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Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander), 1862-1919

"The Free Rangers A Story of the Early Days Along the Mississippi"

It's
considered a great accomplishment."
"It ain't so considered by me, an' I'm bein' heard from," said Long Jim
with great emphasis. "Them dy-plo-may-tists or dy-plo-maws may reckon
theirselves pow'ful big boys, but I've got another an' better name fur
'em, and it's spelled with jest four letters, uv which the furst is l an'
the last is r, an' them that comes in between are i an' a, with the i
first. Why, Paul, it makes me plum' sick, all these goin's on. In a big
town like this, full uv Spaniards an' Frenchmen an' Injuns an' niggers an'
mixed breeds, an' the Lord knows what, you can never tell nuth'in' 'bout
nobody, 'cept that he says what he don't believe, an' that he ain't what
he is.
"I guess I'm in love more with the big woods than ever. Thar things is
what they is. A buffaler don't pretend to be a b'ar. He'd be ashamed to be
caught tryin' to play sech a trick, an' a b'ar has the same respect fur
hisself; he'd never dream uv sayin' in his b'ar language, 'Look at me,
admire me, see what a fine big buffaler I am!' An' I've a lot uv respeck
fur the Injun, too. He's an Injun an' he don't say he ain't. He don't come
sneakin' along claimin' that he's an old friend uv the family, he jest up
an' lets drive his tomahawk at your head, ef he gits the chance, an' makes
no bones 'bout it.


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