Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1899-06-30

s TWO STAY IT EOHES. :
ANNNNANNNW


''Ig wantin to was dom an there
Weren't no weemen, I'd a ben in San
dyago long ago" said Abner Ricka-
back He rolled n nail key close 70 the
stove, seated himself upon 1t. dipped a
handful Of crushed tobacco leaves from
his coat pocket into his Iipe and lighted
the odorous weed with a sulphur
match. Then he wagged his beard at
the assembled company and repeated,
''Yessir. I'd ben in Sandyago long ago
"Wecmen ain much OIL fghtin away
from home. " observed Samuel Snufer.
biting a cubic inch out Of plug Of Agri-
c~ulturist'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 II had
been restored 10 its owner, when Abner,
hot catching the full intent of Mr..
Shutters remark. replied: "Yaas;
they's a heap O. truth in that there.
Woemen is sot ag'in furrin wars. Least
ways my weemen is. Now
"Do they prefer the domestic kindf'
asked the drummer Of notions. who was
packing up his sample case preparatory
to leaving tina store.
"Not at all-not at oil" said Mr..
Rickaback. eye see, my missus passed
thco sich terrible times back in 1860.
when / was a~-banSin away at the rebels
down in the Wilderness. that when this
here Spaynish war broke out she aais
TO me. sails she, 'Ye just shan't CO.
'Marthy. sails /. I'm a veteran.
Tho governor O Pennsylvania has call
FER 10000 men. an be don't name me-,
but he means me Jest the same. Be ev-
cry mortal an jest right. l bein n wet
eran am included in that 10, 600"
with that l puts on me blues an
gifts down uie musket IN kisses the lit
tie ones all arouu an starts fer the door.
Well, sir, you uns never seen sech a
time CT was raised when they gee l was
off to fight the SPaynyards. Mary Alice,
the eldest, jest th'owed her arms aroun
my neck an bust out with tears. The
eeyen others begin to bawl. Pap. pap.
tou'n git shootedr
"'Children,' / sais, sais /, your
papa's a veteran an a experienced sol
der. Duty calls, an he obeys.'
1.-The missus didn't see things tibet
way. She jest gets me be the collar an
set5 no down in an armchair. draws me
boote, walks off with them an me mus
ket an hides EN-. She wern't goin to
hare no foolin round the shanty, she
sayd.
"Marthy seemed to think tibet tibet
there settled it, but she didn't know me,
fer all the evenin ez 1 set there be the
ERE so meeklike l was a-thinkin. Scenes
wasn't to my likin, so / conceded I'd
Jest let on like I he'd give up all idee O.
ightin Spaynyards, wait tell the fam
lily was asleep an then vanquish.
cat midnight l sets up in bed. The
moon was shinin thoo the winder, jest
half lightin the room, SO 1 could move
aroun without trippin over the furni.
ture. The missus was a-snorin gentle.
like, an overhead in the attic 1 could
hear a soft sniffin jest like a thrashel
engine when the men has shet down fol
dinner. 1t was the children asleep.
climbs out over the footboard an look
aroun for me boots. There they wa
stickin out under the missus' pillow
Known / couldn't git 'em without
wakin her, l 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. / triet
the winder. but tibet he'd been naileC
shet. Then ] gifts mad-thet there kline
O. quietlike mad when ye boils up in
side an hes to keep yer mouth shet. IT.
the meanest kind O. mad too. IL seemed
like there was a smile a-playin aroui
the missus' face, an tibet made me soul
er an ever an kinder spurred me on.
"Well, sirs, ez l stood there in tn.
middle o. the room thinkin what I'd d.
next and wOnderin whether / hadn'
better jist slip back to bed, me eyI
ketched sight O. an old comf'table tina
filed a hole in the wall where tn
daubin he'd fell out from atween tn.
Iawgs. Thet put me in mind O. a schem
thet ! wasn't long in kerryin out, fe
the hole was pretty good sized an I'm
small man an why. In less'n no tim
the comf'table was outer tibet hole, al
I was in it. ! staid in it. too. for jis
as mo head an arms an shoulders go
out o. doors l felt a sharp prickin il
me side | pushed back an a great bis
splinter Jagged me. 1 tried to go OF
for'a'd, an it Jagged me again, so baC
] most yelled So / staid right there
one-half outen the house an the othe.
half in. Seemed like time begin t,
move awful slow then. an it 'peared
whole day fore the moon went from
the top o. the old lone pine tree IL
grandaddy's chestnut. which is jest q
feet Then me feet an legs vas bakiI
over the stove an the cold Apryl wind
was a whistlin down me neck
81 took TO countin jest TO pass time
A / low l must a counted 8 5000, oOI