The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-03-13

."o ohoy Cou1un nSh that
catfish out on fshhook, or two dol
lars that they could, either which
way they wanted to take the bet,
"'1f anybody bet me that he could
fish the stupid-lookin' old feller out
on hook the catfish'd give me a
sly wink, and then only sniff and
scowl at the nice fat bait with the
hook in it that was stuck under his
nose, and never fetch it. But if
anybody took the bet that he
couldn't fish the catfish out whv.
Solomon called him Solomon
cause he knowed so much-Solo-
mon'd go for that bait like a hawk
for chicken, grab it at the hind
side O. the hook and would be flop-
PIN on the ground outside the tub
afore the chap that had made the
bet got over his scare and knowed
what had happened.
Then Solomon would spit out the
hook and I'd dump him back in the
tub, and the way he'd grin up at the
chap as he handed me over his two
dollars was worth two dollars of
any mans money. Ne and Solo,
mon worked together so brotherly
and enterprisin' that we paid off the
mortgage on my clearin' and bought
mule and the best coon dog on the
Passydanky spread in less'n two
months.
"'One day the hired man was
standin' at the tub lookin' at Solo
mon, and he took out his plug o.
black navy terbacker-say. Cap'n, if
you kin give me a toler'ble good
sized chaw off O. your plug O. jist
common, everyday yaller tobacco, it'd
be sort O balm in Gilyad to Solomon,
I think, and mebbe tide him over. A
toler'ble good-sized chaw'
81 had no plug of common, everyday
yaller terbacker, either, and told the
man so.
"'Geeville II hear from me. you kin
bet hen exclaimed the man. .Forgit-
tin to tell you about Solomon! Why,
you'd "a handed your terbacker right
out without bein' asked. if they'd only
told you about Solomon
Il felt that l ought to be pushing on,
and made another start, but the man
on the fence halted me again.
Jest minute, Cap'n,' said he.
Though you don't even feel like pass
in out your plug of common, everyday
yaller terbacker. can't bear to have
you go with wrong ideas O Solomon.
The hired man cut a chaw off O. his plug
O black navy, and piece of it fell into
the tub. Solomon he came fer it with a
rush, but he stopped quick when he
showed his nose ag'in it.
He paused and pondered He
want exactly sure about that ter
hacker. He skinned one eye up at
me, but never said word. Then Sol
omon risked it and took the piece O.
terbacker in.
He gave couple O. chaws on to
1t, and scowled some He cooked his
head fust on one side and then on
t'other, as if he was sort O. considerin'
what mowt happen. Then he went to
work on to the terbacker ag'in. He
chawed it an chawed it, and by and
by he swallowed it.
Solomon" says I, at don't ap-
pear to me as though I'd "a done that"
says I.
Solomon looked up and sort O.
shifted at me, but it want long afore
he began to act as if he thought that
mebbe l want fur from right. He
looked at me mournful like, and then
moved to'rd one corner of his tub,
slow and sad, like funer'l When he
got there he shivered quite some, and
then rolled over on his side, turnin' his
eyes up and lookin' pale around the
gills.
"'He's goner!' says I. 'Terbacker
has p'isined Solomon ded!' says I, and
l was all broke up, tell you. A hand
full o. that loose chewin' o. yourn,
CaD'n, while it hain't mama in the
wilderness, so to speak, like black navy
plug or even the common everyday
yaller would be, mowt lift Solomon
out O. the