The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-09-10
The
Wedding Boots
Of Ellis Sdn1
'nRovIDENCE or not" said the


+ man from Knob country. ELS
Sam got his weddin' boots; but If they
don't give him corns, then Cyrus is the
forgivinest feller-ciiZen that ever dis
app'inted his ownself to 'commodate
neighbor.
Now, | like to fish, myself, and Id
20 fishin' now and then If didn't know
so many feller-citizens, most OF EN-
keepin' two or three yaller dogs, at that'
who spend seven days in the week settin'
on a stump vexin' the water in the
stream with a worm on hook, whlie
their wives is to home veXin the water
in the washtub so as to keep the house
a-goin'. That sort O. spiles tishin' for
me.
But this here case o Cyrus was dit-
ferent, and Els Sam ought to be
ashamed O his inconsiderateness and
selfishness in settin' that day for his
weddin' when that was the day that
Cyrus had laid out to go to the pond for
two or three days fishin', and comm to
Cyrus the day before and sayin' that
them boots O. his'n that Cyrus had had
on the last for couple o weeks back
was to be his widdin' boots, and that
he must have 'em next day.
ELLIS Sam was so one-sided and un-
neighborly that he wouldn't oblige Cyrus
and put the weddin' off till he got back
from fishin', and so Cyrus couldn't see
no way out of it but to finish the boots,
though he was outrageous put out and
disappointed.
Them boots o. Ellis Sam was all done
but solein', but Cyrus had to foot 1t in
to the tannery to get the sole leather for
fnishin' of 'em. He took his fishpole
along, thinliin' that he mowt leastways
ketch mess o. trout for supper, and on
his walk back, when he come to the deep
hole in the creek, Jest below the alders,
he stopped and put in his hook, baited
with a live minny.
His bait run along till 1t got down
to the lower end O. the hole, and Cyrus
was gittin' ready to give the trout that
was on the pint Of bitin' 1t chance to
try whether he was the best feller or
whether Cyrus was, when Cyrus heerd
splash in the water up the creek. With
out lookin' round. Cyrus says to hisself:
Now who can the unmannerly feller-
citizen be as'll jump in the water to rile
it up on me, when I'm fshin', and spile
my gittin' bite?'
with that he turned and looked round
TO see who the unmannerly neighbor
could be, and he seen that 1t was great
big don't-give-a-continental bear!
Nov, Cyrus is law-abiding citizen,
but when he see that unmannerly bear
standin' there and rilyin up the water on
him and sp'ilin' his gittin that bite, he
pulled his pistol and p'inted 1t straight
at the bear and fred. The bear kind o.
give hump as II he felt somethin' eat
in him worse than woodtick; and he
squealed little, and snorted He seemed
s'prised, but he give few more kicks
in the water, rilyin' 1t up more than ever
and didn't move a step.
See here!' said Cyrus This pistol
Is slx-shooter! he says, and want To
ketch some trout! You better move on!'
he says.
But that bear never moved a step.
the water and kept rilyin' of 1t up. Then
Cyrus pulled up and give him another
shot.
THE bear bumped hisself ag'in and
squealed and snorted, but didn't move on.
Then Cyrus did get mad! And he plunked
into him every one O. them shots he
had left.
THE boar headed for him them and
seemed as if he was goin to show Cyrus
that he didn't approve o. bein peppered
in the way that Cyrus had been pepperin'
of him. Then Cyrus was moved to say.
sort o. positive-like:
''If Providence or somethin' don't take
hand in this here he says, somebody
else will have to finish them weddin'
boots for Elfs Sam!' he says.
Whatever changed the bears mind
Cyrus says he won't swear TO. ProvI-
dence maybe he says. Anyhow the bears
mind was changed. and he turned around
short, clum the bank. and trotted away
| into the woods
While Cyrus stood staring after him
the water the bear had made rily cleared
up and Cyrus got his bit He didn't only
get his bite. He ketched the trout that
done It, and slammer it was. Three
pounds, Cyrus says they told him after,
ward that It weighed.
but he couldn't get over being made
90 mad--so mad, and unlawful like.
"'That bear says Cyrus, done some