Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1906-07-18

thing we call enjoyment out of III, 9
as anyone in city where TIERS al.
ways something goiag-"
Well" the rough voice of wom.
an called suddenly through the front
door, which had been slowly open d.
Skeet Wood suddenly grasped the
rail upon whica he sat, and raised to
jumping posture.
Don't be skeered now, you buzZard'
looking tramp"
I'm not skeered, but | hate to meet
people so suddenly" Skeet replied.
Whit do you hist yoself on per.
sons front fence fer, if you don't
want to meet them sudden
"Well, you see didn't think any.
body lived here"
swell, you see you air mistaken.
We jest moved in here day before
yestidy, but we live here jest the
same as if we'd moved here year be.
fore last. Been to dinner?"
mo. Nor breakfast neither, since
you brought up the subject
"All right" the husky looking WON
an said; go back there and drive
that shote out of the sorghum patch
and I'll get you something to eat Go
and help him, Pris. You know how
cnruly them shotes of that red sow
air. Go on. He amt goin to bite
you"
Skeet beat down an army of weeds
and joined Pris at the back door.
Pris was the first to speak
"Say, jump these later rows. Nav
will holler If you step on one Of
them"
All right, Miss Pris"
"How'n the devil did you know my
name was Pris."
II heard your nav say 1t was"
II amt heared nobody say whut
your, name be" said Miss Pris.
Ny name might be Skeet."
"Skeet? Named after a skeeter,
wusn't you? Look kinder like skeet'
err anyhow. Well, now, yonders the
shote, You go around that way and
I'll go around this here way, and we'll
both come up behind him."
Skeet had not yelled "sewey there"
more than half dozen times before
he had fallen in love with Miss Pris,
She was about IS years Of age, built
on the style Of robust fence-jumping
steer, and'wa as reckless In her every.
day manner as young lady could be
without being dangerous.
The shote was at last driven to the
rail fence, where 1t disappeared
through a crack into the tall weeds.
At noon the woman's husband came
from somewhere on q mule whose hair
was long and his ears worked back
and forth when he walked. Skeet was
invited into the kitchen, where stood
table with four seats around it.
Take that there vacant seat over
on that side, Whut's name"
I'VE did have just exactly table
full in this family, but Bud had to
go and get sent to the penitentiary.
SO you air lucky in getting a seat"
Pris looked at Skeet "You don't
know who Bud is, do your"
"N0, I don't remember Of ever meet
ing Bud"
''well, Bud he's my husband, or was
before he got sent to the PEN"
Five weeks faded into the past like
q cigarette paper in the rain. Skeet
was an occupant Of the cabin. They
a III ~nxo11 md a
much at home there as he could have
been anywhere. A bed had been pre-
pared for him in the loft. It was
even better than Skeet had been used
to, and what If 1t was not? A man
shouldn't notice hard bed when he
is in love.
In this family Skeet was guest and
boarder. In consideration of his bed,
board and booze, with washing thrown
in. he was under obligation to scare
a shote out Of the sorghum patch four
or five times a day and to hide the
mule In the tall weeds every time any
person was observed coming along the
road, the mule having been stolen by
the old man few weeks before.
The old man was large, with a face
Of fierce bushy whiskers, and eyes like
those of a rat-keen. beady, black.
Shortly after Skeet had driven the
hog out of the sorghum patch one day
the old man led him down ladder
into the cellar and explained to him
the working Of small matchmaking
OUTFIT.
"Skeet, this here business operates
ON a small scale and is quiet. Recol-
lect that"
Il amt going to tell nothing. No.
mo-. | won't even think about it when
| get in yelling distance of stranger.
Because I'm going to be a member OF
this family after next week."
'sYou and the gal has calkilated to
get hitched up, have you? Well, she
made Buddy a mighty good woman"
skeet and the girl drove over TO
Pursley and got married.
Another cabin was built just across
the potato patch, and became the home
AZ this couple. Skeet was annexed as
Z partner in the Quiet business going
on in the cellar, and an easy, lazy liv-
ing was made--thO sort OF existence