Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-08-03

an ef you hain't seen it yer otter fer
then We might get an idee what sorter
a woman she was. Pretty? Why.
she was model, she was-a perfect
model. Hair, You uns don't often
see SIGH hair nowadays ez Becky
Stump hed-soft and black like.
Eyes! Why, they sparkled jest like
they was filled with new buggy paint,
an was all watery like. An, mighty
souls, but she could plough! fer she
wasn't none of your modern girls as
is too proud to plough. Many day
/ set over on the porch at our place an
looked down across the valley an
seen her a-steppin' along th'oo' the
fiel', an I thot how I'd like ter hev
one hanle while she'd hev the other,
an we'd go trampin' along life's fur
row together.
THE whole thing came to pint at
a speliin' bee up to Swampy Holler
school," continued the Patriarch. un-
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.
"It didn't take me five minutes to
see tibet Slime Cruller was tryin' to
show off afore Becky Stump; was try
ing to prove to her that he was a
smarter lad than me.
When intermission come Slime he
gifts off in one corner an begins blow
in to lot of the boys. I heard him
talkin' loud about me, so I steps over.
He sayd 1t was all 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 l sails. You claims you kin
wrastle Why, kin th'ow you in less
time AN it takes to tell it, an IL you
step outside I'll 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 We'll
AT ii we went. Boys, you otter "a
ben therei You otter "a seen it.
That was wrastlin' When Slime an
me clinched l ketched him 'roun' the
waist with me right arm an gifts
hold of the strap of his right boot
with the forefinger 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 CT me waist-coat. Over we goes.
like two dogs, snarln' an snappih',
while the boys in a ring aroun' us
cheered an the girls crowdin' the
schoolhouse porch trembIed an
screamed with fright. We twisted. we
turned. We rolled over an over tell
We looked like livin' snowballs. Slime
got off 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! l ups
with me foot an landed ME heel right
on his chist an he went flyin' ten
feet inter a snow bank. keryin' me
coat-sleeve 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 was quick Mighty souls. but
| was quick! ! KEEP me feet an gifts
one han inter his waistcoat pocket an
hung to aim. Whenever you wrastles
git your man by the bootstrap or the
pocket. an you has the best they is.
EFF / hedn't "a done tibet, / might not
"a ben here today. But done it, an
fer a full hour me an Slime Cruller
rolled roun', even matched. Time
an agin / got sight OF Becky Stump
standn' 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 l KEEP at It. Me heart beat so
hard it made me buttons rattle. Still
| KEEP at it. Slime was so hot it was
Ger me jest like wrastlin with a stove.
an still we KEEP at it. Then all OF a
student was two hours after he'd
fust everything seemed to
swim couldn't feel no earth beneath
Il only knowd that / was still hold
in on to Sime-then l know'd naw-
thin.
When I came to l was layin' be the
schcolhouse stove, an Becky Stump
vas leaning over me rubin a snow
ball acrosst me forehead. The other
folks was standin' back like, fer they
seemed TO think tibet after SIGH an eX-
bibition it was settled an they didn't
want to disturb us.
Becky whispers, did l VIM
"'You did, she sails. You both
tainted ct oncet. but you tainted on
top
IAN now, s'pose you'll hev me-
T sails fer IL seemed like there WAS