The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1903-08-27
Tales from the
Knob Country


SIT HE Knob country lost its leadin
and most valuable citizen when
Uncle Jasper died, remarked the man
from that stOried part of the Pike coun-
Is wilderness that lies back of Lacka.
wack why, Uncle Jasper could
acully smell bear. ncle Jasper could!
And when II come TO wild cats, why,
gosh all hcmlock he was like prophet
ul old,
one time hadn't seen a wildcat In
two months, and wanted couple the
wusr way Seemed rs If wild eats had
all lett the county. So one day | was
pa5sin along by Uncle laspor's and
aslod him whore all the wildcats was.
iIn said h" hadn't thought snthn'
abou, wildcats tor good while.
why. says hc, doyou want some?
Only a couple, says.
"'L,mmc see. says he. This Is
atoms n November he says,
Then he looked around at the wealth
or awhile. and seemed to be cunsiderin'
the leaves, how they was fallin', and
then hc says:
Well, Danl he says. i see by the
WAY things looks that there's a couple
q wildcats down back q the swamp
ycnG,r be says. and m glad you come
along he says, cause | wouldn't "A
though, nulhin' about wildcats If you
hadn't come along he says. and them
ala a
hob with my chickens tonight, sure!
he says. I wish you'd 20 down and git
'cu' he says but you won't git EN-
both il you don't act right. for they amt
turothcr
Go down Just beyond the big tama-
racks FIRST he says. There in one o
them tamarachs or nigh 1t. you'l run
agiu one a. them wildcats, he says.
"'Itli b" the littlcst one o. the two
DONE kin her dead he says. Jest wing
her so she cant cit away or jump on to
you Then she'll yell. Great Jupiter,
bow she'll yell. he says.
Then sou want to keep your eye
peeled sharp. fer It won't be long before
y,
from up yonder in the laurcls. where he's
layin about this time. watchin fer a
pheasant
Hen hear them yclls o her'n. says
Cnclo Jasper and he'll tear down to see
what's guin' ON Stand out good where
h"'il see you about the time he gifts with
IN couple o rod q where t'uthcr un's
n ycllin' and spittlu and squallIn',' says
Uncle Jasper When he sees you he'll
stop and squat Then you let him have
It,
And be sure you kill him. II you
don't mebbr you'll he sorry you went
down after EN- So be sure you Kill him
Then says Uncle Jasper, you kin
settle t'other uu,' he says. and yoall
have 'em both, and am glad you come
along, he says. SOS tn set me to thinkin'
about wildcats. and SOS ! could sort q
locate these two fer you, he says
Them two is all there Is in these parts
to-day. 'cordin' to the signs. he says.
That's the way Uncle Jasper laid ont
the programme fer me that day as to
wildcats, and folered& out and got
'em both. A leadin. and valuable citl
zen Uncle Jasper was, and II was big
swat To the Knob country when he
passed away.
III was somethin' tough on him that
he had TO 20 too, partic'ly as he had TO
leave setch woman 10 be n wilder az
Hammer was, Why, whenever remem.
her Hammer and them three bears al.
most have TO SET Town and shed tears for
Uncle Jasper to think he had to go and
leave sctch a woman widder.
Them three bears. the old she one
and the two spring cubs. they come down
into the corn patch AT Jasper's clearin'
jest about dusk ono day. when the milk
was In the corn. al d laid out to have
high old feast on "a II. They knowed
them bears did jet as sure as you're
born that Unclo Jasper was way back
o the Knob. hayin the gun with him,
and wasn't comm home that night; but
thoy didn't know thnt Hammer had 80
many p'ints about her.
They had been rompin around in the
corn. tearin OFF roastin' ears and havin
n good time gener'ly, before Hammer dis
covered EN-. There want no gun In