The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-23
SNAR[lY ASKS QUESTIONS
ALSO TELLS ABOUT THE BEARS OF
THE HEMLOCK BELT.
His E1even-YeaR-Ola hoy Pete and
nm lnterlude to Bark Ch0ppIng-
Stranger who Didn't Want

THE last time l was UP In the henaiock
belt was in the fall eaid John Gilbert:
the travelling groceryman. '.and / missed
the only train that ran that day from GEE
vile 20 Scrubs Junction. The junction
was only three miles away. and as / had
plenty OF time TO catch a train there.
thought l would walk. and have always
been glad I walked. for II / hadn't I
wouldn't have me; Snaresy l had tramp
ed over the rough and lonely road about
half the way when came 10 log cabin
surrounded by an acre or so Of cleared
ground. iank. yellow bearded back
woodsman was sitting on stump just or
the road. / stopped and said:
Whose clearing ID this?
'Snarely's.' replied the man.
Are You Snarely? I inquired.
You kin bet your boots l be- he re-
piled. and I'm Jist SPLEEN to be lection
eered with. toos You'm candidate. amt
your
Il told him / wasn't a candidate, and I
thought he looked wofulIy disappointed
! kind o hoped you was. said he. The
tie business an the hoop-pole business an
the bark business We kin keep goin' nigh
on TO poo,y much all the year through but
candidates only comes wunst a year an
don't last long. an We like TO git a run on
'em ali We kin
II passed him my flask. He cheered up
At once. took the flask. sampled It's con-
tents generously and placed 1t on the stump
beside him
. L s'pose you've heerd that bar is more
than crowdin' one another In the woods
around here this fall. hain't you? said he.
Il told Snarely that hadn't heard Of II.
That's queer he said. Amt a candi-
date. hay? Then you must be buyin' tan
| bark
mo: wasn't buying tanbark told
him.
You're lucky said snarely Bark Is
gettin mighty scarce around this neck o.
the hemlock timber. Peelin's is few and
long shot betwixt EN-. Bark would be
bound to come high II you wanted 10 buy
any around here. jist thought I'd warn
you. I've get quite. jag o bark myself
to dicker of. You didn't happen TO hear
what folks was wiIlin' TO shell on, for bark
this year. did YOU.
Il told Snarely that hadn't heard.
'Mebbe you'd like TO go down to the
swamp an take leetle turn out'n barr
said he. after bordering a while TN
take the dogs down and mebbe you mowt
strike luck and hev a bully good rsssell.
No? 'Feard on 'em. mebbe? There hain't
no harm In bar II We only know how 10
take EN-. Why. that hoy Pete o. mine,
only t'other day trpped down 10 the
swamp TO chip some tamarack fur gum.
He hadn't got back yit along to'ord night.
an his nanny thought Z somebody orter
kinder 20 down an see II Pete hadn't fell
In a swamp hole an drowned or sompin'
O. that kind. Zeke was peelin' coon an
couldn't leave IL. an / was busy greasn'
the bark wagon: but / went down to the
swamp to See II there was any sign o.
Pete. / met him half way up the Blaxed
ridge. tuggin TO drag poorly good-sized
bar along with him.
'"Hullo, Pete" says l. Shell ! give
you lift with him." saysI,
mo. you needn't, dad says Pete.
But you mowt go inter the edge o. the
swamp an fetch up tother one" says he.
II went In. and there laid another bar.
bigger'n the one Pete was snakin' up the
ridge yanked him out. an we got EN-
both home. They had stuck their noses
inter Pete's business as he was chippin' the
trees. an he turned TO an Clipped the
bars, and one of EN- was an old socker.
tell YOU
How old did you say he WASP asked
"'Who7 The barr said Snarely.
"'No' Your boy. Pete I replied.
"'Oh. ! didn't say said he. but Pete
must be climbin pooty clus to 'leben. an
II he had Zeke's health he'd turn out bet
tern sixteen ounces TO the pound. Did l
hear We say what was the top notch you'm
offerin fer hoop poles?'
No said |. Il amt Offering anything
fer hoop poles
oh. said snarely. Ain, you hoop
pole buyin' nuther?
And ! assured him that wasn't hoop
pole buyin
=" 'Singlar said he Most everybody
buys hoop poles. Humph, Why. yes
There's more sign q bar than i've seen
in twenty year. Now. ( We only had a
hankerin' arter a whack or so at bar
/ hide. Ia ontie Of Bclix. an we'd 20
down and hussle one out Belix il nv
bar dog an he's terror TO EN- 7 have
To keep him tied up or he'd clean out the
swamrs before two weeks an spite all the
fun. let him cut twice week so he kin
edge over and git a bar now an then
SOS 10 keep his hand in an his humor
good. He hain'' been out Wit his week
an II you say the word I'll outie him an
| YOU kin have a bari % Gun With HIM an.
| bar
II told the oblsing proprietor OF old
BeliS that ] was afraid | wouldn't have
time
"T see you don't banker after bar
/ Cap said he. That's onfort nit FOR YOU
hut II you don't banker after bar. there's
cattymount as big as a sheep keeps over
| on tother side o. Tamarack 'Tain't
more n three miles from here gon' roun'
| but YOU kin cut through the bar swamp
an make IL IN mile Mebhe you m achin'
| 20 go tackle the cattymount?'
Il was positive that my desire m that
respect was not giving me the slightest
pair. and told Snarely so. He sampled
| my flask again and said:
. Don't care for that nuther. hay, Welt
| Cap. I'd like 70 do sumpn' 70 make II
! cheerful for You as YOU Journey through
| the hemlock belt, an mehhe ia satisfy
you to SO out an see Xeke dlg IA rrptn'
hog oot. There ain't much excitement
! bout disgin' cut o zrour' hog. though.
unless your pork baTls empty an vou're
depsndin on who kin aix n. tastes, Won
or the sroun' hog, whether YOU sft any
dinner or not that day. Shell send y.ka
out n unearth a groun hog for youa
Il declined the ofrer with thanks
q" That don't ketCh We nuth~r havp'
said he. Wall. Cap. I'm durn sorry hein.t
get tame dee rabbi; round the olarfs-
ton or IA bring her in and hold her up