Old Barn Buster.. (standard:humor, 1561 words)
Author: stanley mcqueen kentucky backwoods writer	Added: May 04 2007	Views/Reads: 3156/1987	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
short backwoods story

Old Barn Buster I and paw were taking a resting spell under the large
oak shade tree in you yard, we had been plowing corn ground all day and 
the July sun has driven us in to take a resting spell . Paw name is 
Lester and we are Turners by our last names, mammy name me after one of 
her brother who was called Frank a man name me Franklin. Here come poor 
old crazy Clod smith paw inform me he riding a new mule this morning 
looks to me he has traded with someone, I seen him leading a cow by 
here this morning pa added, mercy sakes alive son old clod has went and 
traded a good cow to that old barn busting mule, that old man morris 
has traded him more time than once, he plows good and such, but nobody 
can keep him in the fields or their barns. Old clod is like me I could 
say not to smart in trading, Clod comes near us and he sees us setting 
under the shade tree,, howdy gents he says in a loud voice , its hotter 
than a hen laying a egg today . Look what a mule I just traded for a 
while ago he brags isn't he a fine-looking animal Clod asked? Well he 
is a looker for sure pa” replied. By the way who did you trade with pa 
asked ‘ ” I traded the best milk cow I had on my farm for this tall 
fine mule. I beat the sock off old man morris salmwood clods says 
looking sort of big eyed.... Well I want talk about a man and his trade 
but I know one things about that that mule he has been swopped more 
than any mule in these here parts , I can grant you that pappy says” 
what you mean clod asked? Well it like this clod that mule is the best 
plow mule in these parts and only has one bad fault pa says in reply to 
Clod question? You cannot keep him in the paster  fields , he is a 
fence jumper and a barn buster pa explains” mercy sakes alive old man 
salmwood never mention that about him and maybe I have brag to fast 
Clod admits.. Well I tell you gent one thing if he will plow good and 
pull my ground turning plow i'll brake him from jumping the fence Clod 
declared” i'll tie rock around this legs or something to weight him 
down , one things for sure is if I cannot brake him from being a fence 
jumper and a bark kicker im destroyed admits Clod,, pa laughed sometime 
a man would have been better off to never got out of his sleeping bed 
pa says and I do think that applied to you my friend Clod say pappy” 
well boys I like to stay a while and chat some but I best be getting 
this mule on to my place to try and get him use to my farm and all and 
I will see you gent later clod says and give a get up command to the 
mule he is setting astradel. Well boy we are in for some real fun pa 
says as we watch pa friend Clod riding away from our site , that old 
Clod beats ever thing he is destroyed son they hasn't been a man in 
these parts that hasn't owned that mule one time or the other pa 
chucked” it must have been two full week after our talking to Clod when 
we see him coming again down the wagon road that goes past our shack 
and this time he is leading the tall mule , we again are in the yard 
and Clod sees us and stop and says boys im here to tell you right off 
im a destroyed man she gasps , this demon mule has kick my barn board 
loose and broke my fences to bit, clod explained and boys im headed 
back to old man salmwood to trade him back he says. Molly has leaf me 
and went to her mammy to live because of me being so foolish and 
trading our best cow to this no account mule . She seen what he done to 
our barn and she got madder than blazes at me for being so foolish in 
my trade ,,I tell you boys things have went sour for me from day one 
since I traded for him , and im hoping salmwood will feel sorry for me 
and at least give me a little money back on letting him have him back 
after I explain to him the misery he had brought me, if I had some 
whisky I pitch a drunk he said , I so let down by my own doings boy im 
reined he declares”well my friend Clod I have some more bad news old 
man salmwood want trade back nor will he give you nary bit of your 
money you paid him plus that good cow you'll just have to set on the 
blister you've made pa added “well it want hurt a man to take him over 
to his farm and try Clod said ‘ what have I got to lose anyhow he tells 
us”well boys wish me clod said “ I be back threw her later and let you 
know the out come Clod promises” I and paw took our seats again under 
the oat and watch clod head on off toward old man salmwood place.. It 
must of been no more than a half and hour we see Clod form coming back 
down the wagon road and this time he is alone, paw says that strange do 
you think old man salmwood maybe give him back some of his money pa, 
asked me” Clod is out of breath when he get to where we at there beside 
the wagon road. Clod is breathing hard and he finely gets enough wind 
to speak to us.. Boys you fellow isn't going to believe what im going 
to tell you she said “ that darn mule died on me about a mile up the 
road yonder and he right dead in the middle of the wagon and folks 
cannot get a wagon team by that rascal... he fell stone dead and I got 
to looking in his mouth and he don't have but one or two teeth , that 
mule is older that the rocks around here clod says, I want to ask a 
favor from you Lester could you harness your mule and go up there and 


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