The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-14
PASSING EVENTS OF A WEEK.

nave stirred, Tor no man Knows Wnab
is in a mans breast at such times, but
it is a matter of fact that 10 other
portion of his body did. The Sauitiing
Of his feet would have been a greatful
sound to these thirsty toilers
Tets pitch for it, said the taury
headed man. as he laid down mis- cat
in the sun. vanished around the corner
Of the store and returned win four
horse shoes that had been cast by the
original wearers but were kept bright
as a trade dollar by constant use in q
game called "Quoits" or Quates, as
these simple citizens call it, much in
fashion in that section of the country.
Without saying a word he stepped off
and stalled the distance, drove down
the megs with a stone and cut with n
barlow some slender twigs which he
trimmed into various unequal lengths
to be used as measuring rods.
The Iab man and the two huntsmen
arose, stretched themselves, and went
to the manly sport with eager deter
mination. Without agreement the two
huntsmen went to one meg and the
couple of fishermen stood at the other
The man with the rifle took up
shingle that was lying near at hand
and spit on one side of it.
wet or dry?" said he, as he tossed
it up.
wet" said the fat man before the
shingle fell to the ground.
The wet side was uppermost and he
had the go,
The old-time racers or boys at mar
bles never strove harder to win than
did those worthy sons of toll. They lost
their lassitude, they were full of ener-
gy, their eyes were alive with inter-
est They laid themselves down on
their stomachs and measured the dis
lance between the quoits and megs to
see which QUOT was nearest. The fat
man didn't lie down because he
wouldn't have been much nearer the
disputed distance than when he was
on his feet They laughed and smiled
and grinned, and truthfulness to de-
tail compels us to say that they used
very big DIS. The good old words of sin
formed the staple of their expressions,
to be accurate.
At last the game was decided against
the huntsmen.
pitch off between YOU said the fat
man as he walked back to the porch
and sat down. Thus narrowed down,
the last game was a short one For
tune favored the meek squirrell-toter.
and the man with the rife was put in
for the wished for quart.
With a satisfied expression. The
whole party resumed their seats, with
the exception of the man who owned
riff 10 - L,
and walked leisurelv into the store
The merchant followed him, and they
remained there in deep communion for
long while. The stranger thought
IT all very curious. The three cams
tiers turned restlessly in their seats
and made uneasy jokes about their
absent friends. At last he returned
with an aged and battered quart not
level full, He didn't bring the rife
back with him. The merchant saunt-
cred out and resumed his seat. The
man with the quart pot handed II 10
the stranger, who courteously declin-
ed. He then took long. strong ,,ull
at 1T himself smacked his lips in at
/ testation of its good qualities. and
/ passed it to the fat man. who passed
{ passed it to the fat man, who passed
1t to the little man who was giving
grlns of enormous size and easy of in
depreciation. He handed it to the mer-
! chant, who rather than discredit his
3 own hquor, took sturdy swig at it.
! Conversation had been a luxury I'm
/ to this point, which these economical
people had not been able to indulge
/ themselves in. 1t now became a peces-
sity, and spontaneous.
| How is your wife got?" asked the
fat man Of the man who now had only
an equitable title to the rifle.
She's mighty poorly. yet" he an
swered, "the children has all been
down with chills and fever. and what
with nursing them and that last child
o her'n, she amt been able to do much
since the spring"
Thank God, l amt got no brats to
get sick, said the fat man, who was
an old bachelor. Pass around the
sperits." 1t passed around the entire
circle, only making break at the
stranger, once again, twice, thrice
The man who treated bad the last pull
at it, and he saw the bronzed bottom
very plainly before he took the meas.
ure down. In the short spaces that
elapsed between these rounds various
little scraps of domestic history had
been related. The man with the cat
squirrel had lately lost his wife. but his
sister was taking care of his children
and she was a monstrous managing
woman, but she and the children had
been ailing, and not much able to choT
cotton this season. The little man had
lately been married to a girl very
much his superior in stature as in al
other respects, and be was severely
twitted about a report in the neigh.
borhood that she had spanked hin
for not being as industrious as the
average man is expected by exactinR
women to be.
Now that the heavy and important
business of the day had been trans
acted, the conversation took a seriou:
bent quite in keeping with it,
Agriculture became the leading
topic OF talk, with the labor system
and national finances as fankers.
The stranger listened in awe "a
each husbandman foretold the certain
destruction and wretched condition o
his crops of all sorts. The wheat wa
awful thin and had the rust. Dat
hadn't turned out what was expected
Somehow or other the stand Of cOttOl
was bad, and what there was of j
, was overrun with grass. The corn wa
4 4 Tas.ssY.,