Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-06-09
A Knob Country Mix-Up
sfr soT the gun down in the corner.

outs and was havin' it hot and heavy
now and then, and I says to, Reub's
wife:
".Has it been fixed up yit?'
.And Reub's wife says: Has what
been fixed up?'
1.-The row 'twixt Reub and Eli I
says.
".Oh.' she says. No. Not yit. Fact
is she says, it's goin' sassier'n ever
81 says: I want to knowI'
Yes she says. Eli was pokin'
round here only to-day she says. and
him and Reub had it to make your
hair raise she says. 'Reub he syvore to
Eli that if he didn't keep away and
quit pokin' round here he'd fix him the
way he didn't want to be fix'd.'
she says. and Eli swore TO Reub
that he'd poke round wherever he
burned pleased and whenever he
pleased. and that when there was any
fixin' to be done he'd have ha2d in it,
she says. They both on 'em snapped
| apd snarled. and 1 says to 'em that it'd
save a lot O. time and wind and noise
if they'd pitch right in and have the
hull thing out and done with it, no mat
| ter .which'n got the worst of it, she says,
but it sort O. looked as if one on 'em
| was feared and t'other dassn't, and
they only fit with their jaws she says.
ELI he mogged away after awhile, and
Reub KEEP hollerin' at him that if he
| come round here nosin' ag'in he'd fix
| him, sure as guns she says.
Ibid he act as if he was mad?' I
says.
"'Yes, he did, she says. And the
| furder Eli got away the madden Reub
got,' she says.
81 was on the pint O. sayin' somethin'
more, when 'Bang!' went somethin' out
doors.
That's gum says Reub's wife.
"'Sounded like one,' I says, startin'
| fer the kitchen.
| land it went off in our orchard
says she.
And 1 says, gittin' in the kitchen,
| it's my gun!' cause the gun was gone
| from the corner where I sot =.
Fore ! could git out to see what it
was tibet was goin' on, Reub come in,
carryin' my gun, and lookin' mighty
g!um, tell you:
~ been threatenin' him this here
| long time!' he says, settin' the gun back
in the corner and fioppin' down in Il
chair. I said I'D do it if he didn't quit
nosin' round here, but 1 didn't tend
to kill him. l only calc'lated on pep
perrin of him SO he wouldn't forgit it.
and keep away from here he says.
| 'Reub!' says his wife. You hain't
gone and killed him!'
He's dead, Margaret Amt says
| Reub. He's deader'n Solomon, and l
killed him!'
Reuben l says, this is sad!'
"'Well. won't go so fur as to say
that, but it's on fort'nit. I'll say as much
as that. It's onfort'nit,' says Reub.
"'Yes. and you'll be hung higher'n
Hannah says Margaret Ann, land what
kind of wilder will be then?
| WELL | says, 'somethin's got to be
done. We can't let him lay out there in
the orchard. Hes got to be took home,'
L says.
Yes suffered Reub's wife, and his
widder'll have standin' in the commun-
ity,' she suffered, and your wilder
won't, cause you'll be hung!' she snit-
tered. and Topped down and boo-hooed
| worse'n ever.
"'Eli's widder!' he says. BE you
both a-settin' here setch big fools as 10
think that it's Eli l been a-killin'?' he
says. Not sayin' that ! wouldn't. con-
| -.
thin worth a durn sight more than Eli
I've killed Black Dick!' he says. But
l didn't tend to; only tended to pep
per him!' he says.
Margaret Ann riz up and f1ounced
outen that room quicker'n scat, and it
seemed to me that she was disappointed.
1 knowed that Black Dick had been pes
term Reub, and most everybody else
| haf inh
he come in the deestrict, and l knowed
that Reub had threatened to do some
thin to him if he didn't stay home and
quit his pesterin'.
"'Uncle 81 wouldn't took $40 fer
| that hog, l says. He was the only
Berkshire in the hull Knob country
says.
IL know it, says Reub, shakin' his
head. i guess I'll go right down now
and break the news to Uncle ST. he says.
He knows | warned him, and I'll show
him that didn't tend to kill him Dead
he said.
81 didn't see nothin' better that Reub
could do to be neighborly, and greed
with him and said Id walk down with
him. So we went. Uncle ST lived more'n
mile, and him and Aunt Sairy was
| gittin' ready fer bed when me and Reub
got there. They was more'n s'prised to
see US. and Aunt Sairy was worried to
wunst.
Reuben she says. is anybody sick
| to your house?'
NO. says Reub; 'worse'n that. Aunt
Sairy.'
Reuben she says. you don't want
to tell me that some O. your folks is
deadl' she says.
NO. says Reub. ketchin' fer breath,
sbut soma ~ vour.u iS deadfs he savS