The herald., 1913-01-16
A FIGHT
FOR A WIFE
Copyright, 1912, by Associated Lit
erary Press.
By Nj. QUAD

J TWENTY-FIVE, L seen IL Sdl over Oh OlueI
side of the mountings that jest filled
! the bill. | made up to her and was
! talkin' bout bars and wildcats and
SIGH when her mother steps in and seq
stranger. mebbe yO' are wantin
to take my gal away fur wife,
Tin reckonin' to consider that
would replies.
""Then I'll blow the horn fur her POP
| to cum outer the woods and tell yo
| what is what"
"She bowed and blowed. and bimeby
the old man appeared. He was Il
powerful man. and he didn't look good
natured. His name was Rabbit. and
arter lookin' me over he seq:
stranger, it S got to be n mighty
good man who takes my darter she
away fur his wife. How fur kin any
body h'ar yo' hOller?
1.-TWO miles. if the wind is right,
seq l.
"'And about yo'r jumpin'T
"'It's clus to eight feet when l don't
slip
"'Hev yo' ever dun any climbin?
81 hev. I've climbed the tallest tree
in sight of these yere Cumberland
mOuntings.'
"'And the number of bars and wild
cats what yo've slain?' he goes on.
seemin' to want to pick furse with
me.
They'd purity nigh fill yo'r cabin
seq /. feelin' a leetle riled at the way
he spoke.
WELL SEE 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 a 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' yO' I'm bad crit
ter as long as I've got one foot on the
airth.'
81 went away feelin' sort O cast
down. but the mo- | thought Of it the
mo- / wanted the gal Sue fur my wife
That night ! made up my mind that
I'd try fur her, and next day | went
back to the cabin. Her pop was thar
and walkin' around and feelin' power
full peart.
Thar was a crar 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
powerful hand on q wraSSle. but that
man was also a powerful critter. and
I 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' |
when | Topped him on his back. That
spot on the ground looked as If fo'ty
hawgs had bin rootin' it up fur
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 a new hold. and
at last l fetched him. When he was
able to talk he riz up and took my
hand and seq:
stranger. 1t was a Far wrassle.
and I've been Topped. I wouldn't a be-
lieved yo' could hev dun 1t. but yo'
did, and I'm sayin' 20 ar a purity
good man. Howsumever. 1t amt over
yit. Yo've got to lick me to git Sue.
and l 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 a long pause.
Fur suah." he replied. II was
mighty sore and lame. but I knowed
he would be as bad of. 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.
Flows it to be-? sez /.
"a far fout,' sez he, mo THROWN
rocks nor hittin' with clubs. Whoop
Cock-a -doodle-do.'
WAL. we went at it. Sue and her
NAV was out thar as befo'. and the gal
gin me smile as went In. 1t was
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 ! was almost on the pint
OF lettin' go. Bimeby, howsumever, |
seen that Rabbit 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 it. bekase he riz up and
sez to NE:
"'Zeb White. I'm a whopped man.
and that gal is yo'rs. | didn't believe |
thar was critter on these mountings |
as could make me boot. LIT yo' dun it.
And now when do yo' want the gal?'
Right now, | reckon sez |.
"'Ain't it purity sudden?'
Not so very, bein' as she's ready |
to 60
Then, nav. bring out the broom
stick and let 'em jump over it. and if
they want to be married by a preacher
they kin do it sum other time"
And you took the girl homer" I
asked.
"Sartinly," replied Zeb Yes. sab.
took her right home with .ue, with her
feather bed on my back. and she's out
thar in the kitchen maxim mince pies
this mint. As ! was sayin', these we're