Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1903-02-14
'Haint you a Hunter?"


was not a bit astonished, though
had never seen the man before But
this was down in Kentucky, where
people are not afraid to speak to each
other, even though they have not been
properly introduced
l was sitting on the sway-backed
fence, in front of my Aunt Betsy's
sway-backed house, being a visitor
there for the first time since boyhood-
My Questioner was a native who
happened to be passing He had a
bushy and iron-gray beard, that was
also tangled; he wore the wreck of
a broad straw hat that was weather
beaten, and large piece was gone
from one side of the brim, as if an
eager and hungry COW had bitten 1T
out for fodder. His jeans trousers
were held up by one yarn suspender
that was fastened to the garment in
front with a wooden peg. His coat
was a loose, soiled and butternut af-
fair, ripped about the armpits Ind
frayed at the cuffs. Yet he was
pleasant enough looking person, as to
countenance, and was only in his
everyday working clothes. 1 learned
afterward that he was justice of the
peace there, and 1 have never been
able to understand how his official
work could have been so hard on his
habiliments.
Eyes, sir; I'm a Hunter" 1 replied.
"Geei You aint little Tug Hunter,
ar you?"
well, I'm not SO little, seeing that
I weigh about a hundred and ninety
pounds, but 1 am Joseph Hunter, who
used to be called Tug in these parts
fifteen or twenty years ago."
81 saw that you had the favor OF
the Hunters an seein' you settfn'
heah on yo' aunt's fence l lowed you
was a Hunter, an maybe Tug, that
went way off yander, while ago. Eoan
seem so long ago, nuther- But then
when the shadders takes to fallin'
toads the east, back yander doan seem
so long as it does to young man..
Speaking of the East. 1 see you
have travelled some,' 1 said, having
observed a little Masonic pin that he
wore on kis hickory-sAirt front.
Yes, ben some distance that way,
he replied with touch of pride. AN
1 reckin you've seen monstous sight
o. the world sence you went away?"
Been pretty nigh all over it,
You doan sayi''
yes"
81 reckin you must run across a
mighty sight O. Kaintuckians. So
many's gone away from here. An they
ar ginnally cuttin' a pooty big swath.
aint they?"
Yes, but then there are a great
many people in the world cutting a
big swath besides Kentuckians."
"Weli, yes, 1 lowed thar waz, but
eff 1 wuz you 1 wouldn't say a heap
on that subtle while 1 wuz around
heah. Kaintuckians is monst'ously
sot on Kaintucky, you know"
Yes, 1 know all about it. 1 was
very much that way myself until 1 had
a chance to look over the earth lit
tie, and my ideas have changed some
what
"Lemme tell you. I wuz pooty nigh
fo' years in the on-civil war, on the
Union side; sence that I've raised
good many pooty far hawses and got
broke. Gittin old, too. Hawse bizniss,
them days. sometimes tuck me to New
York, an Chicago, an out West, an
one place nuther, an that set me to
philosophizen- 1 tuck notice that
heap er Kaintuckians wuz mo, Kahn
tuck when they wuz way off yander
than they wuz at home. They called
for cawn-bread, mighty loud, in the
Willard House at Washin' ton, but
they tuck hot biskits, ever time at
home, when they wuz on the table.
WhutS mo- I've hearn of model Kahn