Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1897-08-04

btNI hNi h~PtCPPAh dlOIB III w Ahg
her. an l thot how ia like ter hev
one han'le while she'd hev the other,
an we'd go trampln along life's fur
row together.
The whole thing came to pint at
spellin' bee up to Swampy Holler
school, continued the Patriarch, I'M
mindful of the interruption. Becky
Stump was there an looked unusual
pretty, fer 1t was cold outside an the
wind had made her face all red on
the drive over from home. Slime was
there, too, logged out in store clothes
1T didn't take me i've minutes to
see tibet Sine Cruller was tryin' to
show off afore Becky Stump; was try
Ing to prove to her that he was
smarter lad than me.
when intermission come Sine he
gifts of in one corner an begins blow
in to lot of the boys. heard him
talkin' loud about me- so ] steps over.
He sayd 1t was all a mistake; that he
could beat me at anything-spellin'.
wrastlin,' or fishin'. He was shown
off agin. for he talked loud like Becky
Stump could hear, an | makes up me
mind ] wouldn't stand his BLOWN
See here, Slime Cruller, sails, sails
|, you uns is nawthin' but a blow
horn | sails. You claims you kin
wrastle. Why. kin th'ow you in less
time an il takes to tell it, an IL you
step outside III prove me words
You th'ow mer he sails. Then he
begin to laugh like he'd die at the
VERY idee.
with that we went outside, foller-
ed by the rest OF the boys. They was
quarter moon overhead, an the girls
put two candles in the schoolhouse
winder, so with the snow we could see
pretty well.
AT 1t we went. Boys, you otter "a
ben there! You otter "a seen it,
That was wrastlin'! When Sine an
me clinched | ketched him 'roun' the
waist with me right arm an gifts
hold OF the strap of his right boot
with the foretinger OF me left hand.
He gifts his left arm aroun' my neck
an down my back somehow, an with
his right hand tears the buttons off
me coat an grabs me in the arm
hole OF me waist-coat. Over we goes.
like two dogs, snarlin an snappin',
while the boys in ring aroun us
cheered an the girls crowdiu' the
schoolhouse porch trembled an
screamed with fright. We twisted we
turned, We rolled over an over tell
We looked like Twin snowballs. Sine
got of the boot I'd holt. on, an
gives me sudden turn tibet almost
sent me on me back. But was quick.
Mighty souls. but / was quick. | ups
with me foot an landed me heel right
on his chist an he went flynn ten
feet inter a snow bank, keryin' me
coatsleeve with him. He was lookin'
up at the moon when | run up to him.
an I'd "a he'd him down, but he turn
ed over
But l was quick. Mighty souls but
| was quick! ! KEEP me feet an gifts
one han inter his waistcoat pocket an
hung to MIN. Whenever you wrastles
git your man by the bootstrap or the
pocket, an you has the best they is.
IF | hedn't a. done thet might not
"a ben here today. But done it. an
fer a fun hour me an Slime Cruller
rolled roun', even matched Time
an agin | got sight OF Becky Stump
standin' on the porch, her hands
gripped together, her face pale, her
eyes almost poppin' outen her head
she was watchin' us so hard. an the
very sight of her urged me on to in
human efforts. 1t seemed to have the
same effect on Sine The blood be-
gin to run outen both me nose holes
an yit | KEEP at It, Me heart beat so
hard 1t made me buttons rattle Still
] KEEP at 1t. Sine was so hot it was
fer me jest like wrastlin' with a stove.
an still we KEEP at it. Then all of
sudden-it was two hours after he'd
fust clinched-everything seemed to
swim couldn't feel no earth beneath
I only know'd that l was still hold
in on to Sime-then | know'd naw-
thin.
When | came to | was layin' be the
scheolhouse stove, an Becky Stump
was leaning over me rubin a snow
ball acrosst me forehead The other
folks was standin' back like, fer they
seemed to think tibet after sieh an ex-
hibition it was settled an they didn't
want to disturb us.
Becky, l whispers, did I win?
You did, she sails. You both
tainted ct oncet, but you tainted on
top.
An now, l s'pose you'll hev me-
| sails, fer 1t seemed like there was
somethin' in her eyes tibet kinder
urged me on,
She was quiet a pice, an then she
leans down an answers; DO you think
wants to marry fen? No, sir, I'll
merry no man I can't lick .
"Well?" cried the Loafer.
"Well?" retorted the old man.
did she ever merry?"
The Patriarch shook his head.
Go look at the grave stun" he
said "an on 1t you'll see wrote: Ere
lies Becky Stump. Her peaceful souls
at rest