The Forrest City times., 1899-07-07
Pete Was Swatted Hard
And It Wasn't Any Moving Machine That Tore Him Up.

I
 said the man from the Knob country, they natur'ly wonder how he happened to tumble into the thrashin machine, seein' that left ear O his'n hangin' most down on his shoulder, and his face all wopperjawed, and him a favorin' that left leg O his'n as if he want jest sure whether it was goin' to stay there when he puts his foot down or whether it want. Natur'ly that's what folks wonders, and don't blame em.
 'I says to Pete-he was comin' Tong the COW path that takes the turn round the south side O the big laurel patch tother side O the Knob, and fetches l you out in the Hobdy road all right if l you foller it, and I see that he was goin 1 to leave the path and make short cut l through the patch, jest cause it'd save him mebbe somethin' like an eighth of mile-I says to him-I was standin l 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, l says. and go round
 Pete was as stubborn and head strong as a mule-though he ain't SO much that way now-and he kind O sniffed at me and says:
 "'What fer?'
 We'll 1 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 1 know'd it was in there, and had been more than six weeks gittin' 1t there. The first time know'd it was anywheres at all was when I was over to the Eddy one day and heerd 'em talkin' bout it.
 Why, blame it all!' says Eph, I never see the likes of it! l was in a boat jest below the narrows O the Lackawack fishin' for clubs. l heerd noise, and lookin' round, there it was, wadin' right out to the boat. It must a-come from the link Pond district and swan the canal fore I seen it. l had more'n half bushel O the con sarndest incest clubs you ever see, and they was layin' there on the bottom O the boat. 1 hated like Sam Hill to leave 'em, but there wasn't no way l could git them fish out O the boat and pulled for shore alone, cause it was somin' right along and p'inted straight Tor the boat. When I got ashore turned and looked. It had climbed in the boat, and there it sat, feedin' itself on my chubs. and the boat goin' down stream more'n five knots an hour! l found my boat next day, three miles down the Lackawack, high and dry on rock. but there want no clubs in it, darn the luck!' says Eph.
 wonder if Jones didn't see it tother day, back O Lackawack?' says Gil I wouldn't never thunk of it az Tn, Eph, if you hadn't spoke about that luck O your'n a-fshing. Yes, sir, says Gil, 'Tll bet anything that Jones seen 1t back O Lackawack t'other day. The roads hain't been just as prime as they ought to be down that way late iy' and Jake was haulin' in load O stun for Ira and Nose and the rest on em when he got stuck. The team couldn't pull the load, and Jake had 10 tighten up. 'Mongst the things he ieft long the road to come back after was barl O pork. Mebbe half an hour or so later Jonas was comin' out O the woods to the road and strikin' an openin' he looked ahead and seen it. He seen 1t standin' by the barl O pork Jake had left there to come back after. Johas stood still and watched it, cause ne 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 micro scope. Jonas stood still and watched