Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-08-14

''Now, THEN, FEB WHITE, CUM OUT YERE J"
from Alabamy, I believe, and he let it
be known powerful soon that he was
a hefty man in scrimmage. He talk
ed so loud and blowed SO high that ev-
erybody was skeart of him. and he
jest went around steppin high and
bossin' the roost. That critter used to
cum down to my cabin and brag and
blow and tell how many men he'd
licked, and one day l gin him plain to
understan' that didn't believe his sto-
ries. That made him mad, and he
went away sayin' as how he'd wallop
me fur his next victim. He knowed 7
was in pore health and couldn't fight
fly, but every two or three days he'd
cum down and stand in front of the
cabin and yell:
"Now, then, Zeb White, cum out
we're and git the awfulest wailopin' a
human critter ever received! I'm no
hand to brag, but l kin tie both hands
behind me and then chaw yo' up in
two minits. I've licked forty-seven
different men and never got my nose
fight a man or cum out and be wal
lOped.'
That's the way he'd talk to me-"
continued Zeb, land I'd git so mad
that l cried like a child. Bimeby !
begun to git a leetle better, and one
day when he was calm on me to cum
fo'th and be walloped told him that
cI,o hot do
I'd tackle him. He went away crack
in his heels and whoopin' and rejoic-
in, and the old woman sez to me, SEE
she:
"'Zeb White, if yo' was well man
yo' could wallop that critter befO'
could make a hoecake, but yo've bin
down the banks all summer, and yo'
can't git well in week. I'm sorry
yo' passed yO'r word, but bein' it's
passed we'll hev to abide by it. I'll
git whisky and roots tomorrer and
brace yo' up"
"And did you get better?" l asked.
"No; l got wuss. Whisky and roots
didn't do me no good. When the week
was up, was in bed and too feeble
to walk across the room. That pesky
critter knowed jest how it was with
me, and yit he cum and stood in front
of the cabin and shouted to the ole
woman:
CAR this the dwellin' place Of
varmint named Zeb White?
"'She be-
"'Calls hisself the possum hunter Of
Tennessee, don't he?
eyes; he do
"'Has wrassled with bars and wild
cats and painters and thinks hisself
powerful on the fight?
""That's my Zeb.'
"'Then / haint made no mistake.
Would yo' do me the everlastin' kind
ness to tell him to step out yere while
chaw his ears off and stay my hun
ger
"'He's sick abed just now, but if
VOL cum back arter dark he'll make
yo' eat grass and heller like u CALI
""Then yo' kin be lookin' fur me-
Wilder White. III be kinder sorry TO
see death take him from yo', but l
must hev him fur my forty-eighth vic
l1H. NJOOu Ilcl uOOIl, w ANNSA w A1lIC,
good AFTERNOON
THAT'S how they talked" said Zeb
as he heaved a rock at 2 snake sun
ming itself on a rock, land of co'se 1
heard every word of it. jest couldn't
help weepin' with my madness How
was l TO go out and fight him when
couldn't git outer bed? That's what
| asked the ole woman, and she Sorter
winked and smiled and SEE to me, sez
she:
".Zeb. doan' yo' worry no mo- bout
this wallopin' bizness. but leave it all
to me. If that varmint shows up here
tonight, he'll be the wust licked man
in all Tennessee befo' he gifts away
"'But who's gwine to lick hiE?'
"'Never yo' mind
"She wouldn't say no mo-" contin-
| ued Zeb. land l was too feeble to fig
ger it out. cried myself TO sleep, and
it was arter dark when | woke up.
That thar varmint had cum back.
'cordin' to promise, and was in front
of the cabin a-shoutin':
".Zeb White. the time has cum fur