The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-07-19
lChieago Inter OceanD


"A man as is hitched to a woman ha.
mighty few days to hisself, an sich as
he has is full of trouble as the sparks
fly up" said old man Greenhut looking
around him sOTTOwfully.
The scene he surveyed was fit to IN
spire anger or sorrow, according to cir
cumstances, but one who might have
been fairly well acquainted with old
man Greenhuts irascible tendency
would have been likely to wonder why
anger was not his predominant emotion
at this particular moment.
The saloon he kept IN Arkansas city,
on the threshold # which he was stand
ing, was by no means a place OF great
elegance OF gaudy adornElent. T was,
however, plainly and comfortably fur
nished, and had usually coy appear
ance of orderly appointment which was
not uninviting to the wayfarllg man;
and this tidy air of comfort was the old
mans pride.
When, therefore, he had come from
his sleeping quarters near by at the
summons of the cOlOred citizen who did
odd jobs for him, and had found his
saloon in the widest disorder magma
bic, with bottles and glasses shattered
and strewn all over the place chairs
smashed, stove overturned, an the Ear
y
too great for endurance. Ye5, as was
said, his first expression was of sorrow
rather than anger. as if the element CT
surprise was lacking in his emotions
That his anger was near the surface,
however, was soon manifest, for the
cOlOred citizen just mentioned, who was
close at his heels aud was surveying the
devastation with almost equal interest,
teeheed vigorously, after the fashion Of
his race, and venuured a remark.
Il reckon Mis- Smiley musI a ben
lookin' fr you all, Marse Greenhut,
when you all want here"
Turning on his heel as a pivot, Old
man Greenhut swung his left for the
point Of the darkys jaw and dropped
him like a stunned OK. Then, turning
back he looked around for his bung-
starter.
Fortunately for the dairy, he was un-
able to find that instrument at once,
and. being too impatient 10 search Gor
it, he turned once more, anC with a Sc
ries of Vigorous and well directed kicks
propelled the unconscious carcass out to
the middle of the road.
Leaving it there without further con-
sideratiOn, he returned TO his saloon and
resumed his meditatiOls. 1t was sub
ject of frequent comment among his
friends that he seldom employed The
same negro for a great length Of time
To him as he stood trying IN a con-
fused way 10 realize the extent Of The
damages came pres entity his friend Joe
Bassett, sheriff Of the county, and re-
liable man in all emergencies. Neither
of the two was given II overmUch
speech, but after they had looked
around carefully for tine Joe said:
was this how come you killed the
mic Il. l.. CO.
II dunno if 1 done killed him" replied
the old man, indiffersntly. but it's a
good job if 1 did. No nigger amt goin'
to mock at my caianitiss an chUclxle
when my trouble cOmeUh, as the scrip
tur' says Not with lmpurity he amt"
"Well, how come this here p'tic'lar
bunch o. blue ruin what's stopped over
in the sloOn ?" persisted Bassett
" Pears like there'd been a rough house
here O. the worst kind"
sure has" said I'D man Creenhut. |
bitterly, but the niger want in on
that I reckon Mis- Smiley done played
lone hand. I don't see No signs ~
anybody interferin' while she was
busy"
To this more or less surprising ex-
PLANTATION Joe Bassett found nothing to
say. but he managed to express q good
deal Of meaning in long, low whistle,
which I'm some unaccountable manner
seemed to increase old man Greenhuts
bitterness amazingly.
It's well, FIR you t can whistle over
it," ne exclaimed. AS fr me. alFs I /
en- say is, in the words o. the good book, |
The Lord deliver me I'm the tender
mercies Of friends, FIR lOl they'm cruel |
lern the grave.
II reckon you m tn others meant /
well when you got a woman to come an
nuss NE when I was that feeble with /
the shakes t I couldn't hold d lung /
starter, but as the scriptur' SAYS. hell is /
full o. them Z meant well-an' me. rs /
KEEP clear O. women all my life
I never done nothin' TO you an the 4
boys whald justify no such lOvdovn /
business"
I'VE thought we was doin' fr the |
best falters9 Bassett. but the old man /
interrupted with Increasing wrath
There you go, usiH words To- make Il /
noise with. rust lire You ku"ved what 4
they meant When ou say YOU Thought /
I reckon YOU must thiEs you know what !
thinkin' is Wien q mans heat is filled /
with corn meal mush he don't RELY i
think. He on'y thinks he thinks.
Perceiving the Uselessless Of argu- /
ment. Bassett said: What do vou /
reckon started her ON this kind Of a ou-- |
break?'
why. any fool had ought to know /
that replied the old man. "Beiu' as ] 1
was feeble with sickness she reckoned !
on me marvin her. When she found 4
as I mought be feeble bat I wa'nt on /
tirely imbecile she just let herself go. 1
An that's what my friends pu- lie up 1
ag'in."