Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-12-16

lasted three months, and when II was
out Mirandy showed up ag'in. and was
list as smiin' ar me and Milt as ever
-smilin'er. | reckon. fer before we
knowed where We was at We had ut,
tooth and toe nail. fer her. right in the
road. Neither one of Us got the wust.
but both of us got ii purity bad, and so
we agreed to shoot il of with our shot
guns and settle II fer once and all"
Mr. Burgess stopped work on his cob
pipe long enough TO chuckle audibly at
something or other which Mr.. Hostel.
ter's remarks had suggested.
Much obleeged. Milt." said Mr. Hos.
letter, smiling himself. "As was say.
in, we agreed 10 shoot of the prize.
and the live man left over was TO git
the gal. Yeu see. each one Of US was
bettin' odds that he was the chosing
people"
Again Mr. Burgess chuckled audibly.
Much obleeged. Mlt" said Mr.. Hoe
tetter. "As was sayin'. when We
agreed TO the shootin proposition we
got q second apiece and kind Of gen.
| eral superintendent TO manage the
match. and we picked out a nice, quiet
place over in Brands holler. where
there was moonshine still once. and
nobody had ever been there since the
revenoos had scattered IL 10 the four
winds and wasn't likely TO 60. II was
so dern lonesome. In course We swore
everybody 10 eternal secrecy. but there's
no tellin' how leaky bar'l Is till you
put water in it. Anyway We was on
hand prompt. fer We meant business, |
didn't we. Milt:"
"Ruther. | reckon" responded Mr..
Burgess TO Mr. Hostetter's appeal. And
we wasn't no towards neither
Much obleeged, Milt." said Mr.. Hos.
letter gratefully. "As was sayin'.
we was there prompt. and the general
superintendent ranged us up about
twenty feet apart and give orders that
we was not To shoot till we got the
word Fire. after he had counted three
and drapped hat"
There wasn't no foolishness about
II neither" put in Mr.. Burgess, FER
me and Hi seen TO ii that they didn't
put up 10 job on us by not loadin' the
guns right. fer when they handed them
to us. sayin' they was all right. we
poured a handful Of duck shot in each
bar'l. SOS there wouldn't be any mis-.
takes"
Much obleeged, Milt." said Mr. Hos.
tetter. "As | was sayin'. we was to
shoot at the word. and We stood lookin'
at each other with murder stickin' out
all over us till you could a scraped 1t
off with chip When Il man is bad
I'm love he's the wust. | reckon. Any
way. we never said word: no hand
shakin'. no nothin'; just cold KILN
was what we was there fer. and we
was goin' TO have II. Our seconds
kinder dallied around as II they was
waitin' fer somethin'. but we stood
there waitin' fer the word to shoot
1t gives me goosetesh TO think about
II even this fur of" commented Mr.
Burgess. with a shiver.
Much obleeged. Milt." nodded Mr.
Hostetter in full sympathy with his
| late antagonists "As | was sayin', we
stood there waitin' with our guns
cooked and drawed tight 10 our shoul-
ders. and the general superintendent
| begun 10 count one. two. three. and we
tuck sight with intent 10 kill. The
superintendent stopped AT three. hold
| In the hat ready TO drap and say
Fire" when all 10 once there was
rustic in the bresh. and Mirandy come
| bouncin' through and landed smack be.
tween the muzzles of the guns
"Dern If didn't think II was an
angel drapped out Of the sky e1-
| claimed Mr.. Burgess feelingly.
Much obleeged. Milt," responded Mr..
| Fostetter. ".As | was sayin'. Mirandy
| landed right betwixt US and throwed
up one hand.
What air you plumb lifts goin' to
do: says She lookin' first at one Of US
and then at t'other.
"'Goin' to shoot each other said the
superintendent. bowin low.
What fer?' says she, lookin' at US.
"'Fer you says |.
"'Fer YOU says Milt.
Then she laughed so loud and kind
er raw that il shuck the bark or
hickory tree standn' jist by the edge
Of the clearin'.
"'Well. gentlemen says she. startin'
| to git out of the way and talkin' In
| reg'ler book langwidge and as perlite
as a basket of chips don't let me in
terfere with the festivities. but before
actual hostilities begin think l owe
1t to each of you to say that you had
better 90 over to Pleasant Ridge first
and Shoot John Henshaw. for am 60
In to marry him next Tuesday week,
Providence permittin'. Fire"
| "Mirandy stood lookin' at us. the su-
perintendelrt snorted. the seconds laid
down in the weeds and rolled over and
me ard Milt shuck hands and walked
of the field, not sayin' dern word to
nobody. and We didn't go to the we'd
din neither"
ITS a affydavit fact, gents" corrob-
Grated Mr. Burgess.
Much obleeged. Milt," said Mr.. Hos
tetter. 1T shore Is.