Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-10-06


hoecake he belongs to some hifalutin'
crowd o worshipers that kneel down
on saft cushions an believe in scoopin'
In all they kin in the Lords name, an
that charity begins at home. think
that myself, Brother Dole, fer thar
never was plant as hard to git rooted
as charity is, an body ought to have
it whar they kin watch it close. It'll
die heap O times eff you Jest look at
1t, an it mighty nigh always has bad
soil ur drought to contend with"
Just then Pole Baker, who has al
ready been introduced to the reader,
rode up to the fence and hitched his
horse. He nodded to the two men on
the veranda and went around to the
smokehouse to get piece Of bacon
Bishop had promised to sell him on
credit.
"Huhw Dole grunted. and he crossed
his long legs and swung his foot up
and down nervOusly. He J. he look
of man who was wondering why
such insufrerable bores as Abner should
SO often accompany free dinner. He
had never felt drawn to the man, and
1t irritated him to think that just when
his mental faculties needed rest Abner
always managed to introduce the very
topics which made it necessary. for
him to keep his wits about him.
"Take that Teller thar" Abner went
on, referring to Baker. Hes about the
hardest customer in this county, an yet
he's bein' managed right now. He's got
wife an seven children an is a holy
terror when he gifts drunk. He used to
be the biggest daredevil moonshiner in
all these mountains, but Alan kept be-
friendin' i'm fust one way an another
tell he up one day an axed Alan what
he could do fer i'm. Alan amt none o.
yore shoutin' kind o. Christians. He
shakes nimble toe at shindig when
he wants an knows the ace from a
tenspot, but he gifts thar with every
claw in the air when some'n' has to be
done. So when Pole axed i'm that
Alan jest said, as quiet as eff he was
AKIN i'm fer match to light cigar,
Quit yore moonshinin', Pole That
was all he said. Pole looked i'm straight
in the eye fer minute an then said:
"'Alan Bishop. you don't mean thatp
Yes, do, Pole,' said Alan. Quit!
Quit smack OFF,
"'You ak that as a favor? said Pole.
Eyes, as favor said Alan. AN
you are a-goin' to do it too.'
"Then Pole begun to contend with
i'm. You are a-axin' that beca'se you
think I'll be ketched up WITH he said,
but tell you the amt no man on the
face O. the earth that could find my
still now. You could stand in two feet
of the door to it all day an not find it
If you looked fer it with spyglass. I
kin make bug juice all the rest o. my
life an sell it without bein' ketched.'
81 want you to give 1t up said Alan,
an Pole did. 1t was like pullin' an eye
tooth, but Pole yanked it out. Alan is
workin' on i'm now to git i'm to quit
liquor, but that amt SO easy. He could
walk crack with gallon sloshin'
| about in i'm. Now, as started to say,
Alan 'ain't got no cut an dried denomi-
nation an don't have to walk any par
ticular kind O. foot log to do his work,
but it's a-goin' on jest the same. Now
don't mean no reflection on yore way
O hitchin' wings on folks, but do be-
| lieve you could preach yore sermons
sech as they are-in Pole Bakers yeers
| till Gabriel blowed his lungs out, am
Pole d still be moonshinin'. An some
times think that sech fellers as Alan
/ Bishop ort to be paid fer what they do
in betterin' the world. don't see why
you fellers ort always to be allowed to
rake in the jack pot unless you'd ac-
| :omplish more'n outsiders that Jest turn
Their hands to the job at odd times"
Dole drew himself up straight and
| glared at the offender.
II think that is rather personal re-
mark, Brother Daniel" he said coldly.
"Well, maybe 1t is" returned Abner;
''but I didn't mean fer it to be. I've
heerd you praise up certain preachers
fer the good they was a-doin'. an 1
saw no harm in mentionin' Alan's
method. reckon it's jest case O