Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-08-02

"EE WAS PEART II HIS FErh1Ss ANT
HARD HITTER
he was meaner'n skunks. He'd bite
and kick at anybody who come within
ten feet Of him. and If htched him 10
the cart he wouldn't pull pound. l
was keepin him around in the hopes to
trade him of when along comes
stranger one day from Arkansaw. The
old woman was gone to naybur's and
was sittin on the doorstep when this
stranger halted and said:
"'Kin l everlastinly and eternally
f1atter myself that l am addressin the
celebrated and notorious Zeb White?'
That's me- said J.
The critter who has killed 5000
and so b'ars?'
"Thems about the figgers, stranger
1.-THE man who crowded a circus ele-
phant into the ditch, flung bull over
the fence and licked three wildcats
barehandedY
"That's mostly me-
1.-The man who has outrun, outjump-
Nh, out ihSsiCt Uilu Outht CNtl tlllttI
in Tennessee who would tackle him?'
Kinder that
WAL, now,' goes on the man as we
shakes hands, 'yo' seem to be some
pumpkins, and hope yo are, fur I've
walked over from Arkansaw to gin yo'
trial. Pm goin to do my best, Zeb
White, to lick yo outen yo'r butes.'
"What fur? saidI.
"'Jest to take yo' down a peg and let
yo' know that thar is two or three 9TH
er folks on airth. Yes, Pm either gwine
to make yo' holler or else live on roots
all the rest of my days.
II didn't want no quarrel with any
body" said Zeb, "but soon diskivered
that the critter from Arkansaw was
bound to hev fuss. He Dragged and
crowed and had so much to say that |
had no other way but to tackle him.
We peeled off coats and jackets out
thar on that level spot, and I noticed
the old mule standin with his hind
quarters out of that shed doah.
I'll tell yo' what I'm gwine to do
said the stranger as we made ready.
Pm goln to bite off yo'r right ear and
carry 1t back to Arliansaw with me as
a sort Of certificate. and I hope yo'll
write the date on 1t with pen and ink
before leave
"Then he crowed and tapped his
arms and jumped up and knocked his
heels together. l hadn't got skeart of
him, however. ! reckoned 1t might be
tough fout, but l was bound to win
it. What made 1t better fur me was
that me N the old woman had had a
jaw that day, and l was feelin onery
and mean and anxious to whop some-
body. Waal, we finally got to work,
and I soon found that critter all I
could manage. He was peart in his
feelin's and a hard hitter, ard as he
danced around he said:
"Yo' might as well begin to holler
right now. Zeb White, fur I've got yo'
licked. reckoned heap Of this talk
about yo' was all wind
Jest about that time fetched him a
swat that keeled him head over heels
and broke my thumb. He got up as
peart as yo' please, and, seen my
thumb was broke and my right hand
useless, he put on mo- steam. 1t did
seem to me that fur the fust time in
my life l was gwine to be licked. and
had feelin OF goneness clear down to
! my butes. Broken bones don't count
in fout down in this kentry. yo' know.
The man who comes out on top gifts the
credit, and the other feller hasn't a
word to say. Yes, sab, Jest dun reck-
on l was heyin a powerful clus shave
of IL when Providence iuterfered.
was bein banged all around when
happened to SEQ my old mewl backin
up on us from the she'd He'd heard
that row and wanted hand in. 10th
er feller's back was to'ard the mewl
and played to keep it thar. He never
had no warnin of what was comm. The
fust thing he knew the mewl backed
up to within klckin distance and then
let go both feet, and old Arkansaw
went rollin most down to that bresh
fence. His breath was gono when he
stopped, and was also sittin on his
stomach. In three or four minits he
opened his eyes and looked around and
said:
Are / back In Arkansaw ag'inT
"'Not skassly,' said 1.
"'Was l hevin fout with critter
named Zeb Winter
ago was.'
"'And did l whop him and make
| him hollerT ~
"'Yo' didn't. Yo' kin look upon
yo'rself as a licked man.
"'And I didn't git his right ear to
take back to Arkansaw with meT
"'Nary ear
"Wlth that he began to cry, and let
him up He went over and sot down
on that stump and cried like boy,
and after he had wept away his tears
he said to me;
"'zeb, acknowledges to bein a