The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-04-28
A GOOD GUN?
WELL, IT WAS!
The Knob Country Man Said So,
and tle Knew About II.

Good gum says Sam. Well Their
want never no better gun p'inted at
bear than that gun is says Sam. nc
, nor as good a one, by smoke says he.
Then / says, what in Sam Hill d.
you want to sell it fer? Amt short c
money, be YOU? / says.
81 knowed the gun from way back
IT belonged frSt.to OF Solly Ebers. an
then il was swivel brtch, with {
couple o bar'ls that never barked un
less they bit. | met Uncle Solly the
first time he went out with it, and
says:
"'Uncle Solly, where you goin'?'
"'Goin' to try my swivel britch,' he
says.
"I don't think much o swivel
britchos,' says. They don't lug your
load fur enough to tumble things that's
jest on the pint O. gettin' outen your
reach says.
81 noticed that Uncle SoIly was prick
In up his ears while was talkin'. and
] hadn't hardly got through yit when he
wheels plumb around claps the swivel
britch to his shoulder, and lets her hol-
Ter. | hadn't see nor heerd nOthin', and
] thunk to myself that Solly was may
be Jest Wantin' to hear her bark, but
he hadn't no mOren' whanged her off
! in that direction than what does he do
but wheel in t'other direction. clap her
| TO his shoulder, and LET her bark ag'in.
Then he says, rs cool as a cowcumber:
Maybe not he says. Maybe they
can't lug your load fur enough TO
tumble things that's on the pint o git
tin outcn your reach he says, but |
bet you them two bears has got diff
fercnt idee-leastways they'd have
different idee if they was in shape to
have any idecs at all says he. Come
along and look at EN- says he.
81 was so nigh gumspluttered that
couldn't say word. ! hadn't see no
bear, nor heerd no bear, and thought
Uncle Solly must "a gone little crazy
over that new swivel britch o. his'n. but
] went along. Solly led off in the direc-
ton ne had let the gun go the first |
time, and we walked so fur that | was
most gittin' tired. when Uncle Solly |
stopped and p'inted off in the brush.
eco ask that bear what he thinks
o swivel britches luggin' loads says
he.
"Therc laid a slammin' big bear with
hole plumb through his gullet.
"'Uncle Solly' says. This is amaz-
IN"
Not for this gun says he
"Then we went back in t'other direc-
ton, and walked just as fur if not
furder, and there lay another bear,
deadcr'n a stone. with a ball clean
through him.
"'Was he on the pint o jest gittin'
outen my reach or wasn't he?' SAYS
Uncle Solly.
"lIe hadn't been only on the pint of
gittin' out Of reach, but he was about ,
three rod outen all sorts O. reach of any
gum I'd ever see or heerd tell on afore, ,
and | changed my mind about swivel +
| offered Uncle Solly Is acres !
, hemlock timber land for the gun, ,
but he wouldn't take it. lie mOwt bet :
.er a done it, though, fer he died only
he next week, and they ratified the
swivel britch off, ana Pete Gobe won il. .
'cte owed the Widder Budd $l3, and she :,
evied on the gun, and Pete like the
arn fool he was, let her have the gun /.
or the debt. The Widder Budd was "
he meanest and ugliest and skinniest y,
nd pepperist woman that ever sot
own IN That country Joe Sewers he
red To buy the gun of her, but she y
wouldn't sell, and what do Won think =.
oe done? lie married her. by fin -
erS, Jest to git that gun, Did he git y,
= No, sir. The wilder wouldn't
I HIM go in the woods with it. and she
evlled and sot down on Joe so that he II.
med away, and one day snuck the gun III
utn the house, took il back in the
one medder, and socked bullet u
trough his head with it. W
The wilder had been wantir' 10 buv w
me timber land o me, and wouldn't
H. but couple O days after we had ~
ven Joe his funer'l | went down 10 -
e widder's and told her Id sell her
e timber if she'd sell me the gun,
don't want your durn timber she A.
apped And | hain't got no gun!'
Il didn't burst ask her what she'd IN
ne with the gun, but found out that 80
c had traded it to Sim Dukes for a n
FER. Now, Sim Dukes never went .
ntin', and couldn't see what he -,
'n'ed TO trade steer for a gun for .
mogged over to his clearin'. -,
SIM says I. i hear you traded a lar
er fer the widder's gum Is
Yes, says Sim. Has he histed her "
'Hlisted her?' says. r.
Yen, says Sim. That's the hookin,. 70
and hckin'est critter that eyer no
we'd dirt and slung its hind feet in Yo,
air and tossed its HORNS SAYS he, /"
hlsted that boy Jim o. mine so 7
~ to'her day that Jim hain't ben tba
zen the house since, an he tossfed mo,
iuy ANN in the hay NOW an ken, :.
there for two hours fore we could or,,
ptchforks enough in him to make CON
think there WAS ettn,nin, -. .,