The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-12-02
SOWERBY'SCOURTING

There had been lull in the conversation
around the stove. II had lasted for nearly
ten minutes, during which Wash Hancock
1ad industriously sliced nearly all the bark
rom a four-foot stove length of hickory,
Mart Parsons once or twice allowed that
it was erbout time he was er hookin' up fer
home," but the stove was glowing red
through its inch thickness of iron, and he
knew that the wind was against him on the
Hacketville' road. The storekeeper was I'M
wrapping a grateful of lamp chimneys and
ranging them on the shelf when the creak
Of wagon wheels on the crusted snow was
heard outside and "Old Man" Sowerby en-
tered the store.
"Old Man" Sowerby was long and lean,
with long, serious face, brush OF white
hair and twinkling eyes. Hancock greeted
him almost with effusion, Frightening per-
ceptibly as Mr.. Sowerby drew off his clumsy
yellow leather gloves, with the red wool
wrist attachments, kicked off his arctics
and pushed his fur cap lightly to the back
of his head.
Have a seegar on me, Uncle jake" he
said, cordially, as the old gentleman
fumbled in his pocket and drew out corn
cob pipe. Il guess you can stand one. Rufe
hates to have 'em smoked around the store,
but he dassent say so. You asst him an he'll
tell you they smell good. Give us three
with the red collars on, Rufe. If anythin'
happens I'll tell the coroner you hain't to
blame"
I'm seasoned" remarked "Old Man.
Sowerby, biting off the end of cigar and
striking match. 81 toP you how come
got seasoned, didn't II"
you started to- said Hancock, but
Mis- Sowerby headed you off. never seen
you shet up so meek. You said that was
in refrunce to your lickin' her pap"
"Old Man" Sowerby chuckled. 80 it
was, he said. "Tll tell you about it, seem
she hain't around now. 1t was when l was
| sparkin' her. Her pa had the reputation
of being one of the toughest old nuts in the
deestrick. An Sarah wus the only gal he
had. Mis- Walker died when she wus jest
little runt, so jeff. the old man, allowed
he'd keep her home indefinite Some of the
/ young bucks kind of objected, but Jeff had
a mighty effectual way of discouragin' EN-
Lafe Blevins allowed at he'd make Sarah
I visit one night, an come back with his face
all raveled out. Jim Allen, him that KEEP
! the grocery at Hacketville, undertook the
same thing, with the same result"
| Mighty good lookin' woman now, Uncle
Jake" said Wash, politely.
she hain't as young as sac was, an
neither am /, said Sowerby 81 wus
tol'able husky boy then and | hadn't seen
tie man l was a'skeered ter tackle So
one evenin' / Fpruced up in my best clo'es
an put some scented lie on my hair an
hoped in my single-footer an lit out for
the Walker residence.
Seemed like l was in luck, for Sarah
wus in an JEFF wus out. wasn't nachally
bashful an / made the most of my time
don't know how late it was when we
walked down to the gate together, but it
was tol'able late. The fret thing we knew
we heard a horse comm down the road an
my horse began to whinny. Sarah started
for the house, but she hadn't got there an
/ hadn't got my horse united before old
JEFF come ridin' up.
"'Who is tiisY he says.
It's me- l says, handhn' the hick'ry
clubs cut on the way down kind O. keer-
less. I thought I'd come down an see how
you was. Some of the boys said you was
sick an 1 allowed it'd be neighborly to
CALL
Why, howdy, Jakel' he says, just
tic'ded as he could be seemed like. I had
to go down to Beder's to see them hogs OF
|
boss again an come in. 1t amt so late
but what you can stay awhile longer
Il wuz leetle sort O suspicious but
follered him into the house an he got out
some 48-hour-old corn whisky an couple
O. pipes an twist O terbacker as longs
your arm. l had to take socable smoke
with him. | reckon he knew I'd never
smoked before. | took half dozen whiffs
an my head began to swell. 1t got bigger
an bigger-as big as a bucket-as big as a
BARRELS big as a barn-an' everything else
grew in proportion. could see old JEFF
loomin' through the smoke with a smile a
yard wide, an his voice sounded far away
like. Then | broke out into a cold sweat
an my hair began TO bristle an my innard:
to crawl an drooled like two-months-old
baby Finally l couldn't stand it no longer
an got up an said l blieved I'd mosey
along hime.
81 hoped the old rip would have give me
a chance outside, but he never let on h'
seen there wus anythin' wrong an stood
at the door with light. Before got half
way to the gate JEFF commences to whooI
an laff an holler, an then blamed if b,
! didn't loose his dog on me. At first con
/ cluded / wanted to die, an bein' eaten raw
was as good death as any, but change
my mind as kicked against my nick r.
clubs, an as the dog come up hit him
! belt Then l crawled on old Roany an rod,
! of until / got out O. sight o the house
Then got down an held close communion
! with nature for spell.
81 met o. JEFF four days after in town an
, l walked up to him an says, says L: JET
: Walker, you're an internal, no-accoun
. emery old limb an / can whip YOU
! That was all he wanted. We come to
: gether right there, an want to say he WI
about all l care to handle. When did ge
L him down he held on like bull pup. Final
4 ly l pushed him off an pounded him unit
E he hollered 'Nuffp reckon it was wee
a after that l met him at housewarmin' a
! Perry Spencer's Sarah wus along, but sh
seemed to be tryin' to keep away from me
: Finerly l got her cornered an l asst he
what wus the matter an what she wus ma
about.
: What did you lick pa fors she says.
: Because it wus strictly ness'ry,'
u says If I've got to lick your pap seve
a days in the week, hand runnin, to see 20
! I'm goin to do it,