The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-12-22
afore I heard footsteps up the road. A

man come outen the woods an inter the
moonlit clearin, where l could see he
was ole Hen Bingle. whistled agin
an called softlike to him. He sneaked
up to the gate an looked agin.
i" Hen, help, l whispers
t" Who is you a-growin outen the
side O. A b Rickaback shanty2' he calls
kinder hoarse and scared. With that
he pints musket at me VERY threat
enin.
"'Hen Bingle, sails l. Don't Jou
dast shoot It's me, Alb Rickab back, an |
want you to pull me out I'm goin to
war.
"Then it dawned on him what was
up TO, an he come over an looks at me-
seen he he'd ON his blues, too, an
knowd ez he had given his woman the
sneak an was off to fight Spanyards.
He wanted to laugh, but | told him it
were no time fer sech foolin but Jest
| to break off that splinter an pull me
| loose.
''Now, Hens an obli9in, patriotic
kind O. feller, an tho, as he sayd, he
hadn't much time to waste, ez his wo-
man was likely to wake up any minute
an find him gone, he reached up an
broke off the splinter. But | fit the
hole so tight l couldn't bulge. an he
sayd he'd pull me out. So he gifts upon
the wall O. the well which was jist be
low me an grabs me be both hands
i an drawed I'd moved about an inch
when he kicked out wildlike an hung to
me like ton O. hay an gasped an
groaned l thought thet yank he'd dis
Tinted me all over, an yells, Let gor
Don't you dast let gol' he sais
lookin up at me kind O. agonizin.
''Then see that neither me nor Hen
Bingle was ever goin to fight Spayn-
yards, fer he'd stepped off the wall an
was hanein down into the we'll
"Splintersl Why. I'd ruther he'd a
splinter sticlSin in every inch O. my
body an ole Hen Bingle's 900 pounds
| a-drawin me from my natural height
O. feet inter man O 6 feet
Thet's what it seemed like Hen. he
asts how deep me we'll was. an when
sayd 40 feet, with Is feet O. wotter at
the bottom, he sayd he'd never speak to
me ag'in if l let go my holt on him.
sayd l guest he wouldn't, an he let oui
whoop thet brought the missus an the
little ones a-tumblin outen the house.
"Marthy stared at us minute. Ther
che sails. 'Abner, where was you ago
in2
ITO fight Spaynyards. sails |. sheep
ishlike.
AN you. Hen Bingle2' she asts
I" Same. gasps Hen.
Does your wife know You out ?
sails the misses, stern as jedge
~ No sails Hen.
" Then I've a mind to go over t,
your place an git her, sails Marthy.
Z" It's two miles. Hen groaned. al
III be drowned ag'in you git back
Lemme up now, an III go home an sta.
there.
"Marthy turns around quietlike
walks inter the house an comes ou
with the family Bible
. "'Hen Bingle. she sails, solemnlike
holdin the book to his mouth. does yo
promise to tell the whole truth an moth
: in but the truth an not to go to warT
4 "Hen didn't waste no time in kissi
| IHdt DOOh 81 lOuu Couiu Hedi az GIL
\ of it over along the ridge. kissed
pretty loud meself. to be sure. The mis-
sus lifted Hen outen the well. an b
: slipped off home. His woman neve
knowed nawthin about the trouble te
| she met my missus two weeks later q
protracted meeting over to Pine Swan
o church. Ez fer me, but fer splinte
; I'd be in Sandyago now. st. Lou
U Republic.