Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-03-26
QUAD'S QUEER TALES.
Keeping Out of Trouble.

''ss-NN w
us to stop, we must say we are in big
hurry"
We had started to go when one of the
men called out.
''See yere, Jim Hooper! It's my opin
yum that l kin jump ten feet on the
level"
Don't doubt it, Tom, don't doubt
it, was the reply as we hurried on
And say, Jim Hooper!' called a
second. "It's my dawggoned opinyun
that yo' can't jump five feet"
"No, reckon not, Abe, " replied Mr.
Hooper as he hurried me along. Two or
three others shouted something we did
not catch, and when we were half a
mile away | asked Mr.. Hooper what
was the trouble.
''No trouble tall, he replied. 1--WE
got away befo' the trouble could begin.
That Tom Benners he kin jump jest six
feet and no mo-. He's cut fo' feet off
his tapeline> and when he measures his
jumps he claims ten feet"
But suppose he does claim it?'
"Then yo' hev to allow the claim or
he Eegins to pop at yo, and 1 don't
keer to be popped at today"
And what about the one who said
you couldn't jump five feet:''
"Abe Wharton? Waal, he's put five
feet on to his tape line and if l jumped
and said anything about it he'd git mad
and begin poppin. l jest hurried away
to keep cl'ar of fuss. If we'd hung
around bit longer, the old feller on
the bar'l would hev wanted to wrassle
with yo', and if yo' had downed him
he would hev loaded yo' with lead.''
Rather queer people, aren't they?"
"Waal, l can't say as to that. In
course they do mo- or less shootin when
they git mad
But they scented anxious to pick
fuss
''Yes, sorter anxious, and I'm kinder
sorry to see 'em disappointed. Hello!
Thar's Mr.. Davis. Good mawnin.
Good mawnin, replied the man on
mule.
"Gwine to stop, Mr.. Davis?"
eyes,
"Got yo'r gun?'
Yes
''Waal, the boys are down thar and
ready fur fuss, and mebbe yo'll be so
kind and condescendin as to obleege
EN-
II reckon l will, as I'm feelin power
full peart this mawnin.
'That's good. Wanted to do it my
self, but had the stranger along. Yes,
obleege 'em if yo' kin, Mr.. Davis, and
I'm suah yo'll cum out top O. the heap"
Doesn't Believe In Dreams.
''De dreambook cum to de Gull ID man
as soon as he could read,' said Brother
Gardner at the last meeting Of the Lime
Kiln club, 'an it has stuck right to
him eber since. From whar l stand l
kin see no less dan half dozen of sich
books stickin out of de pockets of men,
bers, an no doubt de number am clus
up to so in all. Not satisfied wild maxim
a fule of hisself about de rabbits fut, de
Guild man must consult de dreambook
from mornin to night an back ag'in.
Dar was time when l did de same, but
it didn't take me ober a y'ar to diskiber
dat | was maxim an idiot of myself. l
hev only to shet my eyes to call up sar-
tin things laid down in de dreambook.
eff yo' dream of bein kicked by
white hoss at midnight, yo' am gwine
to be lucky i'll yo'r luv affairs.
eff yo' dream of findin $40 gold
piece as yo' walk up hill at sunrise, it
am a sign dat dar am pot of money
buried i'll yo'r back yard.
''lf yo' dream dat yo' am sittin on de
fence at MONDAY an a white man rides
past an frows yo' gold watch, yo' am
gwine to be 'leckted to offs.
If yo' dream dat black hen run be-
tween yo'r feet as yo' was walkin across
cotton field, it am a sign dat yo'r ole
woman am gwine to expire an glib yo'
de chance to marry young gal.
Oats de way it goes, an about four
lifths of de Guild populashun of dis
kentry am firm believers in de dream
book. l amt gwine to say dis club has
any law to git rid of sich members, but
when dey drap i'll yere l hope dey will
take de back row of seats an keep as
quiet as possible. De man who lets him
self be guided by a dreambook in dis
day an aige hain't got de sense of hoss.
De white man who publishes dat book
simply wants to git do cull'd d mans two
bits an he succeeds ebery time.
''In my 60 vars of life hev had
heap of dreams. l hev dreamed dat
was i'll heaben an hev woke up red
hot arter dreamin dat was in de odder
place. l hev dreamed of white cats,
black cats an all odder sorts In my
dreams l hev seen all sorts of hosses,
nevis, dOnkeys, coons, possums an
woodchucks. l hev dreamed of gold,
silver, brass and iron. hev walked up
hill an down hill an on de level. | hev
bin deade broke an l hev had money to
burn. | hev dreamed all dis an heap
mo-, but i'll no one case has it helped or
hurt me to de extent of nickel. If 1
had biles, dey staid right along. If l
was out of money, had to look fur
job. If de -four bar i was empty when
went to bed to dream, it was empty
when | got up in de mawnin, no matter
whether had dreamed of bar Is of gold
or mountains of dirt. It's de dream
book an de rabbits fut dat's holdin de
Guild man back an keepin him down
mo- dan all other influences, an don't
reckon to lib long 'nutf to see any great
change. It's sort of bon in him, an it
will take y 'ars to pound it outer him.
We are now gwine to break de meetin
in two an go home. Perhaps dar am one