The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-05-26
HIS FAITH IN BOOKS

Wv, Bill WASH IN no shape at
IN all to spare the money for a new
suit o. Clothes" said the man from the
Knob country, "'cause he needed the
money for new rabbit dog and some
fishin' tackle, but the suit he was wear
in belonged to Sam, and Sam wanted it
hisself, bein's he'd been cotched on the
jury and had to go to the county seat
TO set in court, and l felt sort O. sorry
for Bill. There wasn't no pertic'lar
reason why l should-a, though, cause
Bill ought to knowed more'n he did,
but, anyhow, when 1 was goin long
with him over TO the Eddy to help him
pick out the new suit, says to Bill:
"'BilI,' 1 says, if I'd only knowed
that you had any idee O doin' it, I'd
give you some p'ints that'd shet you
off. Seems to me you ought a knowed
better, though. Jabe ought TO knowed
better, anyhow l says.
"'Jahe did know better says Bill,
and told me not to 90 it, but consarn
it, I'd read it in the books, and l thought
Ja5e,' says Bill.
The books!' l says. You follered
the books, hey? Then it's a blame won
der you've got skin and bones enough
left to hang any clothes on at ALL
says. The books knows a lot about it,
don't they? Why, what does the books
say about snakes and stick to it year in
and year out? They stick to II that
snakes don't throw their mouths wide
open and let their young uns scamper
down their Threats to git away from
danger l says, and yit you've stood
and seen 'em DO it more'n a hundred
times. But the books says snakes don't
do it cause it's ag'in natur'. And the
books says that hosshar won't turn
into live critter if you put it into
water awhile and leave it there | says,
'and yit you've put hosshairs in water
and seen EN- git to be regular wrigglin'
snakes, white ones and black ones and
red ones, Jest as the color o. the boss
hair was, more times than you've got
fingers and toes ! says. The books?
l says. The only thing l ever see in
the books that | llnowed was right was
what they tel you about cool.in' a rab-
bit says. The books says tat when
you cook your rabbit you u..lst first
letch your rabbit. Now that's straight
to the pint and true as preachin',' |
says. 4 don't see how the books hap
pened to say it, says.
Then, ag'in, oughtn't tc felt sorry
for Bill, neither, cause he hadn't no
business to be out huntin' rabbits at
that time O year. The law wasn't up
on 'em yit, and Bill knowed it. Not
that I'm so blame considerate of the
game laws as game laws, fer game
laws, mongst other things, is apt to
lead Teller into lynn, an there amt
nothin' worse fer community than to
have lynn git holt on to it. | says to
Bill:
"'Dash it all!' 1 says. If it hadn't
done nothin' else to you, gon' agin the
game laws might a tempted you to
make liar of YOURSELF
Then | told Bill what happened to
Jim Collins, only jest over yender in
York state. Jim, he had a strawberry
patch, and folks heerd that he had
killed a deer along in the spring O
the year. The game constable over
there he h2erd on it, too, and he drops
down on Jim one day, unexpected.
"'Jim,' he says, l hear you've been
KILN a deer out O season.
Jim he thunk over it a minute, and
then he says:
"'Be you much of iedge Of straw
berry patches, squire?' he sdNs.
NO says the game constable. My
business here is with deer KILN out o.
season. says he. 1T hain't got nothin'
&c do with strawberry patches.
"'It hain't, hey" says Jim. 4 guess
~ you'd go over and see how my three
acres of strawberries is paved and
chawed and clawed, you'd think they
Lad something to do with your bust
ness" says he.
I'm here says the game constable
Teller, to show you that you hain't got
no right to kill deer out o. seasGI"
Gays he.
"'And I'm here, by gravy! says jim,
40 show you that deer hain't got no
right to eat my strawberries out O.
season!' says he.