The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-04

brea kfast next 1nawnin. Then started
out to see, but hadn't got out of the yard
befo' fat ole postum laid down in front
of me to be killed Out in the road was
another and a leetle furder on was third,
and befo' had gone so rods got seven of
'em. Not one of 'eIn tried to git away, but
jest crawled right up to me to be hit on the
head with a club. couldn't make it out
nohow till I got up to cl'ar spot in the
woods. Then I diskivered that they had
bin holdin a postum convenshun. 1 can't
say how many critters war on hand, but 1
reckon the number was at least 5000.
They had come together at that spot from
all over the county, and the meetin wasn't
yit out when / started from the house.
That's the reason them other possums let
me kill 'eIn. They was put out thar to
delay me till the meetin broke up. Couldn't
be anythin cutter than that, reckon.
II can't say fur shore, but it's my sol
emn opinyun that the possums yere had
heard about me and the way I was gatherin
in the pelts, and they knowed it was only
a question of time when I'd have the last
one. 1t was tharfo' decided to git out.
The word was passed from one critter to
tother till all had got it, and they gathered
in convenshun and resolved to cross over
the mountains to Moth keerleeny. That's
whar they went anyhow, and fur the next
three Vars nobody cotched sight of a-pos-
sum around yere. The coons and wood
chuckS staid on, cause WASH t arter them
SO hot, but every burned critter of pos
sum who could walk got outer the kentrv
and skassly left a track behind. AFTER
about three vars 1 was took sick, and the
report went out that 1 was dead Can't
say how the story got over the mountains,
onless sum critter of coon carried it. But
when them possums heard of it, they jest
cum swarnin back to hev good. times
ag'in- Yes, sab, cum back in the night,
same as they left. And one mawnin when l
went out doahs thar was five big possums
in the yard a-lookin at the cabin. Believin
I was dead, they had called to sympathize
with the wilder and inquare fur perticu-
lars
"As fur tricks continued the old man
after awhile as he poked at the hickory
fire, I'm goin to tell yo' how possum
once sarved me out. I cotched him out by
the mewl shed one mawnin and knocked
him over with a club. 1 left him fur dead
and went in to feed the mewl, but when I
cum out he was gone. In the co'se of
three or four days got the very same crit
ter ag'in. I Jest tapped him with club
and he went dead, but wasn't goin to be
fooled ag'in. I brung him down to the
house and laid him the grass. and then
got my pipe and sot down on the doah steps
to hev it out with him. I made up my
mind to sot right thar till he got tired of
his game and tried to git away, and then
I'd kill him fur good. When noon cum,
he was still dead. When night cum, he
hadn't even winked
g 'Zeb, what yo' gwine to do about it?'
SEE the ole woman as she lighted the candle.
" 'Gwine to sot, SEE L
g Fur how long?'
Till outset the pesky postum. Can't
low no postum to beat me and go and
telhabout itl'
''Waal, at midnight was thar, and dang
my buttons if daylight didn't find me
lookin down on that pesky varmintI He