The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-04

no N,
mule sliding swiftly to the apex, still
holding me with his uncanny eyes.
There came a shock. and Oscar said:
For the Lords sake. kid! They've
boen braying away on that breakfast
horn for the last five minutes. Hustle!'
found myself upon my hands and
knees: in a cabin. all right, but the
cabin was on the prairie. l looked
around. stupid with sleep. The ia
miliar sights met my eye-Oscar tip
toeino about. bow-legged, arms spread
like wings, drawing his breath
through his teeth. after the fashion OF
half-frozen people. Old Charley sat
bumped up in the corner sucking ms
cob pine. The stove was giving forth
n smell of hot iron. and no heat as
usual. On it rested a wash-basln,
wherein some snow was melting for
the morning ablutiOns. candle pro-
iected a sort of palpable yellow gloom
into the gray mass of icy morning air.
I dressed rapidly. AS 1 slept In
oyercoat and cap, this was no great
matter. A pair of German socks and
arctics completed my attire. Evident
ly / had been put upon the floor by
the hand of Oscar. For this, when
Oscar stretched his neither garment
tight, in the act of washing his face,
/ smote him upon the fullness thereof
with long plug of chewing tobacco.
"Aow!'' he yelled, recurring like bow
and putting his hands to his wound.
Promptly we clinched and fell upon
old Charley. To the floor the three
went amid a shower of sparks from
the cob pipe.
You dam pesky kids" said the an
cry voice of Charles (the timbre of
that voice. after travelling through
four inches of nose, is beyond imita-
tom "Get off'n me! Quit now! Stop
Yer blame foolin'!'
Oscar and I swallowed our CYCLES
and rolled all over Charley.
well, by Jeeroosha!" came from
the bottom of the heap i'm the tone of
one who has reached the breaking
point of astonished fury. I'm goin'
to do some shootin' when this is over
yes, sir, 1 won't hold back no more
EFF you boys don't git off'n me this
mint, so help me Bob! I'll bite yer!
This was a real danger, and we
skipped off him briskly.
why Charley explained Oscar
''you see, we got so excited that we
didn't notice.
There's Steve now" interrupted
Charley pointing with a long, crooked
forefinger to the doorway. We'll
Steve. I'm glad you come. just
want you to see the kind of COINS on
there is here.
Charles cleared his throat and
stuck his thumb in his vest.
"F'r instance. this mornin', l sittin'
right there in that corner, not
troublin' nobody. when up gets that
splay-footed, sprawlin', lumberin' bull
calf of an Oscar. an that mischievous,
sawed-off little monkey of Harry,
and they goes to pullin' and tusslin' i,
and they jes' walks up and down on
me, same's if / was flight Of steps.
Now, YOU know. Steve, I'm "A man
Of Sagassity an experience, an L ain t
goin to stand fur no such dog rasslin.
/ felt like doin' them boys ser'us dam
age but they're young, ana lie spreads
green and Dromisin' befo' EN-. like a
bananaXtree: consequently / prefer JUS
to tell you my time is handed in.
Charley was proudly erect. His
arms stretched aloft. His one yellow
tooth rested on his lower lip; his face
the thickness and texture OF much
worn leather pocketbook, showed a
tinge of color, as the words went 10
his head like wine.
Steve looked at the floor TOO bad,
Charley; too bad" ne said in grave
sympathy. But probably we can fix
if I'D. Now as we have company,
would YOU mind hitting the breakfast
trail?" ;,
returned Charles haughtily.
Steve dropped on a stool. sick
vour pup on" he said. Charley leaped
at the opportunity.
.There are some things 1 sh'd like
to MENTION" said he. We noted with
pleasure that he wore his sarcastic
manner. "F'r instance, you doubtless
behold them small piles of snow on
the foo, which has come III .nrous,i
certain an sundry holes in the wall
that orter been chinked last fall. is
TO nv place to chink them holes? the
oIdeS' an most experienced man In
tho huu cathop? l reckon otherwise
Then why didn't they git chinked?
"Why is it that the SHOWS and Wlnds
of an outraged and justly Indignant
Providence is allowed to lntrouoost
themselves into this company unfe-
buked? L have heard a great deal,
s,I, about the deadenin effeck pro-
, dIced upon mans vigger by steady
reliable, so'thern climate. AS clti-
zen of the State of Texas TO twenty
wears | reDel the expression with ScorIl
and hoomliation. Nevertheless ano
Notwithstanding, 1owin' that TO be the
truth. did you ever encounter any
thing in this here country TO produce
such an effeck?
"For Gawd's sake, su'. if there's
ANYTHING in variety, a man hVln mere
orter Law holt of the grass roots. FUR
fear he'd git so durn strong ne couldn
stav on the face of the yearth. Ell II
ain [ SO SlflIu. cOtu llldl - -
drap off at touch, it's sO~hell-hre hot
that q mans features melt all over his
face; and eff it amt so solemn still
that YOU re scarf to death. the wind ii
blow the buttonholes outer yer clos
7 have seen it do a hull yearful of
stunts in twenty-four hours. encludin
hot an cold weather. thunderstorms
drought, high water. and a blizzard
That settles the climate question.
'"Then what is it that has let them
holes go unchinked? I'll tell you, su
it's nothin' more nor less than the
tinkerin', triflin', pettifoggin' dispersl,
ton of them two boys. That's what
makes it that there's mo- outdoors in
side this bull-pen than there is on
the top OF Chunkey Smiths butte
that's what makes it 1 can't get up in
the mornin' without having myself
turned inter a three-ringed circus
But / amt the man to complain. Eff
there's anything that gums UP the
cards of life, it's a kicker; so jes' as
one man to another. L tells you what's