The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-05-01

an how can they tell what they're
goin' ter do fore they're elected?
Some people does meek me have that
tired feelin'!"
''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 emery skunks
aire doin' ter ruin the repertashun Nv
this yere claim. Some puts it that it
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 hyar, 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"
81 amt through yit,'' continued Buck.
"I's an honest man, an 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 its 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 1 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 l wears er buskskin suit
under my other clothes, which has saved
my life more AN once. Now, thar wa;
BUGGY Jones, who lived over thar OH
the next claim. He comes over ter see
me one day, 'lowin he amt afeared
of no snaik livin'. He warn't the man
ter listen ter no reason; he comes
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 IAN Moses. 'Twarn't my
fault, SEEM as how he h~d been warned;
but some folks will be fools. Wv course,
accidents will sometimes happen, even
with the most keerful. Thar's my wife,
Mandy, now. You couldn't find
l<eerfuler woman AN her, but it all
happened like this: One night one NV
them dad blamed snails gifts an hides
itself in the bed, an the first thing
we knows Mandy is bit. 1t warn't her
fault, fer who'd think Nv wearin' snaill
pertecters in the bed? Well, she pumps
a gallun Nv my best whisky down her
throat, an it kinder newteralizes that
yere pizen, SO instead Nv dyin' she only
has some fits. Mandy amt no SLOUGH
in skirmosh, an when them fits comes
on ye'd be safe in 'lowin' that I had
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 by
this time, an she meets Sol Miller, who
is out early lookin' fer his mules. She
mecks fer him, an fore he gifts on ter
what she's drivin' at, she has sliced off
one ov his years, an he only 'scapes by
bein' one ov the best runners in the
settlement. She next slashes the head
sliced the tail off one Nv my bosses, I
finally ropes her. She gets quiet lill,
after awhile, but them fits will come
back on her"
THAT is enough" interrupted the
stranger. 81 wouldn't live on this claim
for all the land in the county. Give me
back my money, and we will call the
trade Off"
mo, we DON'T" replied Buck. 'Treck-
on the contract don't say nothin' about
givin' the money back. If We want the
claim, pay the rest an it's yourn; but
if not, the 25 is mine. That's the con-
tract"
He was interrupted by shrek which
issued from the cabin, and the next mo-
ment the figure of woman emerged
from the door and came running wildly
across the prairie, hourishing a corn
knife about her head.
'Blame my cats, that's Mandy havin'
one Nv them fts!" cried Buck. "Look
out fer yerself an team, stranger, while
runs fer a rope!"
But Billings did not wait to listen.
With one bound he was in his wagon,
and a moment later had dashed the
mules into a gallop and was disappear
ing down the trail in a cloud of dust.
Buck darted around the cabin, the
woman in hot pursuit, and this was
kept up till the stranger was well out
of sight. Then the two went into the
house.
Il reckon he's gone for good" said
Mandy, laying the corn knife on the
table.
"Ye've sed it. That snaik story fixed
him. 1t allus does"
'How much did you get out of this
bargain?" asked the wife.
twenty-five. That's the fourth this
week. A hundred week amt so bad.
[ reckon I'll knock off work for the
day."
And he sat down and began to ex-
anime the money he had received, as
surfing himself that it was genuine.
"I'll tell We, Mandy" he said, "a fell
Ter can't be too keerful in dealing with
them eastern sharpers. They are a1luS
up ter some swin'lin tricks ter beat
honest DeODle IN " T,ndUar