The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-12-20
STEVE'S LUCKY TUMBLE
81 OSCAR DAWSON.

I
request the old gentleman told me an
Incident in his own love affairs. which
give In his own words:
Wall. seeing it's you, don't mind
telling you about . scrApe that hap
pened 10 me when ! was eourting
Nancy here. That are is something
that never tell anybody. But ye shall
have IT."
NO. don't steVe!' broke in the old
woman Il should think you would
be ashamed OF yourself telling your
love scrapes TO everybody"
IT you can't Abear to hear It." said
Steve. you may 90 out of doors! So
here goes.
When l was nigh about twenty-one
| came up here alone and built me 3
cabin.
Il hadn't a naber nearer than FIVE
miles. so ye see didn't quarrel much;
but as Il grew to be near winter l got
kinder lonesome, and begun to think l
ought to have 3 woman to keep me.
company; 30 one morning / started
down to Lenway to take . look at the
girls, to see IL | could nnd one to suit
me-"
When I got down to the village
asked young chap II he knew OF q
girl that wanted to get married, and he
told me that he guessed that Nancy
Knox did. and IL wanted wife had
better try and hitch on with her; and
he said that IL / was agreeable be
would go to old KnoI's and make me
acquainted with Nancy, and be was
as good as his word; and 'twasn't an
hour before Nancy and l were on the
best Of terms.
"Afore night had hired out with old
Knox for two pounds a month with
| board and lodgin, and was TO work
all winter.
Wall, for about two months | felt
as neat as a mouse In q new cheese.
| courted Nancy every Sunday night,
and / was determined before another
month to pop the question, and hadn't
bit Of doubt but what Nancy would
be oyerjoyed at becoming my bosom
companion.
Wall, about this time there came
fellow from London to keep school,
and he hadn't been there more'n
week afore found that he had a nat.
ural hankering arter Nancy.
Wall, one Sunday night, Bill Smith,
for that was the critters name, came
IN jest at dusk, and when the clock
struck nine he didn't seem ready to
go. Old Mrs. Knox and the young
'uns all went off to bed, and there were
none left but old Knox, Bill, Nancy,
and and there we sat, round the fire.
without saying word.
Always afore old Knox had gone
Off to bed and left the coast clear for
Nancy and !. and | kept 'specting ey.
cry minnit that he would tell Bill to
clear out, but he did no such a thing;
but jest as the clock struck ten he
ris up.
Steve, says he, let's go to bed
for we must be up bright and airly.
Want that a hint, eh? I looked
at Nancy, but she turned away her
he'd, and at this up and marched
out into the entry, and up the ladder
to bed. | was boiling over mad with
creation-Bill, Nancy, and old Knox In
particular. l got into bed and kivered
myself up, but | felt 30 bad that |
couldn't go to sleep Like as not, the
schoolmaster was kissing Nancy down
in the kitchen, and couldn't shet my
eyes for the life OF me. /
Wall, all at once 1t occurred to me
that there was some big cracks In the
floor over the kitchen, and could
watch and see all that was going on
below; so out OF bed got, and crawled
along close to the chimney on all
fours, and finding big crack looked
down through. Bill and Nancy were
sitting about two feet apart. though
every now and then Bill would hitch
his chair little nearer to he~. How
could have choked him then!
Wall, | watched them for about a
quarter OF an hour and by that time
was near about froze, az 1t was an aw.
full cold night. But l wouldn't 20 te
bed, for was bound to know il
Nancy was true to me. By-and-bye
Bill hitched up his chair little closer
and could see that he had made IN
his mind and was just going to kiss
her
How it riled me- But was bound
to see 1t through, so | moved little
Ia get better view, and that minnit
the plank l was on tipped up. and
down | went right atween BIZ and |
Nancy.
Bill thought for once that Old Nick |
had come, and he bolted out O. doors
and | started out OF the kitchen az |
quick as you could say 'scoot, and az
was going up the ladder l heard old |
Mrs. Knox holler, Nance, scoot the cat
down, or she will break every dish on
the dresser
The next morning, when we went
to milking, | popped the question to
Nancy, and she said she would have