Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-10-17
THE MAN WHO
WAS PEART
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1912. by Associated Lit
erary Press
By M. QUAD

The old possum hunter Of the Ten
nessee mountains was sixty years old.
but was 90 strong and hale and hearty
that knew he must have been won
derfully tough man In his younger
days. tried several times to draw
him out. and one evening as we sat
smoking, with his good wife on the
other side Of the fireplace. he began:
when l got married l thought was
jest the peartest thing on the face Of
the airth. could outjump. outholler
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.
was the hull thing. and it kinder
makes me lonesome to think back to
them days"
ITO the times when you was maxim
fule Of yo'self!" said Mrs. White
without raising her eyes from her knit
ting.
"Arter had got married." continued
Zeb. with wink at me. II thought to
steady down. but folks wouldn't let me.
If | didn't have fuss with somebody
about so often they talked that was
losin' my sand. Mind yO', didn't go
howlin' around like ragin' lion loOkin
fur trubbe. but the critters who were
achn' 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 a man cum along and sed
he was most dead for want Of a
whoopin' took it to be kinder way
| TO turn to and give him what he want
! ed. One night in the summer. as ! had
| just got to sleep. yellin' starts up
about half mile away. 1t was a
noise hetwiXt the roarin' Of lion and
the growlin' of bulldog. and as it
drawed higher the old woman sot up
and asks:
"'Zeb White. but what in the name
of all creashun is that?
Its bullgine got off the railroad
tracks and maxim its way across the
kentry.' says l.
Its nuthin' of the kind says she.
Its 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 it was a
man. He had come to lick me- He
had come fifty miles. 1t was NOON
light night. and I got up and looked
out the winder at him. The sight
made my hair curl He was nigh
seven feet high and as broad as a
barn. He was ms big as a giant in a
sideshow. When he saw my head at
the winder he gives roar that goes
echoin' over the mounting and says:
"'Come down. Zeb White
"T hain't got no furse with you
says I.
"'But come down and obleege me
and make me feel that life ia worth
livin'v
"I'll come down. says l. and not
withstahding the old woman hung on
to me with tears and said I'd be kill
ed I went down.
| Gar this Zeb Winter he asks in a
purrin' voice.
at arr
"Then I am the thankfulest man In
all Tennessee! Feb. I'm goin' to
squash 20 all to squash!
II made mp my mind that was a
dead coon." continued Zeb. "but would
do the best could. We squared OF
and went at 1t. and in about two min.
utes I was Il surprised man.
$50 was the stranger. He was nuth.
in but q windbag. He was a. nabby
% q goose and as soft AZ wax. and I
believe could have licked him With
one hand tied behind me. It was over