"Snuff a candle at fifty yards, or drive a nail at forty. He nach'elly
scorned to bring home a squirrel shot back of the ears. He killed four
men in fair knife fightin', an' each time come free in co'te. He was six
foot in the clean, could hug like a bar, and he wa'n't skeered of
anything that drawed the breath of life."
"Tell me, Aunt Mandy," I said, "tell me how he came courting you,
anyway."
"He never did no great at co'tin'," said she, grinning. "He just come
along, an' he sot eyes on me. Then he sot eyes on me again. I sot eyes
on him, too."
"Yes?"
"One evenin', says he, 'Mandy, gal, I'm goin' to marry you all right
soon.'
"Says I, '_No_, you ain't!'
"Says he, '_Yes_, I air!' I jest laughed at him then and started to run
away, but he jumped and ketched me--I told you he could hug like a bar.
Mebbe I wasn't hard to ketch. Then he holds me right tight, an' says
he,' Gal, quit this here foolin'. I'm goin' to marry you, you
hear!--then maybe he kisses me--law! I dunno! Whut business is it o'
yourn, anyhow? That's about all there was to it. I didn't seem to keer.
But that," she concluded, "was a real _man_. He shore had my other two
men plumb faded.
Pages:
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221