Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-12-23
would hardly guess o to be six years

!! older than l."
No, Hiram, they wouldn't. One thing,
I'm q good deal heshier N you. I'm kind
o seprlsed to see you SO kind o oil skin
| and bone"
Come. now. l amt quite that. Joel.
l weigh 1885,"
is that all; why. Hi, l weigh 17S
| and"
Come, Uncle Joel, I want to show you
some OF the family portraits in the par
lor." said Madge. noting grandpa's rising
color. This left Uncle Harvey and grand
pm together.
Joel and Henry were always unneces-
sarily blunt in their speech said grand
pa.
Yes. but they gen'ally Kit the nail on
the head" said Uncle Harvey. You do
look as if the wind would blow you away,
tiiram, and l notice you've a kind Of limp
in your gait"
I've nothing Of the sort, Harvey Ny
Ter. ana l amt more than two-thirds us
bald as you are and not half SO gray"
IN, you amt; I'll count gray hairs with
yon n time, and I'll bet you a jews
harp that
"Come, Uncle Harvey l said, 'let US
go to the stable. l want you to give me
your opinion Of a horse I've just bought"
me combined efforts of Madge and Nell
u l sufficed to maintain peace ut the
dinner table. We kept up such a rafting
nre OF conversation that the Jour broth
ers mad hardly a chance to speak to each
other. We saw grandpa vince when I'm
Gle Henry ate his mashed potatoes with
his knife, and we knew the full extent OF
our grandsire's agony when Uncle Joel
poured his coffee into his saucer and blew
1t before drinking it. Uncle Harvey spoke
put once, but that was INC too often. for
he said, explosively:
TOh, l say. boys, do you remember that
Sary Jane Skimmerhorn Hi used to be
SO sweet on when we al went to the Hop
vine school? You member how he used
to kiss 'er there at the end OF the lane?
Well, she's Twin yit, an I'd give a deal
to see Hi kiss 'er now. She weighs 329
pounds and has a beard that Tom here
might be proud of, an she's had fifteen
children an they're all Twin. I was jest
thinkin' what if Hi had married 'er as he
used to swear he would! Ell, Hi?
Uncle Henry and Joel roared with
laughter and Joel choked on a mouthful
Of coffee. Grandpa turned pale and it re-
Quired all Of Nelrs cleverness to prevent
q scene.
All Of the cousins and uncles and aunts
in the city had been invited to come in
that evening to enjoy a Christmas eve
reunion of the family and to be entertain
ed with family reminiscences-b by the four
old and reunited brotherg At 8 O'clock
we gathered around a great open FIRE to
hear our aged relatives ''reminis," as
Madge mischievously put 1t.
TELL us all about when you were boys
together" said Cousin Ned Drayton. II
guess there wasn't much time nor money
wasted celebrating Christmas when you
were boys"
well, guess there want" said Uncle
Joel. Il guess-O, say, boys, do you re-
member that Christmas we four boys
went bear hunting back there in the
Maine woods when we want none of us
fully grown?"
Il remember it as well as il it was yes
terday," said Uncle Henry. II remem-
Der jist how that bar squealed when l
| shot i'm"
"You still stick to it that you shot i'm,
Henry" said Uncle Joel, IAN l am as
sure as I'm Twin that it was my shot that
fetched i'm"
I'm a horn it was!' said Uncle Henry.
testify. Your bullet went clar over the
bar and lodged in that big pine we found
with a bullet hole in it."
There's no use in Henry an Joel spat-
tin SO about which killed that bar" put
in Uncle Harvey, "for I've an idee the
beast would have got up an walked off
with both your bullets. 1t was my knife
thrust that finished the beast"
Eyes, it was!" sneered Joel. "Oh, yes;
to be sure it was" snorted Uncle Henry.
Il guess that the blows I rained down
on the beasts head with the club l car
ried, had something to do with finishing
him." said grandpa, calmly.
well, ye amt got over drawin' on your
imagination for facts, hev We. HIP" said
Uncle Henry. 'The rest OF US kin re-
member how ye hid in the bresh tremblin'
an bellerin' until we was almost ready
to skin the bear an then you come out
with your little club and give the beast a
whack or two"
Henry Myler, that is not true"
III it amt I'll eat my hiatt"
II dubbed the life out Of him." said
grandpa.
Il tell ye I killed that bear myselfw
"Ye didn't"
II know I did!"
My club counted for more than.
,"Your club! POOH"
"Now, Henry, I won't stand it To-"
I'D like to see We help yourself"
"Shet up, all Of ye, for Il"
Don't We tell me to shet up!'
The dispute waxed hot and hotter nm
til Madge got Uncle Henry OF to his room.
and Nell had done the same service for
Uncle Harvey, while I dragged Uncle Joel
away for a smoke with me in my own
room, where he berated his brothers fear
fully. Grandpa. stalked of to his own
room.
We managed to keep the four old hot
heads from getting into q row on Christ
mas, but Uncle Henry and grandpa did