The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-09-27

Duncan began by asking for dinner for
himself and horse.
little piece of the mountain top, while
own no inch of Gods earth or any
thing else except my horse, my four
pistols, my saddle and bride and the
clothes wear"
'What's your plan-goin' to settle
in the mountings? They say there'll
be big money in 'stillin' whisky an not
a-payin' of the high tax on it. It's a
resky business, or will be when the
Yanks get themselves settled down
into possession, like, but I kin see
you're game fer resks, an eff you want
workin' pardner I'm your man.
There's water power just little way
down the mounting in a valley that one
good man with a rifle kin defend"
''Thank you for your OFFER" answer
ed Duncan. "But I'm not thinking of
settling in the mountains. I'm going to
the west if can get there Now, to do
that I must cross the valley, and I
must have some provisions. Can you
sell me side Of bacon, a little bag of
meal and little salt?"
"What kin you pay with, mister?"
"Well, I have no money, Of course,
except worthless Confederate paper,
but I have two pairs of Colts navy
six revolvers, and I'd be glad to give
you one pair Of them for my dinner,
my horses feed and the provisions I
have mentioned
SNnw 1On1 o.h0vn roicfor. - ~,
the mountaineer, rising and straighten-
ing himself to his full height of six
feet four, when you come to my door
you was mighty hungry. You axed fer
dinner an boss feed, an I've done
give 'em to you free, gratis an fer
nothin'. No man on the face O. Gods
yearth kin say as how he ever come to
81 Watkins house in need Of a dinner
an boss feed 'thout a-gittin' both.
An no man kin say as how 81 Watkins
ever took a cent O. pay fer a-entertain-
In of angels unawares, as the preach
ers says. But when it comes to fur
n1shln' you with side O. bacon an
some meal an salt, that's more differ
enter. That's business. There's mighty
little meal an mighty few sides O. ba-
con in these here parts, but 1 don't
mind a-tellin' you as how my wife's
done managed to hide a few sides O.
bacon an little meal from the fellers
what come up here to collect the tax in
Kind. Eff you choose to take one O.
them sides O. bacon an a little meal
an salt an give me one O. your pistols,
I'm quite agreeable. The gun mout
come in handy when 1 git a little still
a-goin' down there in the holler."
"Ill do better than that" answered
Duncan. ''T'll give you a pair of the
pistols, as said.'
Hold on! Go leetle slow, mister.
an don't forgit nothin'. You promised
to gimme the par O. pistols fer the
bacon an meal an salt an fer yer din
ner an boss feed. I've done tole Won
as how 81 Watkins don't never take no
pay fer dinner an boss feed, so YOU
can't offer me the par O. pistols 'thout
oterin' to pay fer yer entertainment O.
man an beast, an I won't have that. I
tell you.''
VERY WELL" said Duncan. II didn't
mean that. I'll give you one of the
pistols in payment for the supply Of
provisions. That will end the business
part of the matter. Now, I'm going to
do something else with the other pistol
the mate of that one."
With that he opened his pocketknite
and scratched on the silver mounting
of the pistol butt the. legend: Ito 81
Watkins, in memory Of a visit. From
Guilford Duncan. Cairo, ILL.,
Then, handing the inscribed weapon
to his host. he said:
Il have; right to make you q little
present. purely in the way of friend