The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1921-11-11
The Campaign
Document
By MARTHA MAcwILLlAMs

Z 40
g. 1921, by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
Perfect courtesy plus six-shooter
is an effectual combination, sometimes
even killing one, as was realized Dy
the Rag, Tag and Bob-Tails, once up
on a time, notwithstanding the COM
bination had merely woman behind
1t.
The time was 10 o'clock OF moon
lit October night, just cool enough TO
set horses and dogs on edge, just milo
enough to make the huntsmen reJ0ce
as the wind of their progress sang
past their ears. First time out alter
a fox, the leader, Red higgins, felt
ready for something out OF the or
binary.
There were seven of the Bob-Tails-
two Biggins two Suffers, lonely Lane
and two Fillpotts. Hill folks all, there
fore holding a congenial grunge
against "them 'ristocrats up yam SIDE
the big road" whose breadths OF open
land cut into bigger fields gave better
room for chasing than the flats OF
quilted hillsides round about their own
roof-tre
They were reasonably we'll mounted,
but their dogs outclassed their horses.
Big blue-mottled fellows, with ears
to sweep away the morning dew" or
lusty, lathy black-and-tans OF the IA
nous 'four-eyed' strain. Thrifty
they were bred, fed and hardened for
sale to better sportsmen. This night
was to be baptism of tongue ana
heels to several promising pups. IL
they kept even within holler" OF
Blue Jupiter, the leader, some Christ
mas they might fetch as much as ten
dollars apiece.
Partly because of this the riders
swung northerly, crossed the big road
and struck straight for the old Ashby
place. They never demean themselves
by calling it Ashwood, ''if that stuck
I'D gal farmin' it, now the old colonei
could hardly go high-low, did have
the word printed outside of her let
ters, and on the No Trespass' boards
she had took n stuck round about
every corner O. the lines, and all
along the fence row runnin' to the big
gate"
They had lively grudge against
her. Hadn't they rode free and shot
as they pleased all over the place till
she took hold last Christmas? Time
to show her just where she got off,
and no time like the right-now pres
ent. Thus Red higgins to Babe Suter
as they rode in front. Babe allowed
that was plumb so, adding that the
Ashby gal had put a power of sheep
in them creek woods parSters, and
billy goats till We couldn't rest out in
the old fields. But she hadn't got up
no barb wire yet; and who'd let post
and rail stop him with the dogs In
cry? Nobody a-tall, Red in turn al
lowed. And thar was a regular fox
path right spang through the middle
of the old field; mother one erlong the
bluff aidge till it drapped down to the
creek. First red I'm jumped would
shore take one path or tother. And
then Miss Tighty-Tighty's sheep and
goats would git skeer-but no hurt
not onless they hadn't sense enough
ter keep from under horses and away
from dawgs. Right spang through the
big gate, on a-past the house. That
was the ticket, and who's 'fraid Real
ranks whooped: "NObody!" Then
horns sounding, whooping all together
they sent horses cantering, never check
ing till the big gate was five yards
ahead. "Lineup" ordered Red. AS
he was clumsily obeyed he urged his
horse forward and bent to unlatch the
gate, but instantly recOiled upright
staring hard at something that haC
stepped from behind big gatepost
and was saying in a flute voice: "Gen
tlemen, it's shame. / hate to be 6
spoil-sport, especially night like this
but 1 had to come and ask you to cal
off and go somewhere else"
"Whut for we will?" demanded Sur
" Suter, edging to Reds elbow.
"Oh! Because 1 ask it-and be
cause you know you should. Going
through the place might cost me 6
heap more money than, 1 can spare
"And then ye'd have more'n eve
we got ter spare" the tallest Fillpott
broke in. "Wish / could believe so,
countered the apparition, which was
slim and 1.-THE, bareheaded, without
even a shawl. 'But, Of course, you're
joking please turn back, though, be
fore l catch my DEATH"
1--WE won't" said Red.
"But you must 70 returned Philippe
Ashby.