The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-23

SLAB CITY, VT. Feb. 23.-Wher
the local branch of the Prevarlcators
Union met at the general store the
other night and unanimously appoint
ed Elder Luke White to act as chalr
man curing the illness of Oracle Cum
mings Ezra Sprout declared in an aud
ible whisper that he was willing &c
wager a new penny the elder would
get rid of a lively yarn before the
meeting broke up.
Had anyone taken the wager ne
would have been out of pocket, for al
ter a few "midlin' betty tales had
been unfolded, the elder cleared his
throat and lighted his pipe as a signal
that he might, if duly urged, resurrect
an occurrence or two from his re
markable memory.
This ere amt jest the proper place
t. unload what l was thinkin' O tellln
ye," he explained by way OF intro
duction after Ezra and the others
had urged him sufficiently. ut amt
the place, for it's gospel treuth, as
OF Ace Billin's would tell We If he was
alive std O. bein' planted over to
Notown Four Corners along wi the
three helpmeets that passed away
b'fore him. But when | seen the ma
iority of this congregation is cOmpos
ed O. bar hunters, or them at thinks
they be, said to myself, Elder, yell
halter git rid ont for it's the only bar
yarn we've got in yer noodle, dinged
if it amt.
Ace was a alfred good citizen
seems 'ough he was, but he had one
turrible queer streak in him. He jest
ached to hunt bars, though he didn't
know no more bout 'em than an oil
woman-an' do know as he knowed
as much. He was right powerful an
sta 'nch till he seen one O the var
mints comm, when he allus turned
as student as cold be into weak oil
sister an fired too high, err too low
err fore or blind er suthin. Least
wise he never ketched a b'ar-that is
not but one; an that's the critter
I'm a-goin' to tell ye' about.
1T was along late in the falls
reccolect it that he got sight O. the
cuss moggyin' round his cabin and
sniffin' O. some victuals he cached
under a log clust by the back door to
keep 'em out o the way O. mice. II
was turrible aggrevatin havin' the
varmint so nigh, so Ace made up his
mind he'd shoot him even if he did
mt have nothin' dangerouser'n an old
smooth bore carbine and No 4 shot
There want a turrible amount O. shot
in camp, nuther, cOnsiderin' Ace was
doin' the shootin' and OF Sim Curtis
his parGner, want a mite surprised
when it was all used up and the bar
was still fOotin' it to an fro and
maxim himself might uncomfortable
Ace just cO'ldn't seem t git a bead
on the cuss and the more he shot the
madden he got. He must have wabbled
when he aimed for several times he
got real close handy by, but away
went the bar as sassy as cold be-
gruntin' and whinin' Because his plans
was interfered with. Two, three times
he lost smitch O. fur, but not a
shot smarted him and the longer he
was plugged at the sassier he was.
Finally, one mornin' when the bar
walked right into the shanty and took
off ham bone. Ace was s. mad he
most choked. Every shot had been
used up, but Sim was just putin
some peas to soak for soup and Ace
dropped a handf'l down the berril O.
the carbine and wadded them in tight
There, We goo'-fer-nOthin' iron
hole hays he, addressin' the shoOtin
iron and shakin' it in front of his face,
if We don't go straight this time I'll
wallupse the stuffin out of We an
have We melted up, 1urn ye.'
Don't We dast to go huntin' wi