The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1897-09-23

Bill Planters. Me an Bill ulster be
pardners. He has a mighty likely dar-
ter, an Jim had been shinin round her,
lettin on she was bout the kind o. wife
he was lookin fur When | tole Bill
how things was shapin up here to the
ranch, had to fairly put hobbies on
him fur to keep him frum goin right
over an spongin Jim off the yearth. He
was mad chin deep, but showed him
fist full O. trumps.
The upshot was we makes late
call on Hank RUNNERS Both me an
Bill has saved Hank s scalp mum 'rous
times an he'd try fur to stan off satan
himself if we'd hibernate we wanted it.
Mex day Hank hires out to Jim Bump
er, an it hain't long till them two is
thicker than two brothers. Hank never
mentions no gal by name but he allus
says she was the sweetest critter what
ever picked posies from the parary, an
why didn't Jim jist rope her ON the
sly, run her off an marry her A game
man could Go it, an thered be no trou-
BILE squarin up with the ole man AFTER
ward
Jim gifts up his sand an agrees,
Hank guaranteein to give the gal some
sleepin medicine an have her i'll a ham
mock back o. the gin raj s house, but
there mus be no brace game, jim mus
marry the gal soon's he could git to n
parson or squire, or he must settle
with Hank. If he done square, Hank
would stan by him 'gainst whole army
o. rustlers, if it kim to that kind o
show down
"When this 'greement was all made
Hank gallops over an tells me an Bill
an we tells him fer to go ahead an have
Jim run off the prize One o. us would
be at the round up.
When the pursuing party came with
i'll easy range of Jim Bumper, we saw
there were two horsemen instead of one
When the general voice rang out
HALT one of the men faced his horse
toward us and threw up his hands. Jim
swung himself i'll the saddle, laid the
girl tenderly by the side of the trail
and struck the spurs into his painting
horse The general fired, but Jim
plunged ahead. | took careful aim and
pulled, but shout of defiance from Jim
was the only result, for we We're using
blank cartridges without knowing 1t.
Then old Bud S long rifle gave forth it's
whiplike report, and the retreating
horse went down, while his rider pitch
ed headlong to the ground 1t was with
the greatest difficulty that we prevent
ed the general from doing some more
shooting especially when he discovered
that jim S companion was Hank, whom
the general had done many favor
"Duru me, if this hain't Bill Plant
ers' gall shouted Bud as he knelt by
the side of the trail
Course it is, snorted Hank
That's her, an they won't be none of
you gents walkin round tomorrer what
says it hahn her Jim Bumper wanted
her fur his wife, an she wanted him,
an | greed to see 'em through. When
gins my word, there hahn nothin less
AN a bullet goin to make me out u liar.
There's goin fur to be II weddin or a
few 'ristocratlc funerals. y
When Jim discovered that he had
really carried off the wrong woman, he
began to buster, swear and deny, but
when he felt Hanks gun at one ear and
old Bud S ut the other, while the latter
told that me nor Hank won't see no
shame put pom darter o Bill Plant
ers as has allus been our pard, he
wilted, went meekly back with us and
sat down to breakfast married man.
And a charming little wife she that
was Miss Planters made him. Indie, i,
as old Bud put it, she jist coaxed III
that sneakin meanness out o Jim an
made him bout as decent critter as
you gen rally see i'll double harness
When Kitty and | were married, Mr..
and Mrs. Jim We're both ut the wedding,
and for the first time since the kid
mapping" he had a talk with Bud.
"Old fellow, " he said, you rung i'll a
cold deck on me, but | was winner
after all and there S no grudge git
even with big Bill by calling him
grandpa now, and Hank don't find time
to do much but roll around with the
baby Detroit Free Press