, 1896-12-21
COWARDLY REVENGE,

"Now l thoroughly saveys," re.
marked the old cattleman rehectively at
a crisis in our last conversation when
the talk turned on men of small and
cowardly measure. II thoroughly saveys
that taste for battle that turks in the de-
files of folks nature like a wolf in the
hills. Which I reckons now that |, my
self, is one of the peacefulest people who
ever belted On a gun. But in my in
stincts-while l never iustifies or fol-
lows his example, cl'arly apprehends
the emotions Of q gent who convenes
with another gent all similar an express
es his views of him with his gun, an
Immediately precedes an adjournment
sine die by skelpin the opposition. Sech
is human nature onrestrained, an the
same, while deplorable, is not surprisin.
"But this yere Olson l has in my
memory don't have no such manly emo
tions as goes with a gun play. Which
Olson takes pleasure in sayin is n alien
an a rank outsider, IN no more born in
this home of freedom than a Mexican.
Olson is go cowardly he's aver f~urtive,
an for q low flung, measly play let me
tell you what Olson does. It's shorely
ornery.
at all arises years ago. back in Ten
nessee. ar gets its first start out of a
hawg which is owned by Olson an is
downed by a gent named Hoskins-Bill
Hoskins. It's this away:
Back in Tennessee, in my dream
wreathed yooth, when anamiles. goes
projectin about permiscus, a party has
to build his fences bull strong, hawg
tight an boss high, or he takes results.
Which Hoskins don't make his fences
to conform to this yere roole none
leastwise they amt hawg tight, as is
shown by one Of Olson's hawgs.
"The hawg comes pirooting about
Hoskins' fence, an he goes through easy.
al the way that invadin anamile turns
Bills potatoes bottom up don't bother
him q bit. Flo shorely loots Bills lot.
That's whatever.
But Bill, perceivin Of Olson's hawg
layin waste his crop, reaches down a
Hawkins rife. 80 to the pound, m
stretches tho hawg. Which this is where
Bill falls into error. Layin aside them
deficiencies in Bills fence, it's cl'ar at
q glance q hawg can't be held RESPONSE
BILE. Hswgs is ignorant an tharfore in
nocent, an while hawgs can be what Doc
Poets calls a casus belli they can't be
regarded rs n foe legitimate.
"Now. what Bill oughter done, if he
feels like this yere hawg's done put it
all owe him, is to go an lay for Olson.
Sech action by Bill would have been
some excessive, some high, 80 to speak,
but it would have been q line shot,
whereas KILN the hawg is way to one
side of tho mark an under.
However, MS l states. Bill, bein hasty
that away M Oncapablc of perhaps re-
fined reasonin, downs the pig an stands
pat on it waitin for Olson to fill his hand
if he feels SO moved.
"Now, that's where the cowardly n a
ture of this yere Olson begins to shine.
He's ugly as q wolf about Bill copperin
his hawg that away, hut he don't pack
the nerve to go after Bill an make o
round up of them grievances. An he
amt allowin to pass it up IN onre-
venged neither. Now, here's what Olson
does-he classmates Bills pet raccoon.
"That's right. pard. jest mnssacred q
pore confldin raccoon whodon't no moro
stand in on that hawg KILN of Bills
than me an you-don't even advise it.
Nov, / allow you saveys all thar is
to know about u accoon. MOI Waal, a
r~acooon's like this In the first place, he's
plumb ingenious an amt lookin for no
gent to hold out kyards or ring a cold
deck on him. That's straight. A raccoon
10 simple minded that away, an his i'm
pressive trait is, he's meditative. Besides
bein ~naoherally thoughtful as to his own
affairs, I might say q raccoon is a heap
melancholy. He jest sets thar an absorbs
melancholy from merely bein alive.
"But If a raccoon is melancholy or
gets wrapped in thought that Away it's.
after all. his own play. It's to his credit
that once when he's tanned he's got a
mountainous confidence in men an will
Uurl up all go to sleep whar you be al
shet both eyes. He's plumb trustful, an,
moreover, no matter how mournful a
raocoon feels or how plumb melancholy
he gets he don't poster you with NO
yAfn6.
II reckon I converses with this yere
identical raccoon of Bills plenty fire.
Quent, when he feels blue an ag'in
when he's at his gayliest, an he never
remarks nothin 10 me except p'lite gen.
ssal'ties.
III this Olson had been . dead game
party who regards himse'f wronged.
he'd searched out a gun or . knife or
mebby . club an pranced over an recti-
Asd Bill q whole lot But he's too timid
an too oowardly an afraid Of Bill. 50
to play even he lines out to buahwhack
this helpless, opinstructed raccoon. o.
son nggers to take advantage OF what's
el.axly . loophole in a %raccoon's oonstt-
tataop.
"Aebby you never noticed 1t about .
Saoepou, but the fact II once be gets in
/ " .STRYKRR