Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-02-01

late uncle, had written me to meet
him and seven horses which Unc had
willed me, at the station. I went
thitherward
Over in the yards of the PenHsy,
found him and his select assortment
of equine roustabouts.
Murf was all to the good. He had
Kentucky dialect that sounded like
a pink tea on moonshiner's lawn,
and he was made up to look like some
thing that could be but didn't seem
possible.
Murf was glad to see me. "Yo' all
cern'ly do favah yo' Uncle owen, sub :
Mighty sudden taking off, but a
ge'man, sub, right up to the finish of
the funeral sa'monies-yes sub! Prov
tdence had saw fit to drag yo' Uncle
away from the pleasures of the thirst,
but like a brave Kaintucky ge'man
he furnished drinkables for all them
that saw him planted-thoughtful
ge'man, yo' Uncle Owen, sub! In all
the history of our country, sub, they
want nevah a funeral wh'a B'u'bon
was so free and tasted SO good. Know
much about bosses, subj"
Then and there I tried to confess to
Murf that l didn't know the difference
between fetlock and a quart of oats.
Il don't quite understand why my
late lamented Uncle Owen should
have turned this founding asylum
of FLIES over to me, Murf. l never
did Unc any harm in life and 1 don It
see why he should come back after the
croak and haunt me in the form of
seven spinled-legged sand-pounders!
Family pride, subj" Murf an
swered, incisively. "Yo' late Uncle
Owen done much for the spot of kings,
sub! He spent his money freely, sub,
for the glory of the steeplechase and
the one mile dash ovah the old co'se,
subj"
Generous Unc," answereds some
what bitterly.
"And when yo' uncle was entered,
subj in his last race with the pale boss
whose rider is Death sub, he called
me ovah and says, 'Murf, yc' all take
three of them thu'breds for yoself
and them othah seven goes to my
brothers boy IN New Yo'k according
to my last will and estament-bettah
pull open a fresh bottle of that Blu
bon, Murf! he said, sub, just afo he
turned his face to the wall"
Murf paused while memory stepped
up to the bar and refreshed itself
What made Uncle Owen think
that l would shrek with joy over the
arrival of seven sunburned colts into
the bosom of my family?" l finally
asked in despair.
Just a few weeks previous to yo'
uncles demise, sub, Kaintucky
hossman came home from the east,
sub, and informed yo uncle that yo'
all was big Casino on the eastern
tracks, subj"
"a Kentucky horseman told Uncle
owen that?" I repeated. Naughty
horseman. What's his name?"
Hank Peters, sub, from ovah
Bowling Green way. Him and Kee
Barclay, the old colt tanner from
Princeton, Kaintucky, spent sev'al
weeks III ILG east ILLS oJI Iltt11h
told yo' Uncle Owen. sub, that he
chummed up with yo' all at Graves
end"
Hank chummed up with me at
Gravesend!" / echoed, vainly trying
to get wise Il wonder if that was
the day I fell off the water wagon!"
Hank was all swelled up ovah
meeting yo, sub Yo' all told Hank
that when it came to knowing the race
track game yo' had Riley Grannon
nut to bed without saying his pray
ersi"
81 told Hank that did II"
"Yo' all did, subj and yo' told him
that when it came to show down on
boss knowledge yo' had James R.
Keene up in a sycamo' tree a'hollerin'
for help, subj"
could feel my ears getting red.
"That was the day yo' all won
$4,000 on the 10th race, subj"
.eThe day I won $42,Oo0-who
dared to wake me?"
Hank says yo' oil told him that it
was the smallest win you had made
at the meet, subj"
There's no doubt about it, Murf,
I said, tboughtfully. THAT was the
day l fell off the water wagon, and
must have landed on Hank good and
lard. remember the afternoon. but
can't place Hank wonder what
round of drinks he blew IN with!
That was the evening l win IS and
the shock drove me up against the
bar. 1t was my first take-down in
six weeks and it made me so nervous
I was afraid to keep the cash. Before
dark I had traded my roll for bun,