Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-11-03
The Campaign
Document
By MARTHA MAcwILLIAMs

s an effectuaf combination, soIhetllaeS
even q killing one, as was realized Dy
the Rag, Tag and Bob-Tails, once up
on a time, notwithstanding the COM
bination had merely a woman behihu
1t.
The time was 10 O'Clock of a moon
lit October night, just cool enough 10
set horses and dogs on edge, Just mllu
enough to make the huntsmen rejoice
as the wind of their progress sang
past their ears. First time out after
fox, the leader, Red higgins, telt
ready for something out of the or
binary.
There were seven of the Bob-Tails-
two higgins, two Suffers, lonely Lane
and two Fillpotts. Hill folks all, there
fore holding a congenial grunge
against "them 'ristocrats up yam Sue
the big road," whose breadths OF open
land cut into bigger fields gave better
room for chasing than the flats OF
quilted hiIlsides round about their own
roof-trees.
They were reasonably well mounted,
but their dogs outclassed their horses
Big blue-mottled fellows, with ears
to sweep away the morning dew" OF
lusty, lathy black-and-tans of the IA
NOUS sfour-eyed' strain. Ihriftliy
they were bred, fed and hardened Tor
sale to better sportsmen. This nlght
was to be a baptism of tongue ana
heels TO several promising pups. II
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 AshDy
place. They never demean themselves
by calling it Ashwood, IF that stuck
M gal farmin it, now the old colonel
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, ana all
along the fence row runnin' to the big
gate"
i They had lively grudge against
her. Haan'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 OH,
and no time like the right-now pres.
ent. Thus Red higgins to Babe Suffer
as they rode in front. Babe allowed
that was plumb so, adding that the
Ashby gal had put power OF sheep
/ In them creek woods parsters, ana
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 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
4 shore take one path or tother. And
then Miss Tighty-Tighty's sheep and
goats would git a 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 Rear
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 had
stepped from behind big gatepost
and was saying in flute voice: Gen
tlemen, it's a shame. hate to be a
spoil.sport especially a night like this,
but had to come and ask you to call
off and 90 somewhere else"
"Whut for we will" demanded Sur
ly Suter, edging TO Reds elbow.
"Oh! Because | ask it-and be-
cause you know you should. Going
through the place might cost me a
heap more money than | can spare"
"And then ye'd have more'n ever
we got ter spare" the taIlest Fillpott
broke in. "lyish could believe so"
countered the apparition, which was
| slim and 1.-THE, bareheaded, without
even shawl. "But. of course, you're
joking-please turn back, though, be-
fore catch my DEATH"
1--WE won't" said Red.
"But you must!" returned Philllppa
Ashby.
"Nobody2 says must ter us Bob
Tnils." Lone Lane rasped out.
"NIistakenl / say itP from Phil
linna without tremor. "The law