Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-08-09
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s TWO STAY At HOMES. (


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IF wantin to was doin an there
weren't no weemen. I'd bel in San
dyago long ago. " said Ahner Ricka-
back. He rolled nail key close TO the
stove. seated himself upon il. dipped a
handful of crushed io3accO leaves from
his coat pocket into his pipe and lighted
the odorous weed with a sulphur
match. Then he waggcd his beard nj
the assembled company and repeated.
''Yessir. IA bcr in Sandyago long ago. -
"Wecmen s.u much on fightin away
from home observed Samuel Snuffer.
biting cubic inch ont of plug of Agri-
culturists Charm which he had bor-
rowed from the man who was sitting
next him on the counter. The charm
bad passed half way around the circle.
and the remaining cubic inch of it had
been restored To its owner. when \ hner.
not catching the full intent of Mr..
Shutters remark replied: "Yaas
they's heap a. truth in that there.
Weemen Is sOt ag in furrn wars Least
ways my weemen is. Now
"Do they prefer the domestic kind -
asked the drummer of notions who was
packing mp his sample case preparatory
to leaving the store.
Not at all-not at all. " said Mr..
Rickaback. Eye see, my missus passed
thoo sich terrible times back in 1850.
when ] was a-bangin away at the rebels
down III tn Wilderness. that when this
here Spaynish war broke ont she sais
To me. sais she, 'Ye just shan't 20.
'Mar,hy, sais |. I'm "a veteran.
The governor o Pennsylvania has call
Ter 10000 men. an he don't name me.
but he means me jest the same. BE ev-
cry mortal AN jest right. bein a wet
eran am included in that 10. GOO. "
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 ms never seen sech n
time ez was raised when they see / was
off to fight the Spaynyards Mary Alice
the eldest, Jest In owed her arms aroun
my neck an bust out with tears. The
seven others begin 10 bawl Pap. pap.
you il git shooted J.
Children. l sails. sais l. your
papa : a veteran an a experienced sol
dier Duty calls, an he obeys.
THE missus didn't see things thet
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 shantv. she
sayd.
"Marthy seemed to think thet thet
there settled it, Int she didn't know me,
fer all the evenin ez l set there he the
fire so meeklike was a-thinkin. Scenes
wasn't to my likin, so / conceded I'd
jest let on like / he'd give up all idee O.
fghtin Spaynyards wait tell the fam
lily was asleep an then vanauish.
"At midnight / sets up in bed. The
moon was shinin thoo the winder, lest
half lightin the room, so l could move
aronn without trippin over the furni-
ture. The missas was a-SnOrin gentle
like, an overhead in the attic I could
hear soft snifIin jest like a thrasher
engine when the men has shet down for
dinner. 1t was the children asleep. l
climbs ont over the ootboard an looks
aroun for me boots. There they was
stickin ont under the missus' pillow.
Known l couldn't git em without
wakin her, ! conceded to vanquish bare
foot But they was one thing ag'in this,
and thet was thet the door was locked
an some un he'd took the key. | tried
the winder. but thet he'd been nailed
shet Then | gifts mad thet there kind
o quietlike mad when ye boils up in
side an hes to * ep yer mouth shet It's
the meanest kind q mad too. 1t seemed
like there was ii smile a-playin aroun
the missus' face. an thet made me sour
er an ever an kinder spurred me on.
"Well, sirs, ez l stood there in the
middle o the room thinkin what I'd do
next and wonderin whether / hadn't
better jist slip back to bed. me eye
ketched sight o. an old conf table that
filled a hole in the wall where the
daubin he'd fell ont from atween the
lawgs. Thet put me in mind O a scheme
thet l wasn't long in kerryin out, fer
the hole was pretty good sized an I'm
small man an wiry. In less'n no time
the conf table was outer thet hole. an
was in it. / staid in il, too, for jist
rs me head an arms an shoulders got
out o. doors l felt a sharp prickin in
me side. | pushed back an great big
splinter Jagged me. / tried to 20 on
'or'a'd, an it Jagged me again. 40 bad
most yelled. SO staid right there
)ne-half Outep the house an the other
half in. Seemed like time begin to
move awful slow then. an IL 'peared a
whole day fore the moon went from
he top O the old lone pine tree in
chestnut, which is Jest 20
eet. Then me feet an legs was bakin
'ver the stove nm the cold Apryl winds
vas "A whistin down me neck
81 took to countin Jest to pass time.