The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-17

was full o whisky and fight They
didn't wait to do any talkin', but the
fust was knowed Of EN- they yelled
out and fred threw the winders. Two
Of the bullets went into the head
board Of the bed, and yo' kin reckon
that me and the ole woman rolled out
in a hurry. As we did so she said:
'Zebs it's the Jacksons come to
wipe yO' out and now don't yo' go
and make a fule O yO'rselfi'
AS how2' I says.
g AS to shootin' back. Just keep
party. If yo' 60 TO shootin' they'll
take cover behind the trees and won't
come nigh the house, but If yo' keep
still they'll come Dustin at the door
Dimeby I want to let them cats hev
1t was powerful hard fur me not
to shoot back. sab" said Zeb, as his
battle. but I held on to myself. Them
Jacksons figgered that I would open
the doah and make a target o. myself.
and they was ready to fill me full O.
lead They kept yellin' and shootin'
fur about ten minits, and then they
changed the programme. They amt
no towards, the Jacksons. The ole
man come out from behind his tree and
walked up to within ten feet of the
doah. and as he stood thar the fairest
kind Of target. he calls to me:
'Zeb White, 20 traded me on an
ole mewl with spavins from his ears
faction The JacksOns are all yere,
but they amt gOin' to mix in. It's a
furse between US two. Show yo'rself
to be a man and come out and fight
me If yo' don't do it, yo' are the big
gest coward on the Cumberland noun
tings.'
''Dawg-gone me-" exclaimed the old
man, as ne FOse up and moved about,
but couldn't stand that and live.
was fur openin' the doah and maxim
fair fout of 1t, but the ole woman
hung on to my legs and coazed me
to wait a mint longer She wanted
all them Jacksons in a bunch, and she
knowed the rest would come forward
soon- So they did. If they had been
towards, they wouldn't hev done that.
Why. even a child could hev shot 'em
down. AS they hadn't heard anythin'
from me, they puzzled and presently
they got a log to bust the doan in
Then the ole woman whispers to me
to fire over their heads and yell, and
as I did so she works her plan She
had led string from the henhOuse
dOah threw the winder, and as she pull
ed on the string them wildcats flew
out. Lawd save yo', sab, but 70 orter
seen the row."
Did the cats go for the Jacksons?'' I
asked.
The red-hottest sort. sab They was
hungry and thirsty and mad, and they
didn't hev to make but two jumps to
light on a man. / WhOOped and the ole
woman hollered. and with the screams
sons, yo'd although a hull circus had
broke loose. There wasn't a Jackson who
didn't git bit and clawed- Them cats
wanted revenge fur the way they had
bin treated. and they got full payment
Two of the JacksOns got on their bosses
and rode off. but the other three had
to leave on foot. Things was bilin' hot
fur five ninits. and then the cats and
the JackSOnS made tracks and left me
and the ole woman TO laugh over it.
went out and united the critters and
let 'em gallop home, and once in awhile
during the night we heard one o tie
cats cryin' out on the mounting"
But about the Jacksons2"
Next mawnin' the ole man conle
over yere without any guns on him. He
had about 16 scratches and bites He
shook hands. had a nip from the jug,
and then said:
9 'Zeb White. them spavins is all
right and I haint nuthfn' agin yo-' A
critter as kin shoot. yell claw, scratch
and pull hair all to once. and lick i've
Jaclsons in a fair fout, is a man from
head to heel. and I'm we're Jest to gath
er UP hats. buckles. buttons and rags
right, 1904, by T. c. McClure.)