The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-10

Hank rugged up some flags with
hooks to EN- baited with salt pork down
into the holes, and it want long before
one of the flags wiggled up to the
further end of the line of holes, where
as Abe and Hank was both down at
tother end, but Abe he seen the flag
wiggle before Hank did. Abe didn't
say nothin but he started to run for the
flag as hard as he could run, hoping to
git a start on Hank and git there first
and thus have the homer of hauling out
the first pickerel of the day. Abe is
good cal older than Hank and not so
spry, but Hank when he saw where
Abe was headin for started in to beat
him to the hole, Hank thort he ort to
have the privilege of pullin out the
first pickerel being as he had went and
cut all the holes and becuz also all the
hshin lines was his own personal prop
erty.
Well, Hank gained on Abe like every
thing and when they got within about
so #. of the hole where the flag was
wigg1in Hank had almost ketched up to
Abe. Jest then Abe looked behind hisself
to see how clost Hank was to l1etchin
up, and blamed if Abe's foot didn't clip
or something and Abe lost his balance
and fell sprawlin on the Use and you can
believe it or not, but Abe slid head fust
lords the hole and by mighty, when he
come to it he went INTO THE HOLE
HEAD FUST & DISAPPEARED
FROM SIGHT,
Hank was awful consternated and
hollered for help, but what good did
that do? No good Hank could look
down through the ice and see Abe jest
as plain as day strugglin for dear life
and cIawin and PAWN away like as if
he had lost his senses, which he prob
ably had Hank hollered to Abe to for
goodness sakes try to claw and paw
back to the hole where he went in or he
would be a goner shure, but of course
Abe didn't hear a word through Use
nearly #. thick.
Instid of worlin back to the hole he
went into Abe worked tother way and
Hank had almost give him up for lost |
when as good luck would have it Abe, |
who seemed to be direckted by an all |
wise Providence, kind of kicked and J
swimmed right under another hole when 1
Hank, quick as scat, throwd a moose |
made of a rope which he happened to |
have in his hand, around Abe's neck !
and pulled and hauled until he dragged |
him outen the hole and thus saved his |
life Tor him
Abe was choked by this rope until he
was speechless and so cold and numb /
that he was almost unconscious, but
soon as he got on his feet and got his
Dreth he coffed about a gal of worter
0uten his lungs. While he was doin this
Hank told him what narrer excape he
had had and told him he ort to git
iown on his knees and return thanks.
Return thanks be hangedP yells Abe,
when he got his breth; IF wassent
% old and INDECENT I'd lick you within
| inch of your life, Hank Dewberry
You ort to be ashamed of yourself,
you good for nothin loafer Fust you
70 and coax me to come fishin with you
IN a bitin cold day life this, when even
fool ort to have sents enuH to stay \
lone by the fire. Then you go and push
ne into the hole on purpose to drownd
ne. You amt no better than a muir
IererI Then when you see that I'm ,
,oin to git out you thro a rope GROUND
ny neck and try to choke me to deth.
II git even with you yet, Hank Dew
erry, if it takes a hunderd years to
10 it. Soon es 1 git back to Bingville {
m going to bring suit aginst you before ]
Ame Hil1yer for pusfin me in the pond {
With intent to kill, you see if 1 dom"
This threat on Abe's part scairt Hank
good cal, so he tried to kind OF
moothe Abe down, as you might say
Tank happened to have with him a PIN
ottle of whiskey VIII oh he had intended
D drink durin the day on the sly, all O
y hisself, but jest to make up with
Abe he askd him if he wouldn't like to &