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', » 1 . ■ THE LEDGER: GAFFNEY, S. C M JULY 29, 1897. L TO A “BROWN CRISP." Blov Scroggins and Thro a Gontle- inon fr.m Tucker’s MU’. * Tlie IUu TiiOftliiK at OI«l Swoct Wnter— Sotue "I'cpvi'Jit and Mauin'illuun’’ l»ovt* IiOttt*r»—The **(Sa>- un«I t.crKeou* WlUdcr.” Last Friday, Jiaturday and Sunday they hud the reg'ar three days’meet in dotvu at old Sweet Water church, with three or four scr- nioats a day and din ner on the grounds. The general crops htul been laid by,fo«l- der want ripe, the weather was sweltry hot, and it was a very good time of year for a man about my size and shape to take a few days off and do nothin at all for certain. So consequentially I lit out by times Sat urday mornin and went down thereto mix and mingle with them good people end hear the (lospel “dispcnseilKvith,” as old Mises Stundenmire use to put it. There 'Was Swultowin in It. The first ami mnliicst preaehtr ou the grounds was the lte\erent Luther Han dle, and it was plum surprisin. to me the way he could quote the Scriptures and hand down the word. You must recollect that 1 wan right there in per son at old Sweet Water church on the very day and hour when Luther Handle got his papers of entitlement to preach the livin truth accordin to the faith ami orders of the Old School Baptists. They had what 1 reckon you mought call a committee to put the questions and then report bark if the candidate was worthy and well qualified nml lit- ten for the nomination. And if my recollection ain’t dead wrong old Dea con Ashcraft led oil’ w ith the queslionr, and amongst other things he wanted to know of Luther if he believed what the Bible said about Daniel goin down into tiie lion’s den and comiu out sound and well and without a scratch. “To be certainly of course, brethren, I do believe that,” says Luther. “I be lieve it most in generally because the Bible says it was so, though 1 raley don’t see how I could worry it down if J had found it in any other book.” Then, they wanted to know of Luther if he. believed the Scriptures in regards to them three fellows witl. such hard and curious names, which went through the fiery furnace when it was heated seven times hotter than any use for. And Luther he believed it because he had read it in the Bible. Next then they wanted to know his honest opinions touchin Jonah and the whale—Did he believe all the Good Book said about that? , “Yes, brethren,” says Luther, “I be lieve that Jonah swallowed the whale.” l Sonic members of the committee saw ' whore Luther had slipped a cog and put the question to him oncst more ns if in the hopes that he would see the break and mend it himself. But still Luther maintained that he was plum satisfied from what the Scriptures said that Jonah did raley swallow the whale. “You mean to say. Brother Randle, that you believe the whale swallowed Jonah, for that is what the Scripture says about it," put in Deacon Ashcroft. "Of course, brethren. I believe any thing the Bible says about Jonah and the whale,” Luther went on. “I jest only knowed there wasswallovvin some- wheres in it.” 2s’ow after that about all I recollect for certain is that the committee found Luther Handle firm in the faith and sound in the doctrine. Ami from that day henccforwards he has stood forth as a mighty povver for good in this naughty old world here below. The Reverent Luther Randle-is a full half brother—by consanguinity or otherwise—to Billy Randle—which you recollect Billy is the youngster who told the preacher down at Kbenezcr last summer that he would ruther not be bomed again for fears he mought be a gal the next time. ••The Old Hen AVa» On.” Eut when I got down there to the Sweet Water meet in Saturday mornin who else do you reckon 1 found—both right in on the ground floor and bavin some “felonious flush times,’’ to heat Ahem tell it? Nobody but Kiev Scrog gins and Andy Lucas. With me it want in the least ways surprisin to catek Andy Lucas down there, since the news had went out broadcast that there would be three sermonts a day and dinner onitbe grounds. Wherceoinever you iiod a few good jieople gathered together to hear the Word, with din ner on the grounds, you are more than apt, to find Andy Lucas as one in their midst, if not the lead dog of the pack. But as to Blev Scroggins,'that would be the last place in the created world for him if it want for the fact that the human race was horned and bred unto sin and sufTerin mid devilment from before the foundations. And so when I flrrtt driv at old Sweet Water church that day and found both Blev and Andy there I knowed tremendius well that the old hen was on. Next to that I naturally wanted to find out if I could what she was sett in cm. and wihen she w-oukl hatch find come off. "I have writ three letters, Hufe— three of the gonebyest most fervent and magnolious love letters you ever heard tell of,” says Blev to me when we had ambled off down 1o the spring to find out if that water wotiltf bear a little roixin. *If you recollect. Rufe, when I waa a candidate for high sheriff the aecont and last time the delegate* from down here in Tucker’s Mill Heat—which lleth over agio Sweet Water church, you un derstand—went back on me, even after tne old cat had bnnebed her feet to Jn^np my way. Well, the three maincst men In that light, which cooked my goose to a brown crisp, a* It were, waa Buck Collins. Babe Peterson and old Squire Leatberwood. ar.i magnolias” love letter, tellin me to meet her there and we would go to church together. And in regards to the little meisment between Blev Scrog gins and the three gentlemen from Tucker’s Mill—I didn’t have a blume thing to do with that. From what I have saw with my own linked eyesight l couldn’t say for certain that anybody went down to the spring branch cross in Sunday evenin. But if you take and add up two and two together, you arc more than probable to git four for the answer. And from all the signs and outside uppearinents 1 have no earthly doubts but what the widder, Dully Mayfield, and Blev Scroggins, and also Squire Leatberwood, and Buck Collins, and Babe Peterson all went down to the crossin, and got there about first dusk sharp. They had sung one old familious hym, and the preacher had took his text when Blev and Dolly Mayfield come swushin through the side door arm in arm, and took their seats right up next to the umen corner. Dolly was all over in a flutter, nnd lookin as pale as a whitewashed horse rack on a moon light night. Blev wore his best Sun day clothes, a white neck tic, and a smile as big as n crib door. When he looked around and saw me his left eye went shH slow and cautious like, and he puckered his mouth to give a low, soft whistle—come to his senses— caught his (breath, and then looked the preacher as meek and lowly and contrite and humble as a white kitten with the sore eyes. Fifteen or 20 minutes had wore off when one of Squire Leatherwood’s boys come in, said something to old Dr. Travis, and they went out together. Blev looked at me, closed his left eye and belt up one finger as much as to fay: "That’s one.” Presently somebody come to a win dow anti sent word to old Mises Peter son—which you will recollect Babe is her onlyest boy. The old lady caught her breath rale quick nnd scrambled out the door. Blev Scroggins shet his left eye oncst more and belt up two fingers—which said to me as plain as United States language could speak it: “That’s two.” The next minute two of the Collins boys, both full brothers to Buck, lit out through a window, and went off in a lope towards the spring branch crossin. Blev shet the same eye and belt up three lingers—which seem to say to me: “That’s three, dadblame ’em, and Rocky creek sends her doublebreasted compliments to Tucker’s Mill." Blev Scroggins maintains till yet that the world ain’t square, and that three of a kind will bent two pair. The gay and gorgeous widder, Dolly Mayfield, is still healthy and happy, still single and still “supinely bciMit-iful to behold.” Buck Collins has got one missin eye, whilst Babe Peter son has shedded seven of his front teeth, and old Squire Leatberwood has got one arm in a sling —which all put together is a goodness gracious plenty to make them remem ber the time when they all three went to meet Dolly Mayfield down at the spring branch erossin on Sunday even in at first dusk sharp in durin the three days’ ineetin at old Sweet Water church. ItVFT’S SANDERS NEW ARMY TARGETS. Old l!air»-E>-ea to Ulve Way to Fix- arcs of Men. When the trained marksmen of the Transvaal routed the regular troops of Great Britain at Majuba Hill by shoot ing with such marvelous skill us to pick off the redcoats like so many deer on a hill, says the New York Herald, a great outcry was heard in British army circle* against the folly of teaching a soldier to shoot by plac- inghimself opposite a target and telling him to place a bullet us near to the bull’s-eye as possible. The United Stales array officers have just come to the same conclusion as did the British after the disaster of Majuba Hill. As a consequence of this awakening, there will shortly be is sued a set of targets to be used at the various rifle ranges, that will revolu tionize the old system of training sol diers to become marksmen. Instead of the bull’s-eye in the center of a square target the object to be aimed at will be a black mark representing, as near ly us possible, the figure of a man as it appears when he lies prone ou the ground, rifle .presented, in the act of taking aim. A second target will show the figure of a man taking aim while in u kneeling position. The figure is ( mounted ou a square background of white, and is carefully drawn to measurements so as to iM-esent a mark as nearly us jhis- sible like that at which the soldier would have to shoot were he fighting for his life in actual conflict. This fig ure will be used us a target at medium distances, fsom 500 to 000 yards. n Still another target represents the full figure of a man standing nnd firing. This is for long-distance practice, and will enable a marksman to see exactly the effect produced by his skill in firing. Every shot that hits the figare would kill or maim were the target u living mark. The largest target of all, and the one, luPrefors, that will be used at extreme range, is intended to represent the fig- sire of a mounted man. This is more particularly designed for carbine prac tice by cavalrymen. The troopers will lie taught to shoot at the target from horseback as well ns ([ismounted, and, os in the ease of the standing mail tar* grt, will he instructed to aim at the ••enter of the masa, the idea being that killing the horse of a cavalryman does no less damage to the fighting effeetive- n-ss of an enemy’s force than shooting the rider. A project for introduring moving tar gets based on the same system as that described above is being considered by the military authorities. ARP OX INFIDELS. Ko Roads What They Write Now York Papers. In Ills Fenllnsrs Are Shocked, nnd He To Ik* of the Mysteries of Xntiire, nnd Says He Is Sntlsded. These modern agnostics, skeptics, atheists and infidels are having a lively time in the New York papers. The col umns are open to them, and it keeps our | in Christian and God-fearing people busy in replying to their assaults upon the Bible and Christianity. No two of them seem to have the same faith or to be fighting under the mine general, but they are all engaged in storming the citadel, some on one side and some on another and with different weapons of warfare. They are pull-downers in stead of build-uppers. One set assaults schoolhouse on top of the hill, but th» Bores got well and no bones were brok en. If the calf was in front the bruise would be as bad, and it would make a man’* pants bag at the calf instead of the knee, and a woman’s calf when rid ing a bike would look awful. About that third eye in the back of the head, it would very much interfere with our sleeping position, and give no room for a woman’s back hair, and utterly para lyze her devotions in church. If we are to have a third eye, the optical nerves and muscles should be so arranged that when the two in front are open the one the rear should be shut, and vice versa. But this third eye would, of course necessitate a larger ceiebellum to hold the machinery, end that would give a man the big head. As to the double-jointed elbow for scratching purposes, I’ve no particular objections, though on a pinch a man can do lihe Sidney Smith’s pigs: He can rub up against a post or the edge of a door and get relief. As to that Manchausen business of sunning and swimming and I MAYOR FOR ONE NIGHT. the miracles, and seem to have a special spite at Jonah and the whale. Another j flying, it is folly to discuss. Man has no set denounces Jephtha for sacrificing | need of such powers, and if he hud four i legs like a horse and tins like n fish £nd 1 wings like a bird he wouldn’t be a man, but a sort of quadruplex amphibious i acrolie, too smart for this wqfld an(J not good enough for t ^ his daughter, and denounces God for permitting it. They are equally indig nant against David for having Josiah slain, and against Samuel for ordering Saul to slay the women and children and cattle of the Amalekites. They de clare that all these stories are fakes or, if true, that God is a brute for allowing such outrages. Some believe in the New Testament, but not in the old, while others sidicule the miraculous conception of the Vir gin Mary, and pronounce it a woman’s trick to hide her shame. Some write from a medical standpoint, and assert that man is by no means a perfect crea tion physically, but could be improved on in many particulars—for instance, the calf of the leg should have been in front and there should have been one eye in the back of the head, and the el bow should hare had a back action, so that a man could scratch his back and a woman button her dress or fasten her skirt more conveniently. They declare that u perfect man should be built to run like a horse, and swim like a fish, and fly like a bird. Shakespeare, they say, was only indulging in a little taffy when he wrote "what a piece of work is man. How ncfole in season; how in finite in faculties; in form and moving; how express and admirable; in action bow like an angel; in apprehension Jiow like a god!” Some of these writers talk about sa cred and divine things v\ith the most shocking contempt and intimate that nobody but cowards and lunatics be lieve in them. They would make Vol taire and Tom Payne ashamed of them selves. Now, if a man has doubts about the miracles or the divinity of Christ and is really seeking after the truth and expresses himself in language that shows respect for the faith of his fel low men, it is all right, but v.e are too helpless to be vain or conceited. If I knew where I came from, or where I was going, or what would be my fu ture state, or if I could prolong my evistence or could foresee the calami ties of life nnd prsvent them, I could afford to strut around and play Sir Oracle. Rut I feel my helplessness more and more every day, and like a child in trouble I want to go to my father. Whether there Ik* a God or not, all the good people I have ever known or read about believed there is, cod it Is disrespect to them to take His name in vain. Addison, says that Sir Robert Boyle, who was the greatest naturalist that England ever produced, had the most profound veneration for the Su preme Being and never mentioned the name of God without a pause—a vis ible stop in his discourse. No well-bred man is ever profane or speaks the name of God irreverently. I cannot understand how medical men who have studied the anatomy of the human body—this complex and wonderful ma chine—should ever be skeptical about God’s existence. If I knew how my will, which is immaterial, controls my muscles, which are material, make me ex<end my hand or my foot or Hose my eyes and open my mouth. I might boast of a little knowledge; but ns it is. the raising of my orni or Hie writ ing with this pen is a greater miracle than Jonah living three day’s in a whale’s belly. Every seed that ger- minntes end makes a flower is a miracle to me. Sometimes I wonder if 1 had a glass that would magnify a million times could I see the embryo oak in a little acorn; could I see the orange tree in the seed of the fruit. All na ture Is full of miraefas. Winding up the canes in front my veranda are madeira vines that climb one way and hop vines that climb the other way nnd jnsmlue vines Unit climb both wnys. Every plant has its own laws, and they nre unchangeable. Just so with the hrnsts and birds ond insects, nnd I almost envy them in their happy ig norance of death nnd a future state. Hundreds of katydids nre singing in the grove while I write. The males are making music for their ynmusbrU mates. They will sing on and be happy, fbr three months and die. The form and structure of their little bodies lb a miroele, for the utmost ingenuUy of mnn could not make one. The two little drums that every cicada carries for sounding boards and the tiny frets on their wing* that scrape each other with inconceivable rapidity mnkcH a musical note that can be heard half a mile on a still and quiet night. And then their sense of hearing is so won derfully acute! For what child has not tiptoed to the tree an 1 touched it ever so gently and closed the or chestra? I>r. Holmes call* the katy dids “this testy little dogmatist.” for they never tire of saying “katy did” and “katy didn’t." But about this improved mnn and woman that theae ftkqptics would make if they could. Sometimes a man doca fall over a wheelbarrow In the night and bruise bis shins, and I remember well how many hard licks we boys got when we played rbinny at the old Moody Stands by Jonah. Moody is no half-way believer in the Bible and he stands by Jonah. In his address at Northlield the other day he said: “I want every college man here to know that I believe hi the story of Joiuih ond the whale. Reporters, put it •low a that I w ill never let a man come on this platform to sjieak if he doesn't be lieve that the whale swallowed Jonah. The devil is never so happy as when he gets a mnn not to believe in any part of the Bible. If you are going to over throw the story of Jonah you haw got to overthrow the story of Christ’s res urrection.” The Honor Was Groat, But It AI30 .Was Very Expensive. INTERNATIONAL COURTESY. An American XavnX/antaln Takes the Lend In Snlntlng; the Qr.ccn. “Not often does a United States man- of-war pass the Fourth of July in a British harbor,” said one of the older naval officers on reading about the Brooklyn’s .stu}’ in Southampton water. “It is our practice to save the Britishers the necessity of firing three 21-gun salutes on that day, as necessarily they remember what happened on “the glo rious Fourth,” and naturally they don’t feel like celebrating the anniversary. So before the Fourth of July our men- of-war almost never fail to leave a port where the British have jurisdiction. “But, speaking of national holidays and salutes, I recall an amusing inci dent that happened in 1S70. The United States flagship Franklin was at anchor in the harbor of Malaga, Spain, in com pany with a large British ironclad. ( apt. ‘Carp’ Rodgers commanded the Franklin, and I will call the ironclad’s commander Capt. Dun. When one man- of-war in a harbor celebrates u national holiday it is customary for all other war ships in the same harbor to cele brate it also. Consequently, early in the morning of May 24 the Franklin was prepared to dress ship in honor of Queen Victoria’s birthday, and at day break our quartermasters were watch ing the British ship, ready to ‘follow her mot I one,’ as we say in the navy. “Presently a puff of smoke belched out from the Briton’s starboard bow, and, supposing it to be the first gun of the national salute, the executive of ficer of the Franklin cracked off 21 guns from her nine-inch maindeck battery, liiid broke all his flags in yardarm and rainbow dress, but when the salute was over and the smoke was lazily drifting away it wav. seen that the British sl^p was not dressed and had not fired*a salute. “A few minutes later a gig came alongside the Franklin, and an English lieutenant came on board with this message: “ ‘Capt. Dim presents his compli ments to Capt. Rodgers, and begs leave to Inform him that if he hod known that this was an American anniversary ho woulddmve been ready to salute and dress ship. As it is, lie will do so at eight o’clock.’ “Capt. Rodgers, on receiving this mes sage, saw that Capt. Dun had forgotten that May 24 was the queen’s birthday, and he so worded his reply as to save Capt. Dun’s feelings as much as possi ble. “Present my compliments to Capt. Dun,’ he said, ‘ooid tell him that if I had known that he did not intend to dress ship and salute for her majesty’s birth day until eight o’clock I would have de layed my own salute until that hour. Your morning gun was taken for the flist gnin cf your salute and the Frank lin went ahead without you.’ “By eight o’clock the British kbip banged away 21 times and the FrankHn •lid likewise. But didn’t the other Eng lish captains in the Mediterranean roost pcor Dun when they learned that he had to be reminded of the queen’s birthday by an American! I believe he had to give up his ship and go home.” —N. Y. Herald. next. Good gracious! w hat a world of new theories about man and the creation these modern thinkers have got up. They can’t fool the old folks, but I fear they do demoralize some of the young. Young man, stqp and think before you desert the faith of the fathers. It is safe to say that such great and gocxl men as Calvin and Luther and Knox and Wesley and Whitfield and Hir Isaac Newton and Addison and Pope and hundreds of others who lived and died in the faith were not mistaken. Walt until these agnostics and skeptics all agree cn a religion that will give comfort in adversity and peace in the hour and article of death. No, don’t wait, for they have had time enough and offered nothing.—Bill Arp, in At lanta Constitution. It is difficult to say who does the moat mischief, enemies with the worst in tentions or friends with the beet. IKS&I ' i - V M IQ ^ — An Experience In Town-Site Ruom- Ins; on the Cherokee Strip—Ula- posaesneil b> a Detachment of Soldiers. A. V. Alexander has sold yellow pine shingles to Kansas boomers, smoked the calumet and Cheyenne and Arae pahoe braves iu their tepees, drunk alkali water at critical times in the opening of the Cherokee strip, has walked into a Chicago drygoods store while he was wearing the big boots and spurs and sombrero of a cow boy cos tume and excited the curiosity of the Jaily clerks by buying three dozen of Mother Hubbard wrappers, and has the distinction of having served as mayor of a “sooner” town that lived but one day. *T was iu Arkansas City, Kan., a town located on the Indian nation line, when the boomers were waiting to make the run for the Cherokee strip opening,” said Mr. Alexander to a St. Louis Globe- Democrat reporter, "Everybody was waiting until the bill for the opening passed congress nnd was signori by the president. At midnight one night there was a flurry in Arkansas City. The local paper had received a telegram that the bill had passed and was signed by the president. It was legal to make the run the moment the president had lifted his pen from signing the bill. So about 500 people left in wagons, on horseback and on foot at midnight to enter the strip. I took a surveyor with me in a buggy, nml started for the old Standard Oil ranch, at the Wil low springs, to have a town site located. 1 wanted to sell lumber to the settlers. My buggy headed the procession. The surveyor expected to make money by getting a fee for surveying each lot. “Well, the procession loaded at the Willow springs about daylight. I alighted from the buggy to hitch my horse, when two men with Winches ters came up and said they had taken farm sites there, and one said that if I attempted to unload a town-site crowd on his claims he would kill me. I happened to know one of the men. who was from Guthrie, and 1 soon argued them out of the idea of attempting to fight 500 men. TWO ARMED MEN CAME UP. To make the story' short, the surveyor drew a plot of the town on paper, the Jots were numbered, and the slips o? paper bearing the numbers from 1 to 500 were placed in the hat. Then each man drew a slip from the hat, and the number located his lot. By this means bloodshed was avoided, for. by the old method .of a run, a dozen men with guns would have rushed to each cor ner lot. "At night about 500 of the gam blers and toughest characters of Guth rie came in and camped near by. They swore they proposed to drive my crowd out at the poy>t of Winchesters and take the town site away from us. We sent a committee to effect a com promise with the invaders, but no com promise would be considered. They said they had corne to take the tow n site, and they proposed to take it. All preparations were being made for a battle with guns in the morning. Dur ing the night I went alone with a flag of truce to the camp of the enemy. 1 found the leader to be a notorious gam- blerwhomlknew in Guthrie. I told him of our lottery scheme, and proposed to take his crowd in cn an equal foot ing with my crowd. That struck him as a square deal. The enemy broke camp immediately and came over with us. “That night a meeting was held in a small circus tent that my crowd had brought along. Everything was har monious. A motion was carried that each man should donate one dollar iu cash to the surveyor as a fee for survey ing. 1 was made treasurer, and about $1,000 fell into my hands in a few min utes. Mind yon, the whole town was still on paper, and the money was to pay for the surveying that would be doue. “The'n several jugs of whisky were opened, and under its exhilarating in fluence the meeting became so enthu siastic that it nominated and elected me ’mayor of Willow Springs’ by ac clamation. and went ahead and elected a city council, a board of public works md a chief of police, and even granted franchises for a gas company and a street railway line. That night nil fell asleep late, the majority rolled in blankets on the ground. A cold north er from Texas swept by and chilled everybody to the bone. “The next morning a troop of United States cavalry awoke us and made everybody skedaddle out of the strip. It was n fake telegram about the bill having passed congress at that time. So I was mayor of Willow Springs from midnight until morning, even if it was a ‘sooner’ town built on paper. Besides almost freezing to death that night. 1 had to return the tl.OOO do nated to the surveyor, and it took me «U -noaths to locate all the maa.’’ “Now, some time last year, as you will remember. Red Mayfield—which in the main time he had married Dolly Halloway—took sick and died all of » suddent like. And right now the all- overest most handsomest young wom an in u’.l ilhis strip ofc country is the Widder Dolly Mayfield. Tain’t no uso in talkin, Rufe—when she puts on her Sunday rigginsand fancy fixments she is jest simply plupcrfectly and supinely beautiful to behold. “In these long, hot summer days it has likewise also come to pass that Buck Collins, Babe Peterson and old Squire Leatberwood have all three fell heris over appetite in love with Dolly, the wii!tier, and—well—my time has come. You needn’t to feel any earth ly doubts about that, Rufe. This is my time of year to win out even, nnd, by gatlins. wJiut I am savin up for the three •ger.tUtmen from Tucker’s Mill will be a most hellatious plenty. Old Squire Leatberwood has buried two wives and raised nine children, but from what they tell me he Is worse gome on Dolly Mayfield than Buck Collins, or Babe Peterson, and they have got it mighty bad. The way a town hog loves slops is nothin, Rufe. to the way them three native-born idiots love the ground which Do’lv Mayfield walks upon—and —well, datTolame ’em, my time has come.” The Three Love Letters. In the next place Blev then showed me the three love letters which he had writ—all iu a little,scrawny,crumpled- up female handtvritin. The one to Squire Leatberwood went like this: My Duckydaddle Dear—Buck Collins and Babe Peterson have both been lallygaggin around here two or three days, tryin their loveliest to get my company to ineetin Sunday night. But they are so young and fresh, and salt is skeeroe at my house. If you will be so kind, condescendin and obligin as to meet me down at the Spring branch crossin late Sunday evenin £ will go with you. Come at first dusk sharp. Yours fervently, DOLLY MAYFiELD. P. S.—Remember what the book says about the still pig and the milk. DOLLY. The letter to Buck Collins run along as follows below: Dear Buck: Old Squire Leatberwood and Babe Peterson have all but pes tered the life outen me for the last three days. Both of them want to go with me to church Sunday night— which of course you know full well who I would ruther go with than any mortal man in the round discovered world. Meet me down at the spring branch erossin Sunday evenin at first dusk sharp, and I will let you go with me. Yours serenely, DOLLY MAYFIELD. ' P. S.—"Roses red, violets blue, Sugar is sweet, and so are you.” DOLLY. The one to Babe Peterson was a tear starter and a heart smasher: My Ownlyiest Own: You don’t know how bad your Dolly wonts to see her Baby. Buck Collins and old Squire Leatberwood between the two have beeh such a botherment to me this week till life ain’t scarcely worth the livin. Buck wants me to go to meet- in with him Sunday night, and the old squire wants me to give him the pleas ure of my company. But I want to go with you. And if I can’t go with you I can go by my lone and lonely self. Meet me down at the spring branch crossin Sunday evenin at first dusk sharp. Don’t fail, and don’t forget. Your sweetheart. DOLLY. ‘•When the Widder Heaves In 8|sbt.** “The mail to Tucker's Mill goes by here this evenin, Rufe,” Blev went on, “and all three of the letters will go through to their proper places to night, or in time for the old squire nnd Buck and Babe to put on their Sunday best and meet the widder at the spring branch crossin to-morrow evenin at first dusk sharp. “How do I know that Dolly will bo there? By the 12 epistles she has prom ised to meet me there nnd let me have the superb feloeity of her company to church and back home. You will please keep in mind that I have set up the pegs and fixed the triggers. Rufe, nnd if I don’t win out even with the three gen tlemen from Tucker's Mill, then the world don’t move and fits must run in the Scroggins family. I will be there, but not at first dusk sharp. I will pur posely hang fire somewheres around in that neighborhood till the widder heaves iu sight. And then, when the old squire and Buck and Babe meet and mix and tangle up together in the open field of combat, me and the wid der we will cross below the crossin and let the best man whip the fight. “You eon bet your qjiin whiskers und your Sunday pants on one thing, Rufe. When old Squire Leatberwood and Buck Collins and Babe Peterson all three go down there to the spring branch «*rossin to meet the widder— and when the widder heaves in right— the next thing in order will be a free- for-all fight. Somethin is bound ta happen, and somebody mu*t consequen tially suffer. They on n’t blame me if I happen to come along in the pinch of time, and they can’t say nothin to Dolly if she run* away from a free fight ond tend* night meetin with the fourth man. All you have got to do in the main time, is to sing the song soft and low. After to-morrow evenin st first dusk aharp it mought be that you can bear the wounded from off the field, or go ond fetch the doctor." “Twe and Two Make Foar.** In the general settlement of the country Sveet Water church wa* de signed nnd built about a mile from the Mayfield place, and the spring branch crossin is about half way between. Now, as to my own individually self. I didn't go down to the spring branch crossin Sunday evenin. Dolly Mayfield, the widder, didn't write me no ''lsnen%