Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-09-26
The Evening Story
THE MANWHO
WAS PEART

Copyright. 1919, BY Associated Lat
erary preeS.

but was 20 strong and hale and hearty
that I knew hs must have been won
derfvlly tough man In his younger
days. I tried several times to draw
him out. and ono evening a. We sat
smoking. with his good wife on the
other side Of the areplace, he began:
when got married thought was
Jest the peartest thing on the face OF
the airth. l could ouuump. outhollsr
and outright anything cum across on
these yere mountains. had never
been licked BY bar or man. and II any
critter was shoutin' when ] hove In
sight he shet up mighty sudden. Yes.
I was the hull thing. and 1t kinder
makes me lonesome to think back to
them days"
TO the times when you was maxim
a fule Of yoself.' said Mrs. White
without raising her eyes from her knit
ting.
"Arter had got married" continued
Zeb. with a wink at me. II thought to
steady down. but folks wouldn't let me.
II / didn't have fuss with somebody
about 20 often they talked that was
losin' my sand. Mind 20. didn't 80
howlln' around like rAgin' Hon lookin'
fur trubble. but the critters who were
achin' fur lickin's cum to me. had to
tackle six different men right yere to
home in one week"
'And you was glad to do It" said
Mrs.. white.
"Waal, I was no man to run for the
bresh when q man cum along and sed
he was most dead for want Of a
whoopin'. ! took 1t to be kinder way
to turn to and give him what be want
ed. One night in the summer. as ! had
Just got to sleep. a yellin' starts mp
about a half mile away. 1t was a
noise betwixt the roarin' Of lion and
the gvowlin' Of a bulldog. and a. 1t
drawed higher the old woman sot up
and asks:
"'Zeb White. but what in the name
Of all creashun Is thatT
"It's a bullgine got of the railroad
tracks and maxim its way across the
kentry.' says I.
"'It's nuthin' Of the kind says she.
IT'S Gabriel soundin' his trumpet for
the Judgment day.
I'VE was both mistaken. however.
The noise came higher and higher. and
bimeby we made out that 1t was q
man. He had come to lick me. He
had come ffty miles. 1t was a moon
light night. ana got up and looked
out the winder at him. The sight
made my hair curl. He was nigh
seven feet high and as broad ASA
barn. He vas az big as a giant In a
sldeshow. When he saw my head at
the winder he gives roar that goes
echoin' over the mounting and says:
"'Come down, Zeb White"
81 hain't got no furse with you.'
says I.
"'But come down and obleege mo
and make me feel that life is worth
livin'r
"'Tll come down says 1. and not.
withstanding the old woman hung on
to me with tears and said I'd be kill.
ed went down.
AR this Zeb whIte!' he asks in a
purrin' voice.
"'It arr
"Then am the thankfulest man in
all Tennessee! Zeb. I'm goin' to
squash 20 all to SQUASH
Il made up my mind that was a
dead COON" continued FEB. "but would
do the best could. We squared OF
and went at It. and in about two min
utes was surprised man.
$50 was the stranger. He was nuth-
in but windbag. He was as habby
as a goose and a. soft as wax. and /
believe could have licked him with
one hand tied behind me. 1t was over
in ave minutes, and he was hollerin' for
mercy. When let him up he said:
"'Zeb. It was squar' and fair. and
hain't no complaint to make. Did you
ever see 4 circusr
"T never did
"Then 90 down to Bristol on Wed
nssday and see one Thar's all sorts
Of animals. and one is called an ele.
plant He kin lick you In two min
utes.'
"Ms'n the old woman had deal of
curiosity about that elephant. as We
had never seen one. and so We got
ready and went to town. The circus
and the elephant was thar. along with
a heap Of other things. We pays our
money and goes IN. and I says to the
Teller inside:
"'What's that critter they calls the
elephant. II you pleaseT
HE p'ints the way. and we so over
and look at him. He was the biggest
Twin thing ever saw. but after look
In him over says to the old woman:
"I reckon he's achin' to be walloped,
and reckon I'm the critter to do IT,
"Shs bess and pleads with me not to
try It on. She p'ints out the fact that
he's bigger'n our new shed and that l
don't stand NO show. but differed With
her. The stranger had put me on my
mettla"
"'And how did It end?" I asked as
zeb made long pause and Mn. White
R31elaA In hne lthr0at