United States or Austria ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Ef I only hed my rifle hyar durn the luck hevin' to desart that gun I ked show you nine nicks on her timmer as stan' for nine Tenawa Kimanch. Ef't be them, we've got to keep well to the southart. Thar range lays most in the Canadyen, or round the head o' Big Wichitu, an' they mout cross a corner o' the Staked Plain on thar way home.
Ef't hadn't been fur me Sile Keene wouldn't a went under," uttered the helpless tramp, pleadingly. There was no mercy in the heart of Andrew Barkswell, however. Jounce knew too much and was disposed to be dangerous, so he did not scruple to put him out of the way. "Not a word, scoundrel," growled Barkswell, and with the words he drew a clasp knife from an inner pocket.
"I wuz a poet; now I'm a gardeen angel. I tole you I wouldn' do nothin' desperate tell I talked weth you. That's the reason I didn' shoot him t'other night. When you run him off, I draw'd on him, and he'd a been a gone sucker ef't hadn' been fer yore makin' me promise t'other day to hold on tell I'd talked weth you. Now, I've talked weth you, and I don't make no furder promises.
She paused to hold up the apron, exquisitely white, and sheer, and stiff, and to gaze with critical professional eyes upon it; she was what is known as a "beautiful washer and ironer," although otherwise not comely. "Wat's beat plumb out o' sight, ef the truth war knowed, I reckon. He 'lows he's powerful 'feared. Ef't war Justus, now, he'd hev been 'lected sure.
"I wish to see Mr Holt," I replied, struggling hard to keep my temper. "Ye wish to see Mister Holt? Thur's no Mister Holt 'bout hyur." "No?" "No! damnation, no! Didn't ye hear me!" "Do I understand you to say, that Hickman Holt does not live here?" "You understan' me to say no sich thing. Eft's Hick Holt ye mean, he diz live hyur." "Hick Holt yes that is the name." "Wall what o't, ef't is?"
Bym-by we had letters from home; they got there all safe, and Reuben wa'n't no worse, Major said; ef't had been me wrote the letter, I should have said he wa'n't no better!
I used to be real smart to what I am now, when Perrit was alive; but I took on so, when he was brought home friz to death that it sp'iled my nerves; and then I had to do so many chores out in the shed, I got cold and had the dreadfullest rheumatiz! and when I'd got past the worst spell of that and was quite folksy again, I slipped down on our door-step and kinder wrenched my ankle, and ef't hadn't 'a' been for the neighbors, I don't know but what Nancy and I should 'a' starved."
"Ef't warn't for the need o' 'em jest now, I say the Staked Plain air better 'ithout 'em, as wu'd anywars else. Why can't she an' me be tied thegither 'ithout any sech senseless saramony? Walt Wilder wants no mumblin' o' prayers at splicin' him to the gurl he's choosed for his partner. An' why shed thar be, supposin' we both gie our mutooal promises one to the tother?" "True.
It was another lad altogether that little surprise party was intended for!" And Will grinned mysteriously. "Mebbe 'twas me you was after!" suggested Will Hen Baizley, with a snarl. "I wouldn't bother my head about who it was intended for, if I were you," said Will, in a good-natured voice. "Ef't had been me stidder old Hand, I'd 'a' broke every bone in yer carkus," growled Baizley.
"He led off in this matter, and ef't hadn't been for him, we should all have been on t'other side of the river, and p'raps on t'other side of Jordan, afore this time. And then, to think that the poor fellow stood by, and handled the boat like a commodore, when the life-blood was runnin' out of him all the time! It belongs to Tom." "Give it to Tom," added Fred, who lay near the patient.
Word Of The Day