White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1933-05-11
BY Irving Bachelor
Copyright 1882. by Irving Bachelor
WNU Service
CHAPTER XII-Continued

est, an Begin yer pardon, 1t don't
make no difference" Amos began.
(which, the fact is. Satan picks out
his help careful like he done In the
Garden O. Eden. may be gram
mistrustful but l never let word
out o. me till the wrath O. God Is IN
my sperit an I have to spit 1t out.
You've promised to marry the d-dest,
purtiest, neatest, Godlivinest gal that
ever man set his eyes on. This In
fernal war has showed We apart which
say thar's ten thousand on us tore
away from our huns an families an
the work we should be a-doin'. If we
can STAN it, why-hell an blazes y
you orto be able to keep yer feet I'M
der ye an l say it KNOWN the power
o. Satan"
Thanks, Amos. It's all very true.
had never thought Of that. take
off my hat to you. Satan has had me
belly-deep in the mire."
"Thar amt nobody that's safe-not
nobody. We git to feelin' peart an
the fust we know our heels fly in the
air an down we go which l pray God
to keep us from the flames O. hell an
help us to find pleasure in the way O.
grace"
After a little silence Amos contin-
ued: i've fetched myself to the
pint O. tellin' We suthin which fer the
time bein' it's mortal secret. I'm in
love an calculatin' on bein' married as
soon as the war'll let me-"
II congratulate you. Tell me about
the woman and how 1t happened"
"She's a spick an span wilder wom-
an where I was billeted on the Long
Island-'bout my age, good, honest,
Christian woman, well put up an a
good worker which she runs her own
farm an has it all paid for. Amt so
handsome as some but pleasant spoke
an she can ride a boss an pull trig-
ger. 1t was slow hard work to inten-
ton her which she wouldn't have no
private talkin' till she'd heerd all bout
me from General Greene. Then she
was easier to git along with but she
KEEP me an arms length away. l was
never worse difficulted which it wasn't
easy to see the pointins o. Providence.
zone evenin' when we was alone
together I draws out my watch an /
says, Betsy that bein' her name
Betsy 1 says, I'LL give We one hour.
Afore it's up We got to say yes or no.
I'm purity nigh wore out. My consti-
tuition Is breakin' down.
II showed her the watch an put it
on the table which she only smiled
and KEEP on a-knittin'. / walked up
an down in this here new blue uni
form. She watched me smilin' which
/ guess she kind o. liked the looks o.
me. I went over an tried to make
up to her. She draws back an says !:
Eyes on an hands off,
II sets down an takes the watch
in my hand. Bym by says: we've
got just three minutes more
''Not word out O. her The last
minute come.
II says: Betsy, it won't do us no
harm to kneel down an pray
''She knelt beside me an / prayed
as never prayed afore. KEEP her on
her knees fer half an hour. could
say to the Lord what couldn't say to
her an put in some good ticks which
laid down all the facts in the case.
"Bym by stopped prayin' an says
to her: Betsy, if We amt convinced
now I'll pray some more
Don't she says. My constitu-
ton has broke down. l didn't know
that you could be so anxious
"'Anxious' says. I'm like a dog
chasin' a rabbit
"'Well, believe it, she says. You
come here an give me kiss
"She were just a-waitin' to see how
anxious l could git. We done some
kissin'. She fetched a bottle o. rum
an we had good time together an
you better believe 1t. Pm lucky man
which thar amt no mistake"
''Im happy to know about It," said
the young colonel. II hope now that
Satan will let you alone"
"A man is a lot safer when he's in
tentioned proper as to women" said
Amos
(Which thar amt no doubt o. that"
Colin answered. laughing as he lmi-
tated the dialect of his friend.
They parted at fork in the road.
When Colin returned to the great
house on hill in the lower highlands,
which the Commander in Chief had
chosen for his headquarters he found
Mrs. Bowlby waiting for him. The
General having ridden out with his
staff, the young man went with his
friend to a rustic seat in the gardens
for q talk.
did you find Miss Fayerweather?
he asked.
II did"
II fear that you risked your life in
doing it. am very grateful, and my
ears ache for the news. But first tell
me how you found her"
"My life was in no danger. got
well down the lake when wind came
up. It was hard going around the