Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-08-24
Pete Was SWatted Hard
And 1t Wasn't Any Moving
Machine That Tore Him Up
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18th first time folks sees Pete,
said the man from the Knoll
country, they maturity wonder how hi
happened to tumble into the thrashin
machine, seem that left ear o his'r
hangin' most down on his shoulder, anc
his face all wopperjawed, and him {
favorin' that left leg o. his'n as if he
want Jest sure whether il was goin' e
stay there when he puts his foot down
or whether il want. Maturity that's
what folks wonders, and don't blame
| EN-.
II saws TO Pete-he was comm long
| the COW path that takes the turn round
the south side O. the big laurel patch
t'other side o. the Knob, and fetches
you out in the Hobby road all right il
you foller il, and ! see that he was goin
to leave the path and make short cut
through the patch, jest cause it'd save
him mebbe somethin' like an eighth OF
mile-I says TO him-I was standin'
in the path three rod or so from the
patch, and know'd what was standin'
there for-I says to Pete:
"'You better keep the path, Peter,
| says. and go round
pete was as stubborn and head
strong as a mule-though he amt 60
much that way now-and he kind o
shifted at me and says;
"'What fer?'
"'Well,' l says, it'll be a consider'ble
further fer you, but if you keep the
path you'll git there good deal sooner,
| says.
Cause know'd il was in there, and
had been more than six weeks gittin'
il there. The first time / know'd il was
anywheres at all was when ! was over
to the Eddy one day and heerd 'em
talldn' bout 1t.
Why, blame II all!' says Eph, Il
never see the likes of it, l was in a
boat jest below the narrows O. the
Lackawack fishin' for clubs. ! heerd
noise, and lookin' round, there il was.
wadin' right out TO the boat. Ii must
| a-come from the Tink Pond district
and swan the canal fore l seen il.
had mOre'n half bushel o. the con-
sarndest incest clubs you ever see, and
| they was lsyin' there on the bottom o.
the boat. | hated like Sam Hill to
leave EN-, but there wasn't no way
could git them fish out o. the boat and
pulled for shore alone, cause il was
| comm right along and p'inted straight
for the boat. When / got ashore
turned and looked. II had climbed in
| the boat, and there il sat. feedin' itself
on my clubs, and the boat goin' down
stream more'n five knots an houri /
found my boat next day, three miles
down the Lackawack, high and dry on
a rock, but there want no clubs in il,
darn the luckl says Eph.
i wonder if Jones didn't see il
t'other day, back o Lackawack?' says
Gil. Il wouldn't never a thunk of it
rg'in, Eph, if you hadn't a spoke about
that luck O. your'n a-fshing Yes. sir,
says Gil, I'll bet anything that Jones
seen il back o. Lackawack t'other DAY.
The roads hain't been just as prime as
they ought 10 be down that way late
", and Jake was haulin' in a load O.
stuff for Ira and Nose and the rest on
EN- when he got stuck. The team
couldn't pull the load, and Jake had
20 Tighten up. Mongst the things he
left long the road to come back after
was bar'l O. pork Mebbe half an hour
or so later Jonas was comm out o. the
woods TO the road and strikin' an
openin' he looked ahead and seen il. He
seen it standin' by the barl o. porl
lake had left there TO come back after
Jonas stood still and watched ii, cause
he didn't have no gun, bein' only out on
hunt fer railroad-tie timber. and
YOU don't want no gun fer that. What
YOU want fer that, nowadays. is a micro
scope. Jonas stood still and watches