The Van Buren press., 1903-05-23
Uphill Work
BY
HAYDEN CARRUTH
Copyright, 1908, by Daily Story Pub. Col

GAYS the feller 10 the other fell
Ter; Can you play the violin?'
Il dunno" says the other feller, II
never tried Which is the same with
me. Can | write a story? ! dunno;
| never tried. But I'm reasonably
sure | can give plain account Of a
recent happening right here near
our town of Hawleyburgh, the facts
of the same being known to me in
general and particular, partly from
being there and partly from setting
in Pickelson's grocery and using
pair of nat'ral gifts heaven be-
slowed on me. | refer TO my cars.
Well, you see, there is mighty
likely girl lives near here as | could
name-in fact it won't do any harm
If ! do name her, though her name is
mighty likely TO change-but that's
another story, as third fcller said.
Her name, then, is Matilda Chollop
old Squire Chollop's daughter,
Pretty fine figure of girl, Good
many fellers been sweet on her. Had
my own inclinations that way. Don't
go rodnd talking bout 'em though.
Not word TO say what she thinks
Of me. May know, but shan't tell.
viii say this, however, that She
thinks less of certain feller named
O. Hanks than she did.
You see this here certain fcller
named Hanks came up here from the
city for his health, he said. He got
some fine outdoor exercise fore he
got through that ought TO have give
his state of health a considerable
hist.
You see old man Popdale, who
lives out four or five miles, give a
dance one night last fall TO christen
new barn. Fine man, old popdalc
is, and everybody knew they'd have
a good time, with two fddlers and
barrel OF cider. SO everybody
flowed they'd go, OF course this
here Hanks he had to up and plan
70 go too. Called il hop" Tar
Hationcst fool you ever see, Hanks
was-littlc slim fcller with red eyes.
Used to go round with his head up
like a balky cow with a board over
her face. Course he thought he had
to take somebody TO his pesky hop,
and he asked Matilda Chollop. And
somehow she said yes-out Of pity
for the feller, mebby. | went out
90 old Chollop's myself the next day,
thinking I'd ask her TO 60 with me,
But she said she'd promised Hanks.
Some folks might 0.thought from
her manner that She was sorry that
she'd been so fast, but won't say
anything about what ! thought. I'm
not saying everything | think, Any
how, III say that she wished so fore
she got through,
Wen, ] went out TO old Popdalc's
on the night Of the dance, even II
Matilda had gone and made sumc
rash promises, and lots of other
folks were there too, all anxious to
start the new barn tight and see
that the cider didn't sp'ile, And just
rs il was growing sort Of dark up
drove that there Hanks, who was up
in the country for his health, and
Matilda Chollop, who wished, mcbby,
that she'd come with me, Hanks
had borrowed the Widder Gandcr.
toots onc'hoss phacton--ouc Of
these here ye.hlck.cls which looks
like big basket and with powerful
big wheels behind and nightly IT,.
tle wheels in front, Biggest wheels
behind and smallest wheels for'ard
you ever seen, that being the way
with phactons in gen'ral and this one
specially particular, Well Hanks
tied his hoss under shed. and him
and Matilda went into the barn with
the others and the two hddlers
struck up and soon we wa, all dane.
mg right liyely--tripping the light
bombastic toe, az Hanks said. II
was enough 60 make you sick to hear
that feller talk
Wei, we kept II up livelier and
iivclicr till along about midnight, the
dddlers saving away like all get out
and the cider holding out uncommon
I, being an extra large barrel and