The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-07-12
Skeet Wood--Retired.
BY GEORGE BINGHAM.
Copyright. 1905. by Daily story pub. Co,


the voice OF nature. But | guess the
people who use to live here have got
Just as much or more of that vapory
thing we call enjoyment out of living
as anyone In a city. where there's al.
ways something going
'Well!' the rough voice of won.
an called suddenly through tho front
door, which had been slowly opened.
Skeet Wood suddenly grasped the
rail upon which he sat and raised to
a jumping posture.
Don't be skeered now. you buzzard.
looking tramp"
I'm not skeered. but hate to meet
people 80 suddenly" Skeet replied.
Whit do you hist yo'self on a per.
sons front fence fer, If you don't
want to meet them sudden"
We'll. you see, didn't think any.
body lived here"
We'll, 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 wom'
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
onruly 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 II 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"
Il amt heared nobody say whut
your name be-" said Miss Pris.
my name might be Skeet."
"Skeet? Named after skeeter,
wusn't you? Look kinder like skeet.
err anyhow Well, now, yonder's the
shote. You go around that way and
I'll 80 around this here way. and we'll
putH come up Denlnu MIN.
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 was as reckless In her every.
day manner as a 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 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 1t.
Take that there vacant seat over
on that side. Whut's name"
1--WE did have just exactly table
full in this family, but Bud had to
90 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"
mo, don't remember of ever meet
Ing Bud"
We'll, Bud he's my husband or was
before he got sent to the pen."
Five weeks faded into the past like
cigarette paper in the rain. Skeet
was an occupant OF the cabin. They
had treated him we'll and he was as
much at home there as he could have
been anywhere. A bed had been pre-
pared for him in the loft. II was
even better than Skeet had been used
to, and what II 1t was not? A man
shouldn't notice a 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
shote out of the sorghum patch four
or FIVE times 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 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 whisky-making
outfit.
"Skeet. this here business operates
on a small scale and is quiet, Recol.
lect that"
amt going to tell nothing, No.
no, won't even think about 1t when
get in yelling distance of stranger.
Because I'm going to be member Of
this family after next week"
you 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 Quilt just across
the potato patch, and became the home
of this couple Skeet was annexed as
a partner in the quiet business going