Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-15
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Three Fingered
SteVe'S COurtShip.

yielded him enough pay dirt to keep his
credit good ut Red Hoss Charlcy's until
he finally Kicked over the divide" His
taking off was rather sudden and he left
no will. But many days after he had
been planted" his widow arrived from
somewhere-'no one knew where-and as
sumed charge of the claim. She was n
buSom creature of 40 or thereabout,
and as she asserted herself In a very
businesslikc way no one felt called upon
to dispute her rights.
So 1t happened that before long half
the male population Of Warwhoop were
shyly casting covetous eyes on the lady
and her claim; but nobody appeared to
be able to get his courage up sufficiently
to actually go accounting. 1t remained
for Three Fingered Steve one evening to
mike deliberate attempt on the Wild
ow's heart and hand.
When he arrived at the cabin, he found
the object Of his affection Sitting in the
doorway smoking her evening pipe and
apparently feeling at peace with all the
world.
"Widdcr," said the visitor by way Of
Introduction as he sidled up to the door
and doffcd HIS sombrero, my name Is
Three Fingered Steve. an I'm bad man,
I ami"
''Is thct so?" replied the lady calmly
az she took her clay pipe from her mouth
and sized him up carefully.
you bet thct's so!' Steve went on
ferociously. I'm scd ter be thcr greatest
liyin terror thet ever struck these parts.
I'm 80 bnd. am. thct couldn't be no
wuss in any way whatsumever. I'm q
regular avalanche o. destruction. Wild
der"
These terrible words did not appear to
alarm Mrs. Hanks to any visible extent.
But she made no reply to them.
"Tve fought heaps O. painters an Wild
cats In my time" Steve continued, 'an
I've got n private graveyard up ther
mountain byer wot's full o. galoots wot
made ther mistake ter look cross eyed at
me. As for pizen, wy, kin drink more
pizen. widder, than any shanghai thet
ever struck thcr diggin's"
A look came into the Widows eyes that
IL Steve had known her better he would
have more fully comprehended.
"Wot do yer want hyer" she In
quired.
"Widder," said Steve impressively,
"Pve been a-thinkin fer some time as
how mebbo yer wanted ter git married,
an jist dropped Ground hyer ter say
thet, ther same bein ther case, wuz n
party as who wuz reasonable willin ter
take yer In out o. ther wet"
The widow put aside her pipe and rose
to her feet.
"Thought wanted ter git married, did
yer?" she inquired.
"Yep, thet's ther idee." answered Steve.
"All ther boys up at Red Hoss Charley's
Ia a-talkin about It,"
$50 yer thought ye'd condescend ter
step Ground an take me in. eh?'
eyer see ther pint, widder, exactly"
"Waal," said Mrs. Hanks, when yer
go back ter Red Hoss Charley's jlst give
thcr boys my compliments. an hyer's
somcthln fer yer troubled" With that
she caught Steve by the back OF the neck
and proceeded to dust the neighborhood
with him. Before he realized what had
happened he was wreck and ruin and
looked like house had fallen on him.
When the cyclone was over. he found
himself on his back. as limp Us rag.
with the widow seated on his anatomy
resting from her exertions.
"Widder," said Steve family, don't
do thet no more,c amt ekal ter 1t. My
constitution is Kinder delicate, widder"
wv ehouSh, heN ycf' S"iu hin'
Hanks.
~ got a-plenty ter do fer ther pres
ent," replied Steve. "Too much exercise
at once amt good fer Teller. Yer nin't
In 10 hurry ter git up, air yer. widder"
"Nuh; I mint in no hurry" said Mrs.
Hanks. "I'm very comfortable, thankee." !"
Say, widdcr." said Steve, after mo-
ment OF painful reflection, II wanter
apologize ter yer fer ther way done up
Baldy. I'm durn sorry now perforated
I'm. an hope yer won't hold nothin again
me-"
"Wuz Il yer tibet lot daylight through
Badly Hanks?' demanded tho widow in
surprise.
"l'm ther same identical bad man-l
mean I'm ther guilty wretch" replied
Steve. 1--WE wuz a.playln stub poker an
Badly had two aces morc'n wuz strictly
right nm proper, so I list chawed i'm
up-thct is ter say, filed i'm full o. lead
In thcr most pizen mean manner. 1t
wusn't right. widdcr, an Pm durn sorry,
am! ! apologize. widder. I'm re.
formed man from this minute"
Mrs, Hanks then got UP and assisted
Steve to his feet.
"Say," she snid. "ef It wuz really yer
tibet rid ther oirth O. thet pcsky critter.
durn me ef ain't sorry lambasted yer!
When yer did thet, yer made me yer
friend fer llfc. Thct Badly Hanks WIZ
thcr plzencst lop cared kiotc thot ever
run loosc. an | say 1t rs knows. ! sup
ported I'm fer ten years, an when he
struck pny dirt hyer he never chcoped ter
mo about 1t. One day l happened out
hycr, an yer kin imagine my joy when
l found his claim jist a-waitin fer me an
no Badly hangin Ground. Come in ,her
house. Steve, an III patch yer up. l
rutlicr like yer now.'
"Guess l won't go in. widder." sa!d
Stove YEARLY. ~ kinder think III bo
goin back ter thcr buys"-
Come right along" said Mrs. Hanks
RS she pushed him through the door,
"lm mighty sorry | lambasted yer like
thct. though II amt marker ter thcr
way used ter lnmbnst Baldy. I'm
a-thinkin III accept yer proposal o. mar
rlage. When would yer like ter get
hitched. Stcye?"
"Waal, tibet isl amt In no hur-
ry," said Steve weakly.
"lIow would day after termorrow dof"
asked the widow. I'm a-lookin fer ther
children then--lve sent fer 'em. Theirs
eight o ther pcsky little brats, nm Wen
celebrate their comm with weddin.
What do yer say, Steve"
"rhct fist suits me-" snid Steve, groan-
ing helplessly. Tibet Is ter say. ef-ef
I'm able ter be about, t,"-Northwest Mag
azine.
m