Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-05-24
THE
SMITH GIRLS SLIGHT.
THE
BY OPIE READ.


JEFF Slogan and old man Matterson
sat at the kitchen table long after the
remains of supper were cleared away.
1t was night of reminiscence with
the old man, and he told of the bears
and wolves he had slain in the DAYS
when Tennessee was young. ''My old
granddad left me the rihe," said he,
glancing toward corner of the room,
"and many time I've been advised
to have percussion lock put on it,
but fiintlock was good enough for
him and it's got to be good enough
for me. OF course you've seen the
gun. but I'll show it to you again.
''It's beauty" said jeff.
swell, yes, unless you can find
better word. And let me tell YOU
something, but you must not say any
thing about it. Granddad was be-
ginning to get pretty old and little
things had begun to bother him. One
OF his daughters married no-accouut
| stage driver, and his half witted son
cut a fellow all to pieces at sawmill.
So he fretted good deal. Well, one
night he was coming home from a
muster, and man named Bridge
Peters with him. All at once grand
dad stops in the road and says to
Bridge: If l only knowed which one
of them stars up thar was my unlucky
star, I'd shoot it ont. Bridge asked
if he thought his gun would tote that
far, and the old man hooted like an
owl. Don't you worry about that.
said he. Just pick out the star you
think is the cause OF my bad luck and
out she goes.
Bridge was sort of reckless fell
low, so he looks up, he does,
and says: There she is, that star
off there about Is feet from the
moon. The old man didn't hesitate
minute. He raised his gun-this here
old one right here-and she cracked
like whip-and what do you think
happened? Out went the star like
snut1in' tallow candle. Bridge he
took to his heels, and it was enough
to scare any man, but granddad didn't
run. he walked off slow to show the
other stars that he wasn't afraid, but
| he begins to git sick ut his stomach,
and be the time he got home he could
hardly hold up his head. And, sir, he
laid for four weeks, and then died
Jeff looked hard at the old man and
said: 81 don't believe word of it..
''How do you account for it?'
81 account for it by not believ-
ing it; that's how" jeff was in
sorrowful mood that night, and was
not prepared to believe even the most
apparent truth.
"What are you thinkin' about,
Jeff?"
eliza Smith and her party"
';Sorter in the dumps because she
didn't ask you?"
| "Well, l don't like it,
''Why don't you kill her dos?"
'What good would that do?"
J "Why, don't you know that the best
way to git even with high headed
woman is to kill her dog? 1t is
there's sort of charm about it, and
if you kill woman's dog, and she
don't find out who does it, she'll fall
in love with you. It's fact; she'll
, drap right down into pure love- Say,
that Smith girl has a dog that sho
thinks the world Of Why don't you
kill him as you so by there tonight
on your way home?"
'I'm half mind to. Got pistol?"
"No, but You can take granddad's
gun.
els she loaded?"
"With double charge of powder
and slug an inch long"
'Tm half inclined to do it,
s'I'll bet the gal draps down into
the purest sort of love- 1 jest want
to see it; these amt nothin' pulitzer
to me than fust rate article of love. :"
Only when he was out in the road
did JEFF realize that he carried the old
gun upon his shoulder. He halted
and, bare of head, sat upon rock to
let the cool air fan him. From over
the hilltop came the bark of the Smith
girls dog. jeff got up and strobe
along until he came within sight of
Smiths house. He could hear the
merrymaking of the Smith girl and
her guests. Through window he
saw the company dancing; and the
Smith girl danced with fellow named
Alb Squat. jeff hated Squat. He
was cross-eyed and low of brow. He
thought that he saw her smile at
Squat and he gripped his gun. But
there was no murder in his heart. He
aspired only to assassinate dog. JEFF
! saw him coming down the hill.