Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-23
w(DM|AN'S WI U.
By William M. Tisdale.

.ssss-s-s-ss-s-s-s !.
"Jane," said Cap'n Jenkins, II had q
queer dream last night. dreamed that
there wuz man a-standin under that
pepper tree yonder a-tannin a buckskin,
an he said to mother man that wuz a.
lookin on: Bill, 50 up to the house an ask
Mrs. Jenkins for the tea leaves out Of
her teapot. want to set the tan on this
hide so we kin cut some gloves out of it.
l saw it ALL" said the captain, "as plain
as day."
| An Mrs. jenkins said to him, "Cap'n,
there's somethin a-goin to happen"
| After little the dream wuz forgot,
but bout a week later, as we wuz all a.
settin' in the shade takin our noonin,
| Teller come runnin into camp, all dirt an
sweat an half crazy, an said that McDou-
gall wuz after him an wuz a-goin to muir
der him. Quarrel over mimi deal.
This teller, Mcdonald, had found mine,
an McDougall, follerin his usual custom,
had jumped the claim. After little
show of fight Mcdonald had guy it up.
but McDougall WIZ a-goin to kill him for
not lettin go quicker.
can't say that admired Melon
AIDS personal 'pearance. 1t seemed to
me like 'twuz Scotch fight anyway, an
wuz for n-lettin it alone, but the cap'n
begun to arrange his plan Of campaign
right away. Sent half dozen Mexicans
out to scout for McDougall. Put guns
into tent that wuz handy by the house
an cut some Sits in the canvas.
II McDougall wuz to come, / wuz to go
inside the tent with four or five Of the
| hest y,,ar nv oil - Nfono,~an
an his Injuns-he always travelled with
bodyguard Of three renegade Cheyennes
with our rifles. The cap'n wuz to meet
him unarmed, but IL the cap'n raised his
hand an snapped his fingers we wuz to |
blaze away an to wipe McDougall an his
braves offn the planet.
| Nothin come Of the matter for two or
three days. In the meantime some of
the cap'n's men, who had been away on
hunt in the mountains. come back with
fine buck, witch they preceded to skin
an dress, an we Toasted on venison.
| But what should Mcdonald do but 60
| an tan the hide? He wuz a-workin under
the pepper tree near the house, an he said
to young Teller a-standin near: BILLY,
go up to the house an ask Mrs. jenkins
for the leaves in her teapot. want to
set the color on this hide, an we'll cut
some gloves out of it."
Jest then Mrs. jenkins happened to
come to the door an heered the remark.
She pinted her finger at her husband an
said, "Your dream" An he pinted his
finger Mt his wife at the same instant an
said, "My dream" Then the cap'n walk
ed up to Mcdonald an held out his hand.
s'McDonald," he said, "your fate 10
linked with mine. You an air spiritool
affinities. I dreamt bout you before I
ever sot eyes on you. You're safe here
now, Mcdonald. I'll fight for you to the
last drop in my veins"
Twan't many hours after this episode
when scout come a-runnin in with the
information that McDougall was a-comih
vita his Injuns. The cap'n ordered us all
to our stations an told Mrs. jenkins that
she'd better 90 into the house.
wuz inside the tent with half dozen
others, all armed, when McDougall an
his Injnns come a-whoopin an a-gallopin
into camp IN pulled up right abreast OF
us. In half second we had them all
covered.
whats the matter, McDougall ~ sung
out the cap'n. What the devil do you
ride into my ranch for in this warlike
manner? You act like you wuz on a
raid"
= understand" said Med ougall. THAT
you're a-harborin one Mcdonald with
which have feud."
He's here" replied the cap'n. "But
amt a-harborin nobody-only I'm a-goin
to see jestice done. An you an your cow
ardly red whelps amt a-goin to murder
no white man on my premises. II Nc
Donald will come out an fight you. I'll be
a second for you both. But you've got
to fight fair. -Four agin one amt square
deal"
"Shall ] kill him ?" said one Of the In
juns to McDougall in dialec' that he
though we didn't understand "Shall /
kill him now?
mo" said McDougall sharply in the
same lingo. "Don't shoot want to
keep this man alive. II ever I want to
git off'n the earth in hurry, he's the
man that'll help me in good shape"
| ] had a bead on McDougall. II the
cap'n had raised his hand an snapped
his finger, I'd have sent McDougall to
happier huntin grounds, an the boys be-
side me had them Injuns all covered.
But jest when the seconds seemed like
hours an my eye had begun to ache a.
squintin long that rife bari the quick
wit of woman broke the strain, an Mrs.
jenkins come out Of the house and walk
ed straight up to McDougall, never givin
her husband glance, an held out her
hand.
aW'y, Baron" she said, otis long
time sense you wuz here. Won't you git
down an have an eggnog OF little
toddy."
McDougall shed his sombrero, an bow
ed as polite as dancin master. He said
somethin to them Injuns that made them
ride away, then handed his gun to. Mrs.
Jenkins an sprung to the ground, as light
on his feet as cat.
Us boys sneaked out Of the tent, an
McDougall never knew how near be
stood that day to the undiscovered ken
try. Mcdonald KEEP the tent 'twixt him
an McDougall an had skipped into the
brush. We never see him again nor the
buckskin nor the cap'n's double bar'rd
shotgun.
"Cap'n Jenkins,,, said McDougall
cheerfully, smackin his lips after the tod
dy had circulated few times, this 10
mighty fine whisky OF yourn. What
d'you ask for itr'
An that's how what seemed like to be
field of gore was changed by a wom-
ans wit into neat business deal an like