The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1898-05-28
HIS FAITH In BOOKS


I'M OW, Bill wasn't in no shape al
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
fshin' tackle, but the suit he was wear
in belonged to Sam, and Sam wanted II
hisself, bein's he'd been cotched on the
jury and had to go TO the county seat
TO set in court, and | felt sort O. sorry
for Bill. There wasn't no pertic'lar
reason why | should-a, though, cause
Bill ought to knowed more'n he did,
but, anyhow, when I was goin' long
with him over to the Eddy to help him
pick out the new suit, says to Bill:
".Bill,' | 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 knowed
better. though. Jabe ought to knowed
better, anyhow | says.
".Jabe did know BETTER says Bill,
and told me not 10 do it, but consarn
1t, I'd read it in the books, and | thought
the DOOkS OuBHt u hnoNtd D1ttei thaA
Jabe,' says Bill.
1.-The books!' l says. You follered
the books, hey? Then it's blame won
der you've got skin and bones enough
left to hang any clothes on at ALL
says. The books knows 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 / says, and yit you've stood
and seen 'em do it more'n hundred
times. But the books says snakes don't
do it cause it's ag'in natur'. And the
books says that hosshair won't turn
into live critter If you put it into
water awhile and leave ii there | says,
and yit you've put hosshairs in water
and seen 'em git TO be regular wrgglin'
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 booksT
i says. The only thing l ever see in
the books that lCnowed was right was
what they tell you about coolSin' a rab-
Bit says. The books says that when
you cook your rabbit you must first
ketch your rabbit. Now that's straight
to the pint and true as preachin',' l
says. Il don't see how the books hap
pened to say it, | says.
Then, ag'in, oughtn't to 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 il. 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!' l says. IF it hadn't
done nothin' else TO you, goin' 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 u deer along in the spring O.
the year. The game constable over
there he heerd on it, too, and he drops
down on Jim one day, unexpected.
"'Jin,' he says, hear you've been
KILN deer out O. season.
'Jim he thunk over it minute, and
then he says:
g. BE you much of jedge of straw
berry patches, squireT he says.
"'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
1T hain't, hey2 says Jim. 4 guess
u you'd go over and see how my three
ncres Of strawberries is paved and
chawed and clawed, you'd think they
had something TO do with your bust
nessl' says he.
" I'm here says the game constable
Teller, TO show you that you haint got
no right to kill deer out O. seasonl'
Gays be.
And I'm here, by gravyl' says Jim,
ito show you that deer hain't got no
right TO eat my strawberries out O.
season. says he.
"'What's thatT says the game law
chap.
That's what l said,' says Jim.
what right has deer 10 eat NY straw
berries out o. season? Jest go and
see how my three-acre patch is elawed
and chswed and paved. Maybe you
might think cows done IL, says Bill.
Maybe you might think pastur' my
cows on my Strawberries. ] couldn't
blame you if you did, fer that patch
looks enough as If ! did. But don't
says Jim. Cows nor cattle didn't chaw
and claw and paw them three acres o
strawberry patch. No. sirl Deer done
Il. Jest as soon as the time was up
when the game law said deer couldn't