The Bottineau courant., 1912-12-27
A FIGHT
FOR A WIFE
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1912, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

twenty two. seen a gal over on t'other
side of the mountings that jest filed
the bill. l made up to her and was
talkin' bout bars, and wildcats and
sich when her mother steps in and sez:
stranger. mebbeSssyo' are wantin'
to take my gal away fur witey
"T'm reckonin' to consiuer that
would replies.
"'Then IN blow the horn fur her pop
to cum outer the woods and tell yo'
what Is what!
"She blowed and blowed. and bimeby
the old man appeared. He was
powerful man. and he didn't look good
natured. His name was Babbit, and
arter lookin' me over he sez:
Stranger, it's got to be a mighty
good man who takes my darter Sue
away fur his wife. How fur kin any
body h'ar yo' hollery
"Two miles, If the wind Is right
sezI
"'And about yo'r jumpin'r
ats clus to eight feet when don't
slip
"'Hev yo' ever dun any climbin'T
81 hev. I've climbed the tallest tree
in sight of these yere Cumberland
mountlngs.'
Sand the number of bars and wild
cats what yo've slain?' he goes on.
seemin' to want to pick a furse with
me.
""They'd purity nigh dll yo'r cabin
sez l, feelin' leetle riled at the way
he spoke.
"'Well,' sez he. arter stoppin' to con-
slider 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 fout 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' va I'm bad crit
ter as long as I've got one foot on the
airth.'
IL went away, feelin' sort O. cast
down, but the mo- thought of it the
mo- wanted the gal Sue fur my wife.
That night l made up my mind that
I'd try fur her, and next day l went
back to the cabin. Her pop was thar
and walkin' around and feelin' power
full peart
"Thar was a cpar space in the front
Of his cabin,' said the old man. land
when the gal and her mother had cum
outdoahs we threw Off our coats and
begun biZness l was accounted Il
| powerful hand' on wrassle. but that
man was also powerful critter. and
l 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' l
when Topped him on his back. That
spot on the ground looked as If fo'ty
hawgs had bin rootin' 1t up fur a
week. and 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
sort of prayer and git new hold. and
| at last l fetched him. When he was
able to talk he riz up and took my
hand and sez:
"'Stranger, it was far wrassle.
and I've been Topped. l wouldn't a be-
| lieved yo' could hev dun it. but yo'
did, and I'm sayin' yo' ar purity
good man. Howsumever. it amt over
yit. Yo've got to lick me to git Sue,
and know you kin never do it. 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. II was
mighty sore and lame. but I 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
I went back to hev it out. The critter
was a-lookin' fur me and glad to see
me.
Elbows it to be?' sez l.
"a far fout,' sez he, no THROWN
rocks nor hittin' with clubs. Whoop!
Cock-a-doodle-do!'
"Waal. we went at it. Sue and her
NAV was out thar as befo', and the gal
gin me smile as went In. 1t was a
rough and tumble fout. jest knowed
I'd got to do my level best or go under,
and lost no chances. That fout last
ed mighty nigh two hours, and two or
three times I was almost on the pint
Of lettin' go. Bimeby, howsumever, l
seen that Babbit 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 rix up and
sez to me:
"'Zeb White. I'm whopped man,
and that gal is yo'rs. didn't believe
thar was a critter on these mountings
~ could make me hoot. but 20 dun it.
And now when do yo' want the salr
Right now. reckon ses I.
"'Ain't it purity suddenr
"'Not 90 very. bein' a. she's rsady
10 CO.
Then, NAV. bring out tho broom
stick ana let 'e,n jump over 1t, ana IL
they want to be married By preacher
NY ~ do It sum other dmS.'"
"And Won took the p1ri knthoSs I