The Wrong Man — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

/ ¢ SURLY NED. 1% “Le! him keep lus rigs for the women, then, when he sells them pit-coal for indigo, and pewter spoons for silver,” said the surly hunter. “ But if he reckons to crack his jokes upon “You'll crack your rifle upon my head,” interrupted the ready peddler. “ You see, Squire Dudley, what’s bred in the bone it’s hard beating out of the flesh, as they say. Surly Ned will never learn to be civil, till some of the ‘d——d Yankees,’ as he calls them, pound good manners into him.” “ You are ever too quick of speech, Dodge,” replied Dudley ; “ and I question much if the remedy you are so forward to pre- ; scribe might not be of service to yourself.” * What, strap-oil, bre era a! I should like to see the doctor would undertake to administer it,” retorted Dodge, drawing himself up with an air that showed he felt full confi- dence in his great size and strength. “ But, Mr. Overton,” resumed Dudley, “I am surprised to see you here. I thought by this time you were a day’s journey on your way to Canada. I surely heard that you had set out “esterday, and little expected to meet you in this neighbor- ood.” ‘The last words were distinguished by a slight emphasis. “Hah, that’s true,” added the peddler ; “ I wonder I didn’t think on it. But now you mention it, Ido remember hearing in the village last evening that Overton had started; and let me see+why, yes. so it was—it was his own brother, Hngh Over- ton, that said so.” The hunter muttered something in reply which was not re- markably intelligible, but the purport of which seemed to be that he had designed commencing his journey on the previous , and actually set out, when he recollected certain mat- .. ters which made it necessary for him to return. He concluded - by saying that, having completed the business which recalled : him, he was now ready to recommence his journey ; “And, = ndeed,” added he, casting his eyes toward the sun, “ I ought ___-y have been upon the road an hour sot . As he finished speaking, he nodded a clumsy adieu to Dud- ley, and picking up the otter-skin cap which had fallen from ay during the scuffie, he turned, and began to ascend the h “There goes a uine sulky scamp of a hunter,” said the object of his remark disappeared among the trees, “He sets more by his rifle than his own mother, and pe ray ( _ hates a Yankee worse than a rattlesnake.” __ “We should seek to remove his prejudices, and conciliate good-will by kindness, Dodge; not increase dislike by needless ' “* "Phat for his -will!” replied the peddler, snapping his PP finge ptuously. “He has done all he can to spoi sii 5 Pe ches, inlertores tammy batgainn, and tase Comitoaotecom - - to ke