The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-03-26

THAT SEo.1+S. 7 didn't think il
had been took down sence Tom hung it
up says.
Yes says Samantha. Pap took il
down an loaded it to shoot Il hawk
says she. but the hawk wouldn't be
come nigh to. and Pap didn't shoot it;
so he hung the gun back says she.
Yes. and it was took down ag'in, come
to think O. it. says Samantha.
at was. Ph?' | says.
Yes says she. Along mebbe a
couple or three year after Pap died
Toms brother Sim took it down and
loaded it to kill a fox, but the fox got
AWAY and Sim didn't fire it." says she.
Your pap loaded it and didn't fire
ito I says.
YES says Samantha.
"t.ind Toms brother Sim loaded it
after that and didn't fire it, l says
YES says Samantha.
Ibid Tom load it for usin' this even
mo | says.
yes SAYS Samantha.
Samantha says, when they fetch
Tom home tonight considerable on
j'inted,' l says. and mebbe peeled like
a spuddcd hemlock. send fer me and
I'll explain things | says.
"'Why. Abel SAYS Samantha. skeerv-
like. YOU don't think the bcarTl chaw
him and mummiN him as bad as that,
do you?'
Pears amt the pint I says. 4
hain't said n durn thing abort bears
/ saws. Gun is what I'm arguin' on,
If Tom fires that gun it'll kick him
worsc'n n mule. Worse'n n mule, Siz-
lin Socrates, Wursc'n Il drove o
Inuies,' I says. and away | starts for
home. aggravated like Sam Hill cause
they KEEP THROWN up bears at me when
l want arguin' bears, but was maxim
that gun the all pervadin' pint.
"Yit. when ! come to think on it. I
hadn't Orto blamed Tom and Samantha
so much for it. after all. for bear had
been thinnin' out their sheep tremen-
douS. and though hunters had sot up
nights watchin' for the thievin' bruin
and tried to run him down with dogs
daytimes. he give 'em ali the slip. and
then when they'd go home to rest and
git n little sleep he'd sneak in and lug
off another sheep. till he had Toms
pastur' pretty well thinned down. and
Tom he made up his mind he'd go out
with the old musket and see what he
could do himself. Consequently. meb-
be I hadn't orto blamed him so much
for arguin' bear when I was maxim gun
the pint.
81 hadn't got fur on my way home
when I says TO myself that l better go
find Tom where he mowt be layin low
in the pastur' lot and argue with him
ag'in. thinkin' mebbe that l mowt be
able to make more of 4 pint by fetchin'
in the arguments about Samantha's dad
havin' rammed a load in the gun and
left it there. and Toms brother Sim
havin' rammed a load in the gun on top
o Sismantha's dads and left it there.
and the load that Tom himself had
rammed in on top o ~Samantha's dads
and Sims with the idee o. not leavin' it |
there.
eff them arguments amt enough to
show Tom hat the pint is gun more
than bear | says, then he don't know
nothin' about logic, and if Samantha is
left n wilder and the ron gifts a fee
I says, "twon't be because 1 didn't ar
que on proper p'ints.'
$50 l turned and follored the road
lords Toms back pastur' lot, where he
was more'n likely settin' on the brink
of a volcano that would do some onmer-
belchin' if he ever let that gun go.
l had got pretty well in lords the pas
tur' fence when all of a student there
vas a fash that lit up the s%urroundin'
country for a second or so like sheet
ERht1in', and then there was a rumble