The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-12-09
A ZIG +
FON A WIFE
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1912. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

side of the mountiags that jest filled
the bill. | made up to her and was
talkin' bout bars and wildcats and
sich when her mother steps in and seq:
stranger. mebbe yo' are wantin'
to take my gal away fur wifeY
I'm reckonin' to consider that l
would replies.
"Then I'll blow the horn fur her pop
to cum outer the woods and tell yo'
what is what!
"She bowed and blowed, and bimeby
the old man appeared. He was
powerful man, and he didn't look good
natured. His name was Rabbit, and
after lookin' me over he seq:
stranger, it $ got to be mighty
good man who takes my darter Sue
away fur his wife. How fur kin any
body h'ar yo' hollerY
1.-TWO miles, If the wind is right
sell.
"'And about yo'r jumpln'T
"'It's clus to eight feet when l don't
slip
"'Hev yo' ever dun any climbin'T
81 hev. I've climbed the tallest tree
in sight Of these we're Cumberland
mountings.'
land the number of bars and Wild
cats what yo've slainT he goes on,
seemin' to want to pick furse with
me.
They'd purity nigh fill yo'r cabin
Id "
he spoke.
"'Well seq he, after stoppin' to con-
slider a bit, nobody kin take that gal
away Jest bekase he kin boot or climb
or kill varmints He's got to lay me
on my back in far font. I'll gin you
a week to think it over. If yo' want
the gal yo' must cum back and tackle
me. and I'm tellin' yo' I'm bad crit
ter as long as I've got one foot on the
airth.
81 went away feelin' sort o. cast
down. but the mo- | thought Of 1t the
mo- wanted the gal Sue fur my wife.
That night | made up my mind that
I'd try fur her. and next day | went
back to the cabin. Her pop was thar
and walkin' around and feelin' power
full peart
Thar was a crar space in the front
of his cabin said the old man, "and
when the gal and her mother had cum
outdoahs we threw off our coats and
begun bizness was accounted a
powerful hand on wrassle. but that
man was also a powerful critter, and
| reckoned I'd hev to hev help from
the Lawd to gain the victory. 1t was
10 o'clock in the mawnin' when we
begun, and the clock was jest strikin' |
when Topped him on his back. That
spot on the ground looked as IL fo'ty
hawgs had bin roOtin' 1t up fur a
week. aud he was so beat out he could
hardly speak. Mo- than twenty times
in them three hours that critter had
me almost dun fur. but I'd send up a
sort Of prayer and git new hold, and
at last | fetched him. When he was
able to talk he riz up and took my
hand and seq:
"'Stranger. ii was a far wrassle,
and I've been Topped. | wouldn't a be-
lieved yo' could hev dun It. but yo'
did. and I'm sayin' 20 ar purity
good man Howsumever. IL amt over
yit. Yo've got to lick me to git Sue,
and know you kin never do II. Well
take three days to rest up. and then
yo' kin cum back and tackle me- "
"And did you go?" | asked as the
old man made long pause.
EUR suah." he replied. 81 was
mighty sore and lame but | knowed
he would be as bad off Besides. that
gal Sue had hooted fur me when
Topped her pop. and knowed by that
she was with me and would hope fur
me to come out on top. In three days
went back to hev II out. The critter
was a-lookin' fur me and glad to see
me.
Flows il to ber SEE |.
"a far fout,' sez he, no THROWN
rocks nor hittin' with clubs. Whoopl
Cock-a-doodle-dor
"Waal, we went at Il. Sue and her
nav was out thar as befO'. and the gal
gin me smile as | went in. II was a
rough and tumble fout jest knowed
I'd got to do my level best or 60 under,
and lost no chances. That fout last
ed mighty nigh two hours, and two or
three times l was almost on the pint
of lettin' go. Bimeby, howsumever, |
seen that Rabbit was gettin' tired out,
and the gal clapped her hands and
sicked me on. Ten minits arter that
had him whopped. Thar wasn't no
mistake about 1t, bekase he riz up and
SEE to me:
"'Zeb White, I'm a whopped man,
and that gal is yo'rs. | didn't believe
thar was a critter on these mounungs
as could make me boot. but yo' dun IL.
And now when do yo' want the gal!
fright now. reckon seq |.
"'Ain't It purity sudden
"'NOt so very. bein' as she's ready
to 60
Then. nav. bring out the broom
stick and let 'em jump over It, and IL
they want TO be married by a preacher
they kin do IL sum other time"
And you took the girl homer" I