The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-05-09
with it?" asked Billings. growing IN

""Tain't hardly worth rcpeatin'," |
went on Buck, in careless tone. Il
puts it that it is jealousy Nv them, see
in I've got the best claim in the set
Element. If you seed one nv them fell
lers it's likely he'd say that thar can't |
be no water got on this yere claim.
He'd say that the well-borer war hyar
an bored about 600 feet an got no wa
ter. That would be a lie, cause he only
bored 400 feet, but I'll allus believe
he'd "a got water if he'd "a bored deep
enough. Then some object ter the
claim cause they says I've settled on
a school section, which amt open for
settlement, an that I'll haf ter git of
soon rs a school board is organized.
But how the Sam Hill do they know
who the school boards goin' ter be,
an how can they tell what they're
goin' ter do fore they're elected?
Some people does meek me have that
tired feelin'l"
"Why, if that is the case" broke In
Billings, 81 don't know as"
II amt through yit," put in Buck.
"Let me tell We all the onery skunks
aire doin' ter ruin the repertashun Nv
this yere claim. Some puts it that 1t
is too close ter the line NV the Injun
territory, an that the road agents an
robbers would kill Teller off as fast
as he could come hyar, an that SIGH
vishus invirunments would be the
sp'ilin' NV the society NV the neigh
borhood; but thar hain't been but two
men killed on this yere claim since
come here, which is full six months
ago, an them war both strangers who
war campin' in the road byar, an never
a-standin' gard none. Whatever else
could SIGH chumps expect?"
THAT is horrible!" said Billings,
with SILVER. "As were going to say,
in that case"
II amt through yit," continued Buck.
us an honest man, IN b'lieves in tell.
in the whole story which them slam
derers aire so fond NV exaggeratin'.
Some puts it that the snaiks on this
yere claim is it's greatest drawback,
an ter hear 'em talk ye'd think that
a Teller couldn't stay hyar Is minnets
without bein' swallered by them; but
wait till tells We the true facts. Now.
these yere snaiks aire perty bad, less
| We know how ter take 'em. A Teller
must wear high boots an keep his eyes
peeled. Then wears err buskskin suit
under my other clothes, which has saved
my life more an once. Now, thar was
Ruggy Jones, who lived over thar on
1 the next claim. He comes over ter see
me one day, 1owih he amt afeared
of no snaik livin'. He warn't the man
ter listen ter no reason; he Gomez
a-wearin' of them low dude CATERS
an the first thing he knows he's bit
with one NV them snaiks. Well, he
slobbers round little, takes a fit, try
in ter kill everybody, then curls up an
dies deader AN Moses. 'Twarn't my
fault, seein' as how he had been warned
but some folks will be fools. Nv course
accidents will sometimes happen, ever
with the most keerful. Thar's my wife
Mandy, now. You couldn't find q
keerfuler woman AN her, but it al
happened like this: One night one W
them dad blamed snaiks gifts an hide.
itself in the bed, an the first thing
we knows Mandy is bit. 1t warnt he,
fault, fer who'd think NV wearin' snail
pertecters in the bed? Well. she pump:
gallun NV my best whisky down he
throat, an it kinder newteralizes tina
we're pizen, so instead NV dyin' she onl,
has some fits. Mandy amt no sloucl
in skirlnosh, an when them fits come
on ye'd be safe in 'lowin' that l hat
my hands full. She gifts the corn-knife
'lowin' that everybody is after her, an
out she goes, slashin' at everything
dangerus like. It's about daylight b.
this time, an she meets Sol Miller, VIII
is out early lookin' fer his mules. Sh
mecks fer him, an fore he gifts on te
, what she's drivin' at, she has sliced Of
one ov his years, an he only 'scapes b
bein' one ov the best runners in tn
settlement. She next slashes the hea
NV my best dog off, an after she ha
!. sliced the tail off one NV my bosses,
,, finally ropes her. She gets quiet Liz
after awhile, but them fits will com
back on her"
"That is enough" interrupted tn
stranger. 81 wouldn't live on this claiI
: for all the land in the county. Give m
. back my money, and we will call tn
trade off,"
mo, we DON'T" replied Buck. "Irecl
on the contract don't say nothin' abo'
givin' the money back. If we want tt
claim, pay the rest an it's yourn; b,
if not, the 25 is mine. That's the col
tract"
r He was interrupted by a shrek whic
4 issued from the cabin, and the next m
n ment the figure of woman emerge
r from the door and came running Wild
across the prairie, flourishing col
IS knife about her head.
)" "Blame my cats, that's Mandy havi
n one NV them fitsi" cried Buck. 'Ioe
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