The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-06-09
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& TWO STAY At HOMES. ;
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eff wantin to was doin an there
weren t no weemen, I'd ben in San
dyago long ago" said Abner Ricka-
back. He rolled nail key close to the
stove, seated himself upon it, dipped q
handful of crushed tobacco leaves from
his coat pocket into his pipe and lighted
the odorous weed with sulphur
match. Then he wagged his beard at
the assembled company and repeated.
''Yessir, I'd ben in Sandyago long ago.
"Weemen ain much on fghtin away
from home" observed Samuel Snufer,
biting cubic inch out of plug of Agri-
culturist's Charm which he had bor-
rowed from the man who was sitting
next him on the counter. The charm
had passed half way around the circle.
and the remaining cubic inch Of it had
been restored to its owner, when Abner,
not catching the full intent Of Mr..
Shutters remark, replied: "Yaas;
they's heap O. truth in that there.
Weemen is sot ag in furrin wars. Least
ways my weemen is. Now
''Do they prefer the domestic kind 2"
asked the drummer of notions, who was
packing up his sample case preparatory
to leaving the store
''Not at Rll-not at ALL" said Mr..
Rickaback. eye see, my missus passed
thoo SIGH terrible times back in 1850,
when was abangin away at the rebels
down in the Wilderness, that when this
here Spaynish war broke out she sails
to me. sails she, 'Ye just shan't go.
'Marthy, sails I, I'm veteran.
The governor O. Pennsylvania has call
fer 10, 900 men, an he don't name me.
but he means me jest the same. Be ev-
cry mortal an jest right. l bein wet
eran am included in that 10000.
s'With that puts on me blues an
gifts down me musket an kisses the lit
tie ones all aroun an starts fer the door.
Well. sir, you uns never seen sech a
time ez was raised when they see I was
off to fight the Spaynyards. Mary Alice.
the eldest, jest tn owed her arms aroun
my neck an bust out with tears. The
seven others begin to bawl. Pap. pap,
you'll git shootedl'
Children, sails. eais I. your
papa's a veteran an experienced SOL
der. Duty calls, an he obeys.'
'tThe missus didn't see things tibet
way. She jest gets me be the collar an
sets me down in an armchair, draws me
boots, walks off with them an me mus
ket an hides 'em. She wern't goin to
have no foolin round the shanty, abe
sayd.
''Marthy seemed to think tibet tibet
there settled it, hut she didn 1T know me.
fer all the evenin ez set there be the
fire SO meeklike was -thinkin. Scenes
wasn't to my likin, SO I conceded I'd
| jest let on like I he'd give up all idee O.
fightin Spaynyards wait tell the fam
lily was asleep an then vanquish.
Eat midnight sets up in bed. The
moon was shinin thoo the winder, Jest
half lightin the room. SO I could move
aroun without trippin over the fnrni-
ture. The lnissus was a-snorin gentle
like, an overhead in the attic / could
hear soft snifin jest like thrasher
engine when the men has shet down for
dinner. It.was the children asleep. ]
climbs out over the footboard an looks
aroun for me boots. There they was
stickin out under the missus' pillow.
Known 1 couldn't git 'em without
wakin her, conceded to vanquish bare
foot. But they was one thing ag in this,
and tibet was tibet the door was locked
an some un he'd took the key. tried
the winder, but tibet he'd been nailed
shet. Then gifts mad-thet there kind
O. quietlike mad when ye boils up in
side an hes to keep yer mouth shet. It's
like there was smile a-playin aroun
the missus' face, an tibet made me eouY-
n AN ever an kindeHspurred me on.
"Well. sirs, ez stood there in the
middle O. the room thinkin what I'd do
pext and wonderin whether I hadn't
better jist slip back to bed. me eye
ketched sight O. an old conf table that
filed hole in the wall where the
daubin he'd fell out from atween the
lawgs. Thet put me in mind O a scheme
tibet l wasn't long in kerryin out, fer
the hole was pretty good sized an I'm a
small man an wiry. In less'n no time
the conf table was outer tibet bole, an
l was in it. / staid in it. too, for list
as me head an arms an shoulders got
out O. doors felt sharp prickin in
me side. pushed back an great big
splinter Jagged me. tried to go on
for'a'd. an it jagged me again, SO bad
most yelled. Sc staid right there
one half ontcn the house an the other
half in. Seemed like time begin to
move awful slow then. an it 'peared a.
whole day fore the moon went from
the top O the old lone pine tree in
grandaddy's chestnut, which is jest 90
feet. Then me feet an legs was bakin
over the stove an the cold Apryl winds
was whistlin down me neck.
~ took to countin jest to pass time,
an 1 low l must counted 10000. 600