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Show farm work and a share of the planning. Ho is trilling at any time to lay a wager that "Bob Sharp my son-in-law kin outplant, outhoe, out mow an I ontrassel any man within ten miles dt I Piketown,"--Thomas Burka in Detroit free Press. eat" any man that lie ever had in hia employ. "Martha," said Susan a day or two after the hired man had taken his departure, de-parture, "we are out of sugar, molasses and spice, and youH have to go to the village with some butter and do some trading." " Of course Martha was perfectly willing will-ing to do so. ' She would not only have a pleasant - ride, but would also have the pleasure of seeing Joe Smith, who "clerked it" in Piketown's one store. . Accordingly, after packing a few dozen eggs in oats and placing several tolls of golden butter in an earthenware jar, "Old Jerry" was hitched p, and Martha, with a -great fluttering of ribbons rib-bons and rustling of skirts, climbed into the old buggy ; wagon and started for Piketown. - - She reached the village without , mishap, mis-hap, did her trading, and after conversing convers-ing for some time with Joe Smith headed head-ed old Jerry for home. She had left the village about two miles behind when she saw a young man trudging along ahead of her in the dusty road, a dilapidated carpet bag in, hand.. -. r, .. . , . .- ., He seemed to be footsore and tired, and aa Martha was a Mud hearted little thing, and as there was plenty of room in the big, cofiln boxed buggy, she halted and asked him to ride. The invitation was accepted with alacrity, alac-rity, and Martha found herself seated beside a broad shouldered, trim built youflg man, perhaps 25 years of age. His curly chestnut hair was closely cropped, and his sandy mustache had been recently trimmed. His dark and flashing eye proclaimed him to be a quick tempered individual, while his square, massive jaw denoted determination, determina-tion, if not obstinacy and pugnacity. "Have you walked far?" queried Martha Mar-tha after old Jerry had jogged on some ; distance. ' - W "About fifteen miles," wa3 the reply, "Fact is I'm looking for a job. Do yon know of any one around here who would like to hire a man for a few months?" "Why, yes,"' said Martha. "Papa's hired man has loft him, hia farm work Is in terrible shape and he is sick, f I am tiuite" sure he will hire you. Youihow-sver, Youihow-sver, will find him very cross. He is always al-ways that way when he is ill." "Oh, 1 shall not mind. that in the least," replied the young man cheerfully. "I am out of a job and out of money, and under the circumstances would work hitherto invincilile one, but kept the lead until the dinner hoursounded. ' Yes, Peter had at last found hia match and a little more, - Although he struggled manfully and well, and received the assistance of many chews of tobacco; although he shoved his sleeves far above hia elbows, removed his boots and rolled up his tan colored overalls; although he wielded his new hoe with a desperation born of despair, and paid no attention as to whether he dropped one or twenty kernels ker-nels in a hill, he at length had to own himself out-planted, beaten, vanquished. He did it in these words: "This tarnal new hoe hanga out tew much." Robert Sharp could not only out-plant Peter, but he could, and did, out-hoe, out-mow and out-chop him. One would naturally suppose that the farmer would have been greatly pleased with so able an assistant. He was not, however. He disliked the yonng man because he had taken from him his prominence as a worker. It was known for miles around that Peter Cummins had at last found a man who was his superior at all kinds of husbandry. hus-bandry. The old tiller of the soil grew to hate his vanquisher. The young man's presence was a constant con-stant reminder to Peter of the many defeats de-feats he had suffered at his hands. And so ho began to cast about for an excuse, good or bad, for discharging him. . He found one sooner than he expected. One moonlight evening in August Peter paid his nearest neighbor a visit, and coming home through his back lane at about 0 o'clock came spat upon a couple cou-ple seated on a log beneath the wide spreading branches of a chestnut tree. The young man's arm encircled the maiden's slim waist, her head rested on his. broad shoulder, and their hands were clasped. . - " As they were deeply absorbed in Using Us-ing an . astronomical observation the presence of a third party was for a moment mo-ment unobserved. Then Martha, lowering her eyes from the man in the moon to the man on the earth, saw and recognized her sire. Robert Rob-ert Sharp saw him at nearly the same Instant. "Martha!" roared tho irate husbandman husband-man as though his daughter was a mile away, "you vw; your boots tew the house this minute. Come, neow, git. As fur yew (turning to the hired man) A PIKETOTO, ROMANCE Old Peter Cummins was "deown with the rheumatiz." Consequently he was very peevish. " He badgered and bullied all who came within hearing of his stentorian voice, from his youngest daughter Martha to bis meek, pale faced old wife. He found fault with his one hired man to such an extent that the latter "quit;" ' leaving' the plow in the furrowmin the, back lot, and went in ' search of a place where, as lie expressed ,itt: ,he: could "chaw his hash in peace, an' not be cussed at w'enever he went in ear shot of the house." ,. ;! t - ,,.- - j , t ;v The hired man had not been a rapid worker, and as Peter had been ailing for weeks Iris farm work- was in a very backward !and .chaotio: condition. , . - The plowing was no mpre than half done, the potatoes Wore not planted, the corn ground was not "fitted," and it waa already the middle of May. - 5 - '- The farm hands for miles around had nil secured situations, and had been at work for weeks. There was not one to be had for love or money. It looked as 'though Peter Cummins would have to worry through the season as best he could without a hired man. Under the circumstances Peter did not Improve either in health or temper "Drat the rheumatiz!" cried he. ; "If I could only git about I'd hitch up ole Jerry an drive till I found a hired man an' one good for suthin', too. But here I am tied downbound an' gagged with this pesky rheumatiz. Ow, wow, vow I wot a tinge thet air was." Although Peter was, in a certain ense, bound to his chair, ho was very far from stating the truth when he said he was gagged, as his wife, his daughters daugh-ters and every chance passerby could , have testified. ' -t ... " : "; . -V ' ' ' ' ' -Although' plowing and planting were v at a standstill on the farm- the dairy ' ' work went ion as briskly as ever, with' Miss Susan Cummins as general manager man-ager and Miss Martha an able assistant ( The seventeen cows were milked bright ,-and ,-and early every morningj the ; milk was 'I "set"' in large, shallow pans, and .the '' cream, at the proper time, was churned, 1 lalted and "worked" into the sweetest of I ' golden butter. - . - s- i . This was not considered hard work by ; ti roBd-wlderedr"rosy cBeekedr-: blue eyed, flaxen haired Susan, who at 19 j years of age was as strong, healthy and . cheerful as a girl well could be. ; ) . Martha, two years younger, although . ' equally as light hearted as her sister, was ', iifferent in many ways. She resembled her mother, who, when a "gal," as' she Df ten told her daughters, was considered a great beauty. ! Martha had inherited her mother's coal j black hair and eyes, creamy complexion and slim, slender form. She was very pretty, and not a farmer boy for miles around but loved the ground she walked on especially when she lightly tripped over a portion of her father's fertile soil. The Cummins homestead would have been fairly overrun with admirers of the two girls (for there were many who liked the robust Susan's style of beauty) but for one thing. They one and all had a wholesome fear and dread of Peter's rasping, ear piercing, foghorn voioe. He also, when not down with "rheumatiz," wielded with much dexterity and accuracy ac-curacy a No. 10 cowhide boot. ' So, because of the voice and the boot, the girls, though greatly admired, had Do "steady company." The nearest approach to.it was the three calls Hiram Stubbs had madoon Susan. - v 'i for Luciier himself. May I inquire your name?" "'My name is Martha Cummins. And yours" '''-. -i "Is Robert Sharp." At that moment old Jerry turned into the 'Cummins door yard , and sedately walked up to the kitchen door. Martha, with the assistance of Robert j Sharp, unloaded her purchases, and taking tak-ing Jerry by the bridle started for the barn. : "Let me be your hostler," said the I stranger, stepping forward. "Yon go into the house and I will avtend to the horse." - .'. The young man soon returned to the house, and was ushered into the old farmer's presence. ; As Peter was greatly in need of help, and Robert Sharp was greatly in need of employment, a bargain satisfactory to both was soon struck. ' Peter at once i5aw that his new hired man was a great worker. Within a week he had the plowing all done and a part of the ground ready for planting. :. ; . The old husbandman's, mind being thus placed at rest he soon got the bet-tef bet-tef of his rheumatism and went to work with a will. " As has been' already stated, Peter prided himself on the fact that he had never had an employe who was able to do as much work in a day as could he. It had always been his custom to "race it" with every new man he hired. . VTien after a more or less close and ex-i citing contest his antagonist eithef tacitly or openly admitted his defeat Peter would say: VWal, yew dew wot ye kin. Yew can'ii hev more uvof acat than her skinj an' it hain't to be expected that yew, er any man in this part uv the kentry. kin keep his eend up with old Peter. Dew wot ye kin." . One evening, having fully recovered his health and strength, Peter said to Robert Sharp: "I'm goin deown tew Piketown this evenin' tew buy mo a new hoe. Tew-morrer, Tew-morrer, yew know, we air tew plant the Green lot tew w'ite flint corn. Yew go to bed arly an' rest jest all yew kin, fer yew'll hev tew git right tew the front tew-morrer, an' don't yew furgit it." Bright and early the next morning the two men started for the "Green lot," the hired man carrying a bag of seed jorn, while Peter flourished two bright new hoes. Said the farmer as soon as the lot was reached: ;Tm jest a-going tew make this new hoe fly tewday. This piece has got tew be planted afore night." With these words, haviig filled to overflowing his planting bag with corn trad his mouth with tobacco, he struck out at a terrific rate of speed, the hired man following after. -The sun having just arisen Peter had discarded his wide brimmed straw hat, mdfor greater freedom of movement had thrown his suspender from his right shoulder. This latter useful article of wearing apparel having b"!ome detached in front streamed ant bttiind lik tw t-iii of a kite. His long gray hair was blown about his swarthy face, his blue checked shirt, filled with wind, puffed out like a balloon; his tan colored overalls bagged at the knee, and his mammoth boots, pushed along through the soft, sandy soil, made a shallow canal on each side of his row. Firmly grasping in one big hand his new hoe and in the other no less than a half pint of corn Peter, pufltog and blowing like a locomotive, worked himself him-self across the field at a high rate of speed. Looking behind him occasionally the exulting husbandman would yell: "Come on. Come on. Thought yew knew heow to plant corn. Git a gait on ye. Git a gait on ye. Haw! haw! bawf At the end of the first "bout" the hired man was several yards behind, and Peter, in a high state of exultation and perspiration, took a double shuffle on a fence beard which chanced to lay upon the ground near by. He then took a "chaw of terbacker." refilled his planting plant-ing bag, spat upon his hands, and, seizing seiz-ing his new hoe, struck out with renewed vigor. "I guess 111 let out a link or two this bout," said the eandy mustacbed young man to himself. . B did so, and not only passed the yew come with me an' 1 11 pay yew off, an' then, yew tarnal cuss, git ofTu my farm. Ye're nuthin but a pesky, no-account no-account tramp, anyway. If I sarved ye right I'd give ye a lift with my boot." Peter started toward the young man as though he really intended to bring into action his noted No. 10. Why didn't he do so? . , - Perhaps he saw a glitter, in Robert's dark eye, and an ominous clinching of his sunburned hand that convinced him that, "discretion was the better part of valor." " ., " Robert Sharp went to tho farm house, received his wages, and thrusting his few belongings into his old carpetbag left the Cummins homestead, as Peter thought, forever. , ! ' ' Before taking his departure he asked to see Martha for a moment, but the request re-quest was greeted with a stentorian "No!" Sustm, however, bade him a .cordial farewell, and slyly slipped into his hand a tightly rolled piece of paper.. , :' ' The next day after dismissing his hired man Peter went to Piketown, and falling in with some old cronies did not leave the village till nearly 10 o'clock at night. When within about a mile of his home he met a rapidly driven wagon in which were seated a man and woman. Although the woman was heavily veiled and the man pulled his hat well down over his eyes the old farmer at once recognized his younger daughter and his former hired man. "Whoa!" roared Peter, swinging his horse across the road, thus stopping the further progress of the evidently eloping couple. "Whoa! Wot does this mean, you tarnal tramp? Git out uv thet wagon at onct, Martha, an' come with me. D'ye hear? Come, neow, mog yer boots." As the young lady made no move preparatory pre-paratory to obeying the order, but on the contrary clung hysterically to her companion, Peter, in order to enforce his command, leaped from his wagon and approached the other vehicle. No sooner had he done so than Robert Sharp, freeing himself from Martha, jumped to the ground, seized the husbandman hus-bandman by the collar of his snuff colored col-ored coat, pulled him forward, pushed him backward, and, tripping him with lightiinglike rapidity, threw him with such force as to make the ground fairly shake. Having done this he backed Peter's horse Into the roadside ditch, clambered into his wagon and drove rapidly away. Although Peter was so dazed by hia fall that he saw ten thousand stars, he notwithstanding managed to get to hia feet before the runaways had completely complete-ly disappeared from view. "Whoa! whoa!" he roared in a voice that would put to shame any fog horn ever invented. "Whoa! Whoa! Come back! Come back, Martha, an' git married tew hum. Wait till a week fruni tew-night, an' Til git ye up a weddin' that'll beat anything ever seen within ten miles uv Piketown." Martha and Robert, being less than a mile away, heard Peter's words, and after a moment's consultation the ex-hired ex-hired man turned his horse about and drove to the scene of the late impromptu wrestling match, "Bob," shouted Peter, holding his hand out toward the young man, "yew kin hev the gal in welcome, D'ye hear? In welcome. Ye're worthy uv her. Any man that outplants, outhoes and out-mows out-mows old Pete Cummins, an' tew cap j all slams him on his back the way yew hev, is worthy uv the best gal within ten mile uv Piketown." The week following the above related ' incident Robert Sharp and Martha Cum-, ; mins were married. ! The wedding festivities were of a high ' order and on a very elaborate scale. The supper went beyond anything in i the culinary line that had been known in that vicinity within the memory of ! "the oldest inhabitant." . The Piketown full string band waa in attendance, and Peter, resplendent in a ! white shirt with a very high collar, a ! long tailed black coat, blue jean trousers and newly tallowed booto, danced a breakdown with a vigor and abandon unknown to the rising generation. The boys all "danced till broad daylight, day-light, and went home with the girls in the morning." Peter is very proud of his sc.n-in-Uw, i and sezmiii bint to do ntarir all the ' On his first visit Hiram was very j anxious, apparently, to secure Peter's kdvico as to What he had better do with his "nine acre lot seed it down er plant itag'in." v Peter, being in a cheerful mood, for a wonder, expatiated and dwelt on the delightful de-lightful subject at such great length, lind Hiram, to propitiate him, gave hint such marked and undivided attention, that Susan remained unnoticed, save at such rare intervals as Peter went to the : door to expectorate. On these occa lions Hiram rolled a prominent pewter lye toward the damsel, and made a hur- tied and whispered observation on the j state of the weather or solicitously in- i quired as to her health. i The youth's second visit, ostensibly for J the purpose of procuring a recipe for a j spavin liniment, passed off in much the . lame way. . When Hiram, in his store clothes, presented pre-sented himself at the kitchen door of the Cummins homestead for the third time there was a coolness in the reception i tendered him by the old husbandman that should have warned him of break- j er ahead. . j Peter, being tired and cross, retired early, and the young man, not to lose any precious time, at once commenced edging his chair toward the blushing and expectant damsel. - ' He reached her side as soon aa could be expected under the circumstances, -and had just succeeded in partially snr-' rounding her buxom form with an arm by no means too long, when the two were thrown apart as by an electric shock. They had hmrd the following words, uttered in a tone of voice that could ba heard a full mile: "Hi, thare, Susan! Send thet air tow-headed tow-headed fool hum, an' mog your boots tew bed. . Dew ye hear?" It was well understood that when Peter said a thing he meant it. He was not only handy with his No. 10 boots, but , was a very muscular man and a .noted "rough and tumble" wrestler. In fact Peter etated no more than tha truth when he said: ' "I kin down anything within ten mile j In Piketown, with one exception thet'a j the rheumatiz." " , He was also a great worker, being able ; , ta "out-hoe. oat-mow. ont-choB an' out- j . ' , |