The Dickinson press., 1910-01-22
nizing the mud myself, And did a.,

Ing out n hand toward the days
work.
Hoke surveyed the wood critically,
appreciatively.
"N-no, I don't reckon l ever did see
20 much cut in n day, Tirzy." he
acknowledged. though l amt. sayin'
but lots of men could If they set out"
"Yes, that's jest It," scornfully. If
they set out. But men folks round
here don't set out to do nothing but
hunt Don and drink still whisky and
smoke corncob pipes. It's the women
who work truck patches and chop
wood and milk COWS and do every:
thing else that's sure enough work.
But what's the use talking" drop
ping her arms again listlessly. "There's
no difference between you men folks.
I think a heap of you, Hoke. like l
said last week. You're big an, good
natured and the handsomest man
round, but all you've got in the world
Is a rife and four dogs and a tumble
down cabin that's scarcely At to live
In, and I've heard you say yourself
that you could drink more corn whisky
than any man On the mountain and
not show it.
"And you 60 barefoot, too, Hoke.
Maybe III have to marry somebody
sometime, but l used to say when q
girl that I'D neve marry a man who
didn't wear Shoes"
Hoke looked down at bis feet retiec-
lively.
II don't reckon there's but one man
on the mountain who wears shoes
steady" he observed sarcastically.
"Maybe he'd marry you If you asked
him."
"You mean Ground Hogw flashed
back the girl instantly. "Well, he ask
ed me last Tuesday, and l told him,
like l did you, I'd study it over a
SPELL"
Hoke looked at her incredulously for
a moment, then threw back his head
in a roar Of laughter that echoed
through the forest.
"Told him you'd study it over"
he calculated between his bursts Of
merriment-'told Ground Hog that!
Ho, no! I'll sure have to let all the
boys know" Then instantly he be-
came sober. "Why, Tirzy," he remon-
strated, ITS scandalous! You're the
handsomest and p~eartest girl on the
mountain and the best worker. Any
man would be glad to have you.
"And he," contemptuously, "he's just
an outside %onstepper, coming here and
fencing in land and digging in the dirt
the whole enduring day, and he totes
his truck stuff down into the valley on
his W back and peddles it round.
Huh! He couldn't hit a bear ten foot
of with a shotgun, and he don't chew
and don't know the taste Of whisky.
Why, l low one spoonful would set
him plumb crazy. But he does wear
Shoes" prolonging the word deri-
sively. "And you're going to study
'bout-him"
"Yes, 1 am" quietly. HE knows
how to work and amt scared Of it.
And up where he comes from women
folks don't milk and cut fireplace wood
up there the men folks look out for
the women. If Ground Hog--I mean
MI. Allen-marries me, it won't be Just
because he aims to be more comforta-
bic. But h'sh, here he comes now"
A mar had suddenly emerged from
the woods and was approaching them
rapidly. Hoke was still standing sew
eral yards away.
AS the stranger came to about the
same distance an idea seemed to strike
the girl, for she raised her hand warn
ingly.
"Don't come any closer, either of
you," she called. II was down to
Back creek yesterday"
"Back creek!" echoed Hoke, recoiling
a few steps. why, that's where they
have the smallpox, and they do say
it's terrible this season - everybody
catches it that goes near"
eyes; I've heard &c." calmly.
"Oh. Tirzy, how could you?" And
Hoke made a few more involuntary
backward steps.
II was obliged to, Hoke. l heard a
girl I used to know was down there,
and I wanted to find out for sure"
The stranger was now at her side,
and Tirzy had noticed with an odd
look in her eyes that he had not shown
the least hesitation at her startling an
nouncement.
"Well, I'll see you again, Tirzy,"
Hoke called from a still greater dis
lance. II hope you won't catch it, but
I'm mighty afraid for you"
II don't reckon there's much danger,
Hoke," the girl retorted, "for l didn't
60 across the creek. l just called, and
a woman answered that 'twa'n't tho
girl l knew at ALL"
Hoke paused abruptly and was turn
ing to come back when something In
the attitude of the two, who were now
seated upon the log, made him grind
out a few words between his teeth and
swing savagely into the woods.
Had Learned to Obey.
1t is told Of General Havelock that
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