The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-09-04

was the best wrastler in the valley;
didn't you ever hear of the great
wrastlin' me and Simon CrnIler done
up to Swamp Holler schooIhouse?"
did Noar act as empire?" asked the
Loafer.
what does you mean be talkin' OF
Noar an seeh like when I'm tellin' of
wrastlin'? Tryln to change the sub
jec', s'pose, eh?' cried the Patriarch
me an Slime Cruller was buddies."
he began at length. Tibet was tell
we both kind Of set our minds on get
tin Becky Stump. You uns never seen
her, Ell? Well mebbe You never seen
her grave-stun. 1t stands be the al
derberry bushes in the buryin'-groun.
an eft you hain't seen 1t yer otter. fer
then We might get an idee what sorter
woman she was Pretty? Why,
she was a 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 a day
| set over on the porch at our place an
looked down across the valley an
seen her a-steppin' along th'oo' the
feel, an thot how Id like ter hev
one hanle while she'd hev the other
an we'd go trampin along life's fur
row toPeTheI.
The whole thing came to a pint at
a 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 it 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 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
smarter lad than me.
when intermission come Slime he
gifts off in one corner an begins blow
in to a lot of the boys. | heard him
talktn' loud about me, so l steps over.
He sayd it was all mistake: that he
could beat me at anything-spellin',
wrastlin,' or fishin'. He was shown
of agin, for he talked loud like Becky
Stump could hear, an l makes up me
mind I 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 it takes to tell it, an if you
step outside I'll prove me words
You th'ow me! he sails Then he
begin to laugh like he'd die at the
very idee.
with that we went outside, foIler-
ed by the rest of the boys. They was
a quarter moon overhead, an the girls
put two candles in the schoolhouse
winder, so with the snow we could see
pretty well.
AT it we went. Boys, you otter "a .
ben there! 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 Of me waist-cOat. Over we goes,
like two dogs, snarlin' an snappin',
while the boys in a ring aroun' us
cheered an the girls crowdin' the
schoolhouse porch trembled an
screamed with fright We twisted we
turned we rolled over an over tell
we looked like Twin snowballs. Slime
got off the boot I'd a holt, on, an
gives me a sudden turn tibet almost
sent me on me back. But was quick.
Mighty souls, but was quick! I ups
with me foot an landed me heel right
on his chist an he went flynn ten
feet inter a snow bank, keryin' me
coat-sleeve with him. He was lonkin'
up at the moon when l run up to him,
an I'd a he'd him down, ,slt he turn
ed over
But was quick. Mighty souls. but
l was quick! l KEEP me feet an gifts
one han inter his waistcoat pocket an
hung to nim. 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, I might not
"a ben here today. But I done it, an
fer full hour me an Slime Cruller
rolled roun', even matched Time
an agin l 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