St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-10-31

- j AMm AIN i i Anx6
- sresh and clear as IL Il had only cosas
to pass on yesterday. bat Ben Chris
Ae went ON to tell me as u:.out it.
"YOu see Buck he was the onlyest
bsby Of the Milligan family. though ut
that time he was great lubberly boy,
plenty big enough to put away the
things of child and take up the things
OF a man. Late one evenin the old man
had sent Buck down to the paster with
his horse, and it was first dusk when
he got there and turned the horse in
and started home.
"In the main time, you understand.
Rufe, me and you or some of the mig
gers had been tellin Buck some out.
landish and hair-raisin stories in re.
CARDS to snakes, and il there was any.
thing in this round created world which
that boy jest naturally couldn't stand
the naked thoughts of, was snakes.
So he turned the horse in the paster.
flung the bride across his shoulder and
started in 4 swingin trOt for the big
house, which it was mile, or may be u
little better, that he had togo.
"Now then presently Buck he looked
back and thought he saw . thunderin
big snake runnin after him and right
at his heels. 1t was now about night
the moon was comm out, and his first
thought was that coachwhip or one
of these big black runners was righ.
in behind him. Well, man, sir, from
what Buck has since told me, il ever q
white boy sifted sand and burnt the
wind in foot race with u harmless
piece of cow leather, he was that boy.
But to hear him tell it, Buck couldn't
run away from the blame thing worth
a cent. Every time he turned his head
and throwed his eyes back, there was
the snake scorchin the very earth un-
der his heels. He run like quarter
horse somewhat further than q mile.
which by then he was a slap out Oi
breath and had to give up the race. In
the horrors Of that orful moment he
drawed his pocket knife, jumped up
on a stump and turned to make 4
fight for life. when 10 and behold. he
didn't see blame thing but the tie rein
of his bride, which he had been drag
GIN behind him and runnin from it, as
he thought. in race for life and death.
IF that had been me or you. Rufe.
the rale facts in the case never would
of leaked out to the general public. But
in 50 fur as I know Buck Milligan never
did eat any soup with Solomon to speak
Of, and consequentially he didn't have
no better sense than to let the cat out Of
the wallet. whilst the joke was too good
for us boys to keep"
He Woalda's BE Goose.
'Now the way in which Buck Milligan
give the news away concernin his ter.
rible footrace with the tie rein of his
hridle always did put me in mind Of
Dink Ashcraft and the story he use tc
tell of how he got into a tremendous
bad confusionment with Miss Rosebud
Buckalew oncst upon q time" And
Ben Chris had to stop and let his laughin
spell pass on before he could proceed
with the proceedins.
I'm them days Dink was in the awk
ward and goslin stage Of life. Rufe,
which reckon you understand what !
mean by that. You can recollect no
doubts when you didn't know for GER
tain what to do with your feet and
hands, and couldn't think of anything
in particular to say to the girls. You
could think of plenty to say till you go,
right in amongst the calico, and the
laces, and the ribbons. and the like Of
that and then dadblame 1t your talkin
machinery would run slap down and
stop.
'.Well from the way Dink use to tell
the story, it would seem like he was
lovin Miss Rosebud harder than mule
could kick backwards down hill with
both feet and he had made his engage
ments to go with her to night meetin
over at old Ebenezer church. Dink
lowed he had fixed up whole long rig
amarole of sweet and pleasant things
to tell his mainest girl that night but
soon as he got with her he forgot every
blame thing he had thought of in the
main time. And from all appearments
II looks like Miss Rosebud was also a
timid young thing and couldn't do any
off-hand talkin to speak Of.
$50 they talked about the wcathe,
and the crops, and got OF q few short
stanzas in regard to the moon and stars,
and then by gracious they struck a
knot and couldn't move 4 peg. They
went on till by and by the general 81
lence got plum heavy and painful and
oppressin. About that time they passed
a drove of geese grain by moonlight
along the road, and it seems as il the
sight Of them geese made Dink think
of something to say.
".Miss Rosebud says Dink. wouldn't
you hate to be gooseT
"'Well. don't know 20 much about
that. Mister Ashcraft,' says Miss Rose
bud. The goose is both useful and
ornamental. When killed and cooked
it is good for food, and when picked its
feathers make nice. soft beds and pill
lows. II had to be . fowl would
as soon be a goose as anything else.'
"'Well, would hate to be goose,
Miss Rosebud would mortally hate
to be a goose says Dink.
"'Why would you hate to be a goose
30 mortal bad, Mr.. AshcSaftg says Miss
Rosebud.
"'Oh, N.Y. says Dink. Jest because !
would have to lay such big egg
"And then from the way Dink was
wont to tell it, two long and weary
hours passed away before him and Miss
Rosebud could think of any other ard
further remarks to make"
Thus and 20 Ben Chris went on ts
talk about them golden days Of our boy.
hood. and the boys and girls we use tc
to run with. till bless gracious II was
clost to midnight when we set the rat
traps and wound up the clock anil
blowed out the light and went to bed.
RUFUS SANDERS.
MeAleaae Up to Data
Hello. Sinker! hear you've been