The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-04-08
Down on the
Suwannee River
BY WILLIAM HAVEN ROSS
Copyright, 1903, BY McChae's Newspaper
Syndicate

daddy tibet air plug NV terbaeker he
left ON the counter
There WAS no reply.
Well calculated the cap'n. Tibet
lazy gals snoozin' Ike sixty an let
tin trade git over inter the next
county. M-e-rlinda"'
Still Melinda did not respond In per
son or by voice. The cap'n looked
around In Al helpless way. Over TO the
east he could see murky stretch of
the Suwannee river bending through
the trees. There was dusty, lifeless
road In front of the shore. The cap'n
reclined and reflected. Ii was hot,
and he hated to move. but he want
ed his tobacco. and. being wild
over with but one child. his comfort
certainly was dependent largely upon
her II she We're too lazy to wait OH
her poor old dad, he thought, II only
served 10 prove that he had wasted
money when he bought her melo.
deon.
While bordering on her ingratitude
and shiftlessness he nearly lapsed
again into slumber but an awful
thought interviewed. II made him sit
upright bringing his chair down upon
its four legs with bang.
Sam Womper! exclaimed the cap'n.
I'm bet tibet dodgasted razerback crit
ter hez he'd the effront'ry ter cum gal
livantin' round hyar ag'in"
He went through the store and into
the house that formed the rear of IT,
Asleep In the little porch which
framed the kitchen door was small
Negro boy, Capn Eph kicked him.
Rouse up. Nose" said the cap'n
an tell me whars Merlinda."
Il dunno, boss" said Nose, edging
to get out of range. II hain't seen her
fer more'n or hour
Look hyar, leetle Niger brat. am
We goin' ter tell whar my darter lsY'
Don't yo'~ stomp. cap'n! Fer de
Lawds sake. don't stomp" shrieked
Nose. drawing his knees up TO his alb
domen In the agony of expectation
"I'ze gwine ter tell all | knows"
"Ies' We tell" WAS the cap'n's grim
admonition.
II seed Mis- MerlInda cum outer de
doah an wave her han' Den looked
over yunder," and Nose pointed to the
north. AN seed Sam Womper up dar
Mt de edge NV de cl'arin'. Den she
done went inter de house an got her
bunnit | seed her go over ter whar
Sam wuz loahn' round. an bimeby
seed 'em git inter or dugout an done
20 long"
Maybe maybe" soliloquized the
cap'n, II kin head 'em Off at the bend.
The rivers mighty low, an thar amt
much current. Sides tibet good fer
nothin' clay eater am too lazy ter hit
the water hard with er paddle"
The cap'n ran through the house and
the store. seizing his shotgun on the
way and made over the country to
ward the woods which bordered the
bend. When he poked his head through
the underbrush upon the bank. he saw
the dugout with Sam and Melinda
aboard and less than fifty yards away.
The stream was very narrow there,
and Sam kept the bont near the shore
10 enjoy the GOODNESS OF the shade.
II wisht he'd or gun. Did ye hear
tibet deer IA tearIn' through the BRUSH"
he heard Sam ask.
II got the gun" shouted the cap'n,
drawing II bead on the young man az
he spoke. 'Ye jes' pint tibet boat right
In hyar or I'll fill yer hide with buck
shot,
Sam paused with uplifted paddle
long enough to conclude quickly that
II WAS wise to obey, and when II
struck the water again II sent the dug.
out flying toward the bank.
"Whav I've ye goin. Mis- Biggs?' the
cap'D ihauired OF Melinda In fine
irony.
II wuz goln' ter git merried, an I'll
do 1t sit" she replied so defantly that
the cap'p gasped.
80 We will, so We WILL" he respond
ed see We gittin' too headstrong
fer me-bdt not merried ter him. gal
I'll pick out the man fer ter be my
son-in-lor. an doan ye nevah fergit
tibet"
The cap'D climbed into the boat and
pointed up stream. He sat down
at that end Of the craft, with his gun
across his knees. and grimly sup
pressed his wrath. They had not gone
far before the dugout gllded by big
water oak whose branches extended
iar over the bank and We're intwined
by huge grapevine The fruit WAS
ripe and hung in luscious clusters.
"HoP on er mint" said the cap'n.
"Lemme git er bunch"
Sam backed the boat under the tree.
and the cap'n carefully placed his
gun where he thought he could get IL
quickest and reached aloft among the
tendrils. sam let him get a good. firm
hold and then drove the paddle into
stream for one long strong stroke. The
iugout shot from under the cap'n's
feet In an Instant, leaving him dan
CLING above stream thirty feet from
shore.
Bloody blazes! What on aIrth am
We about? Hey. cum back shouted
the capu. but Sam began to beat the
water with his paddle and to yelp
like dog. big alligator showed his
SllOul Out vi TIE NuttT
almost. and, 1t seemed to the capn
blinked its ferocious eyes at him.
Hey. Sam. quit yer foolin' an back
up hyar." said he. He was stout, and
even the grip of desperation was not
going to hold up 200 pounds until a
hungry alligator went home.
Il amt foolin'," said Sam sOlemnly.
Il want ter merry Merlinda. an hyar's
whar does 1t. Ye am jestice Nv the
peace an kin tie us ez tite ez eny
parson In Jawgy. II ye won't do 1t.
why, then. We kin drap. After tibet
CATER hez cha wed ye up thar won't
be nothin ter splle the weddin'.
reckon I'll be keepin yer store after
tibet"
"MerlInda," gasped the cap'a, will
We squat thar an see yer only parent
ct up by sich er varmint? Grab the
gun. gal. an give him both barrels In