The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-11

DcAiHu uie anu laeH cudW 70 up IN
two minits. I've licked forty-seven
different men and never got my nose
skinned. Either own up that yo' dasn't
fight man or cum ont and be wal
loped'
That's the way he'd talk to me-"
continued Zeb, land I'd git SO mad
that 1 cried like a child. Bimeby 1
begun to git leetle better, and one
day when he was calm on me to cum
fo'th and be walloped 1 told him that
if he'd show up a week from that day
I'd tackle him. He went away crack
in his heels and whoopin' and rejoic-
in, and the old woman seq to me, seq
she:
"'Zeb White, if yo' was well man
yo' could wallop that critter befo' L
could make hoeeake, but yo've bin
down the banks all summer, and yo'
can't git well in a week. I'm sorry
yo'. passed yo'r word, but bein' it's
passed we'll hev to abide by it. III.
git whisky and roots tomorrer and
brace yo' up"
"And did you get better?" asked.
mo; got wuss. Whisky and roots
didn't do me no good. When the week
was up, 1 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:
Gar this the dwellin' place Of a
varmint named Zeb Winter
"e'She be-
"'Calls hisself the possum hunter of
Tennessee, don't heY
Eyes; he do
"'Has wrassled with bars and wild
cats and painters and thinks hisself
powerful on the fightY
That's my Zeb.'
'~Then / hain't made no mistake
Would yo' do me the eyerlastin' kind
ness to tell him to step out yere while
1 chaw his ears off and stay my hun
ger
Hes sick abed just now, but if
yo'll cum back arter dark he'll make
yo' eat grass and heller like calf
"'Then yo' kin be lookin' fur me,
Wilder White. I'll be kinder sorry to
see death take him from ye', but
must hev him fur my forty-eighth vic
| tim. Good AFTERNOON, Widdef-White
good AFTERNOON
That's how they talked" said Zeb
as he heaved rock at snake sum
ming itself on rock, land of co'se
heard every word of it. jest couldn't
help weepin' with my madness. How
was to go out and fight him when L
couldn't git outer bed? That's what
asked the ole woman, and she sortel
winked and smiled and seq to me, sez
| she: a's9+i..
'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 mar
in all Tennessee befo' he gifts away.
| "'But who's gwine to lick him?
/ Never yo mind
| "She wouldn't say no mo-" contin-
ued Zeb, land 1 was too feeble to fig
ger it out. / cried myself to sleep, ap(
it was arter dark when / woke up
That thar varfnint had cum back
'eordin' to promise, and Was in front
iof the cabin arshoutih':
"'Zeb White, the time has cum fur
lyo' to be pulverized. Mebbe I won't
do no mo- than chawsyo'r ears on anc
cripple 20, fur life, but III do tina
much fur share. Cum outer yo'r holt
and stand up to me Iike man.
+ ssJest- about the time he begun to
holler my ole woman begun to git outer
liner clothes and inter mine.
".What yo' gwine to do? ser I.
"'Gwine out to wallop that critter
tor die seq she.
"'But yo' ar a woman, and he's a
powerful fighter
"'Zeb White, yo' snuggle down and
keep quiet. He's cum fur a fight. He's
bin promised one and has to hev it
As yo' can't fight him, I shall, and I'm
a-feelin' that the Lord will put q jaw
bone inter my hand to slather him.
1T wasn't no use. to talk to her
When she got dressed up, she looked
like q man, and as she stood in the
door that varmint cracked his heels
together and crowed like rooster.
jest had the strength to git to the win
der, and / saw all that took place.
When the Teller had crowed and crack
ed, he yelled out.
"'My forty-eighth. victim ar now be-
fo' me to be chawed. Speak up, Zeb
White, and tell me which ear yo'd
rather I'd begin on to git up my appe-
tite. Whoop, whoop-eeg"
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