin deeper
and deeper and nearer and nearer to the
eurth with every swcop and circle.
You can laugh il you want to, Rufe, aid
1t don't make continental blame bit of
difference with me, but could hear
that buzzard talkin low. and sayiE to
himself:
"'If that amt somethin dead down
there I'll be blessed il know good
thing when I see it. 1sy all the devils
at oncst will dip down and see what /
can see.'
80 with that the buzzard he swooped
down, he did, and lit in the shade of that
same persimmons tree. In the main
time roam Dick he didn't move muscle
nor turn q hair, and naturally, of
course. / don't reckon he was even
dreamin about boneyards and buzzar,ls,
and the like IT that. Now presently the
buzzard got up on his tip toes and de-
scribed circle around the horse, but
he stepped tremendous high and hoped
monstrous light on the first circuit.
~ do wonder in my soul il that
durn horse is dead says the buzzartl,
inchin up little closer and talkin to his
fool self. whilst roam Dick was still
sleepin the sleep of the Just. 1.-The aia't
dead there's nothin In general appear
ments, but amt he fat? And, dad
blame it, am so scandlous hongry till
my skin fits loose. BY jings. will try
him one barrel il 1t breaks up the plan
of salvation
"With that the buzzard waltzed up
and hauled of and nailed the horse on
his ham at spot where he was latest
and his hair was the thinnest. Well,
man sir, roam Dick got up from there.
and when he riz he riz a buckin and
pitchin and snortin and kickin to beat
six bits. And in the general shock and
confusionment he had clamped his tail
down and caught the buzzard by his
head and neck. They went of across
the paster like the dark path of cy-
clone-roan Dick plungin and pitchin
and the buzzard futterin and floppin
for dear life. Presently the buzzartl
broke loose and tore out and few of
the other way. And as he burnt the
wind towards the western hills
could hear him sayin to himself:
"'Thank the Lord I'm loose and free
oncst more. Bless and praise His holy
NAME The dead is alive and the lost are
found
"Roan Dick didn't break his gait till
he had run way over there to the fur
corner of the paster. Then he wheeled
and turned, with head and tail up.
looked back towards the shade of the
persimmon tree, give two or three loud
snorts. and / could hear him sayin to
himself:
''Goshermighty durn! What in the
round created world was that? Snakes
or fiends, or man or devil?"
"You can say what you please about
it, Rufe. and you can laugh till you fall
of in it," Andy went on as serious and
solemcholy as the head mourner in a
funeral procession. ''but bein neither
blind nor def I am bound to believe
that which see and hear for my own
native self"
A Wonderful Old Man.
Down there at the free silver rallifica-
ton 1 met up with one man that is a
livin wonder to me. Old man Jack Beas-
ley is now a little turned 20 years in
the flesh and he never has voted but
cncst in his life.
II voted one time. Rufus. and only
oncst." said Uncle Jack in givin me his
private opinion In regards to politics.
II was a youngster then and didn't have
no better sense, but had hand in the
ruination Of one good man, and prom
Used myself If only got forgiveness for
that I never would cast another vote
80 help me God, and never have;
I'm them days Dave Crittenden--
which you understand. Rufe, he was
the grandfather Of our Gus Critten-
den-was a jam-up good farmer, and I
reckon about the best fixed man in
the county. But all Of student Dave
he took up fool notion that he would
love to be the next county judge. where
as he pulled of and pitched into the
race. There was two more candidates
in the field-Wat Ashby and Lum Har-
dy-and it was pull Dick, pull devil,
who should and who shouldn't as be-
tween the three. As for me. was a
screamin democrat and . Crittender
man from the jump. We lit in. we did.
and fought over every inch OF the
ground. We burnt the wind and sifted
the ashes for Crittenden votes, and We
put Dave in by . scratch, rs il were
with q majority Of only seventeen
votes. Then in the general jubilation
which followed was the lead dog Ut
the pack. throwed my hat up higher
than anybody and hollered till for lit
tie / would Of split my throat wide
open.
$50 far it seemed 10 good. Rufus, but
in that campaign I cast my hrst and
last and onlyest vote. Cause why ?
Well, that election turned out to be the
total ruination Of Dave Crittenden--
which up to then there want . better
man than him in - miles around
and l was the mainest man in the gang
that pulled him through and put him
in. Everything went ON smooth and
an right for the first lew months. but
by-and-by Dave took to race horses and
fehtin chickens. and whisky and cards
and the like Of that. He went on from
bad to worse. and more and more of
it, till it was . plum disgrace and scar
dalation on the county. Before his
time was out by gracious ths people had
70 70 and take out papers Of compell-
nent and make hin give up the jobaDd
take out ard quit. After that poor
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