Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-06-11
DannyScruggs'
Revenge
By THOMAS ?. MoNTFoRT.
Copyright. 1905. by Daily Story Pub. CO..

Copyright, 1908. BY Daily Story Pub. Coz
w HEN old Peter Parsons caught
wv little Danny Scruggs in his wa
,ermelon patch and took him by his
.oIlar and led him down to the horse
pond and threw him in, he felt that
be had performed a very gratifying
act, and as the boy struggled to the
shore he laughed. 1t was the seventh
time within a week that Peter had
found Danny lingering his melons, and
be was sure that a good ducking in the
correspond would have the desired et-
feet.
But, alas for Peter, he forgot to take
INTO consideration the fact that there
urks in the human breast a desire to
De revenged for a real or tancled
wrong.
Two or three days passed, then,
rreatly to Peters surprise, Danny
iropped in to visit with him. The boy
was as friendly as ever, and he laughed
kDOuU Iut QUSh1hS oAN NSNAN~ ~ 49,
he had found it great fun.
Peter was a widower, and lived all
ilone, but he had grown tired of that
tort of existence. Just mile from
Peters house there lived "old Buck
Hart" who had little farm on which
Peter had a mortgage, and he also had
4 daughter on whom Peter had an
we. The daughter was a mere girl,
Toung enough to have been Peters
rrandchild, but to him there was no
disadvantage in that. AS to what she
night think, was not to be taken into
consideration.
One day, two or three months after
Danny's ducking, Peter saddled has
horse and rode over to Harris. 1t so
happened that Danny was at Harris
when Peter refined up at the yard gate
ind called Hart out. Curious to know
Peters business, Danny slipped out
and hid himself in fence corner where
ae could overhear all that was said.
After the exchange of few common
place remarks, Peter came directly
down to business by saying;
81 reckon you know, Buck, my mort
gage on your farm is long past due?"
Eyes, know it is" Buck replied, "but
flowed it didn't make any difference"
"Well, ordinarily it wouldn't" Peter
admitted, "but under present circum'
stances, it does. 1 just rode over to
tell you that want it paid off"
Old Buck started back aghaSt.
''Paid Off" he repeated.
That's what l said" Peter replied,
.oldly.
Old Buck slowly shook his head and
his face heightened.
Its impossible" he said. 81 amt
got no money-not dollar"
"Then you must raise it" Peter an
.wered, calmly.
"Raise it," Buck repeated, blankly.
'Why, couldn't raise enough money
70 buy a settin' hen, much less pay off
hat mortgage"
"Pay me in somethin' else, then"
Peter suggested, with a grin.
81 amt got nothin' else"
eyes, you have"
."Nothin' that you want"
eyes, you have"
"There's the old horse and cow"
81 don't want them"
There's the things in the house"
81 don't want them"
"That's all got"
81 guess not. You forget you have a
daughter, don't yOu?"
"a daughterl What's she got to do
with it?"
"A right smart, maybe. I'll take her
for a wife and call the mortgage
square"
Old Buck was surprised, but not dis
pleased. 1t was an easy way to get out
of tight place, and then his daughter
might as well marry Peter as anyone
else, so far as he could see.
"Well," he said, presently, "if it suits
you to fix the matter that way, l guess
it suits me. don't see that I've any
reason for objecting to your PROPOSE
ton"
"Of course not" Peter replied. Its
fair and square all around, and every
; body ought to be satisfied"
eyes, they ought" Hart said
thoughtfully, but don't know. for
got about Liz. She may not just like
the arrangement, you know"
"Why shouldn't she? Amt go
plenty of money and land, while sh'
? amt got nothing"
ayes, but she's young, and meohF
she'd prefer somebody else"
= "Well, what yox goin' to do about III
If you don't give me Liz, III want ny
money"
"Oh, I'm gofn' to give you Liz, o.
course. Twas just sayin' she might Cd
ject."
'That don't matter, so long as &c
her. III fetch the squire over in thu
morning, and Wen git the weddin' doR'
with"
Cali right. But don't say anything
about it, if you want to save troupie
You see, Sam Hicks wants to marry Llz
and don't know if she amt gotta rlgh
smart of likin' for him, and if he wa
to hear that you are going to MARI
her, he might raise rpmpus' Relte
jist keep sort of quiet till it's all over
"Oh, l amt uneasy about youn
upstart like Sam Hicks, but I'll kee
quiet just to please YOU"
Peter rode back toward home, an
Hart walked slowly TO the house.
Danny waited until they were bot
out of view, then he crawled from hi
hiding place and emitted long whistle
"Gee!" he exclaimed, wouldn't tina
stump you! Them two old dodgers III
in up a weddin' that way offhand, al
\ never sayin' a word to the gal abou