The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-09-24
The
Wedding Boots
of Els Sam

"DROVIDENCE or not" said the
: man from Knob country Ellis
Sam got his weddin boots; but If they
don't give him corns. then Cyrus is the
forgivin'est feller-citizen that ever dis
app'inted his ownself to 'commodate a
neighbor.
Now, like to fish, myself, and I'd
go fishin' now and then if didn't know
so many teller-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 a hook while
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 diff
ferent, and Ellis 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 EN- next day.
Ellis Sam was so one-sided and I'M
neighborly that he woudn't oblige Cyrus
and put the weddin' off till he got back
from fishih', 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 it in
TO the tannery to get the sole leather for
fnishin' of EN-. He took his fishpole
along, thinkin' that he mOwt leastways
fetch 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 live minny.
His bait run along till it got down
was gittin' ready to give the trout that
was on the pint Of bitin it chance to
try whether ne was the best Teller 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 Teller
citizen be ash jump in the water to rile
1t up on me, when I'm fshin', and Spite
my gittin' a bite?'
with that he turned and looked round
to see who the unmannerly neighbor
could be, and he seen that it was a great
big t-give-a-contlnental bear,
Now, Cyrus is law-abiding citizen,
but when he see that unmannerly bear
standln' there and rilyin up the water on
him and spilin' his gittin' that bite, he
pulled his pistol and p'inted it straight
at the bear and fired. The bear kind O.
give hump as if 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' it up more than ever,
and didn't move step.
See here!' said Cyrus This pistol
Is siX-shooter! he says. and want to
ketch some trout! You better move on
he says.
But that bear never moved a step.
He jest stamped and stamped his feet in
the water and kept rilyin' Of it 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 plunEed
into him every one O. them shots he
had left.
THE bear 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 rositive-lilse:
IF Providence or somethin' don't take
hand il this here he says. somebody
else will have to finish them weddin'
boots for Ellis 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, "lCm 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 a slammer it was. Three
pounds Cyrus says they told him after
ward that it weighed.
But he couldn't get over being made
% mad-so mad and unlawful like.
~That bear says Cyrus, done some