The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1897-01-29

man can recollect along in during of the
Christmas? l was thinkin the other
night and tellin mother about one
happy New Year which didn't turn out
so scandlous happy with me.
was youngster then-courtin and
gallin and goin on to beat six bits.
There was nothin in this green and
wicked world at that time which was
half so pleasant as to put on my store
bought clothes and saddle my horse and
go forth amongst the ribbons and the
calico. BY my winnin ways and
commandin appearments and niger
luck could most in generally always
manage so as to pick the prettiest girl
in the bunch for my onlyest own
which from that some of the boys didn't
love me very much to 81 k of. And
that's how come some scoundrel beasts
to play me a yaller dog trick on that
particlar New Year night.
In them days it come to pass that
family of people by the name of Dinl1ins
had moved into the settlement from
some big town over in Georgy, and
amongst the rest there was one girl,
which they called her name Susie, and
she was as pretty as red shoes and buff
stockings with blue garters. Zig man
like, / put in right away Immediately
and made my arrangements to go over
acrost the creek and call on Miss Susie.
In the mainline she had turned
out to meetin two or three times and all
the boys had a mighty waterin at the
mouths for her company. But main
tain that the man which hits the first
lick most in generally always whips the
fight, and consequentially when the
other boys went to put in over at the
Dinl1ins place they run right up aein
braced game, as it were, and found the
cards runnin my way like shot.
Now it likewise also come to pass
that New Year fell on Sunday that
time. And by first candle light where
should 1 be but over at the Dinkins place
Iingerin around Miss Susie worse than
a stickin plaster? And who was there
but me?
For the life of me 1 can't now re-
member blessed thing we said-lne
and Miss Susie that New Year night.
But from the best of my recollection
the weather was cold as fiugins, fire.
wood was ruther scanty, and the main
est thing was. to keep warm. So at this
late day it don't make a continental
bit of difference what we said, or
whether we said anything in partic
lar. / can but only remember that it
was most tremendous pleasant to be
there, and it was worse than sheddin
eye teeth and payin taxes for me to
pick up and go home.
What next? Well, man sir, out CT
doors that was the darkest night L
have ever saw, from the first settlement
of the country down to the. present
writin. By gracious could take my
fingers and jest naturally feel the dark
Il could hit it with a stick or slice it
up with my pocketknife.
had rid o little gray mustang pony
over there, and but from the fact that
he was PAWN the earth and chawin the
bit never would of found him without
a light. And when I did find him it
was by touch and not by sight-which
even then / couldn't tell whether he
was white or black. After so long a
time / got the little gray unhitched, felt
around till / found a stirrup and
climbed into the saddle. Then about
the next thing knowed didn't know
blame thing worth tellin.
What was the matter with us? Dad
blame it some scoundrel beasts had
come along whilst was in there payin
my double-breasted compliments to
Miss Susie and turned my saddle end
for end = swapped things around so
the horn of the saddle was turned to-
ward the pony's tail-and buckled it on
hard and fast, flank, girth and all. Sc
when mounted and the pony plunged
off in the dark was ridin one way
whilst he was runnin the other.
didn't find out for certain what was the
matter till it was everlastingly toe
late, and don't reckon the little gray
ever did know. He went off down the
road at three minnit rate buckin and
snortin and pitchin at every jump. As
for me, couldn't do a, blame thing but |
holler at the top of my voice and make
out like was stickin plaster to the |
best of my ability. I helt on till we got |
down there in the swamp-which the |
flank girth then broke and the little |
gray jumped out from under and left |
me layin there in the sandbed.
Did get bad hurt? No. The good |
Lord will take care Of His people, and |
oncst more I come forth from cIost |
call with whole hide and no bones |
broken. But / told that same old |
story to the prittiest girl in the settle |
men, went through a cold sweat, had |
of the heart and looked into |
the jaws of death in that one New Year |
night, RUFUS SANDERS