Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME 11. |
BY C. R. HANLEITER.
p © IE f 1 ?l Y □
WIFE TO HER HUSBAND
Linger not long ! Home is not Im.ne without thcc;
Its toke..s only make me mourn ;
Oh! lei its memory* like n chain about thee,
Gently compel and hasten thy return.
Linger not long!
Linger not long ! Tlio’ crowds should woo thy stsying,
Bethink dice : can the mirth of friends, though dear,
Compensate f*>r the grief thy long delaying
Costs the heart that sighs to have thee here ?
Linger not long!
Linger not long ! How shall I watch thy coining,
As evening shadows stretch o'er moor and dell,
When the wild bee hath ceased her busy humming,
And silence hangs on all things like a spell ?
Linger not long!
jlow shall I watch for thee, when fears grow stronger.
As night draws dark and darker on the hill !
I low shall I weep, when I can watch no longer ?
Oh ! art thou absent—nrt thou absent still ?
Linger not long I
Yet I should grieve not, though the eye that seetlt me,
Gazeth through tears that make its splendor dull;
For, oh I 1 sometimes fear, when thou art with me, ‘
My cup of happiness is all too fuil!
Linger not long I
Ilastc—haste thee home into thy mountain dwelling !
Ilaste ns a bird unto its peaceful nest!
Haste as a skiff, when tempests wild tire swelling,
Flies toils haven of securest rest!
Lingjr nor long!
[E©a
From the New Mirror.
FORTUNE VERSUS TALENT;
OU HOW IT TURN ED OUT.
Mrs. Gore’s drawing-rooms were uncom
monly attractive all at once. No less than
five calls that morning within the space of
an hour. The conversation, too, seemed
very animated; an<l a listener might have
been somewhat puzzled to have guessed the
subject, front the disjointed sentences that
now and then were heard near the door.—
At length several exclamations came in rap
id succession, and every lady of the com
pany seemed determined to have a word.
“ You don’t say si* 1” exclaimed one of a
very prudent countenance.
“How perfectly ridiculous 1 I never
heard of a more foolish act !” continued an
old maid of the company.
“ What a pity! Such a fine gill as site
is, too!” added a benevolent looking old
lady.
“ I declare, T thought scarcely atiy ouo
good enough for her !” continued another.
“ And having the choice of so many, too,
to take up with the very worst sle could
have made J” chimed in a fifth.
“ I declare,! cannot beiieve sh e could he
so foolish !” again spoke Mrs. Gore, who
had been the first to tell the news, although
she now seemed to doubt her own story.
“ Well, well, it can’t be helped now —”
•“ What. cßi.’t he helped, Mrs. L,” said a
‘lady, who had entered the room unannoun
ced, and approached the talkers.
“Oh! Mrs. E., how glad I am to see
you,” immediately spoke the lady -of the
mansion, advancing towards her visitor.—
“ But, will you believe it, Julia Morton has
actually thrown herself away upon a poor
attorney, whose income or the nr.st amounts
to barely a thousand a year.”
“ Indeed ! Biit ! thought, by your dole
ful tone, something do auful had happened.
I hoard this morning that Julia was mat ti
ed yesterday to Mr Dr.nforth. BuL why do
you think so ill of the match ? i have al
ways heard him estimated as a very fine
fellow. His character and education are
also superior to the generality of young
men, whilst in position he is certainly her
equal.”
*’ Ob ! lie may l>e good enough in such
things for all I know, but then he is so very
poor. Thev sliQuld have waited at least un
'no *as able to support her properly ; and
bhe. Vte all know, has had enough to en
sure in her father’s house from struggling
to keep up appearances, to have made her
wiser than to tush upon premeditated pov
*rt“ Perhaps her very experience lias had
something to do with her decision. She
h>ay know better that, any of us upon what
income the cm i.va genteelly ; and, as she
is verv ingenious, and possesses both taste
and tact, 1 have no doubt hut what she will
manage her means in a way that w. 1 make
it appear to be a.nple. Julia, we all- know,
is no fool; ami, we may be assured, has re
flected properly upon whnt she has done.
“ But then, she coultl have done so much
better. There was H... the young mer
chant, whoso income is something like—
“ But all based upon borrowed capital,
as I happen to know. Hardly a day passes
but he has a note or something of the kind
to cancel; and he is quite as much pressed
for ready money as any one, to judge by his
frequent calls upon my husband for assis
tance. No, no, 1 can’t say I think credit
sufficient to live upon, even though it stands
as high as his.” ....
“ Well, then, there’s young Eaton, who
possesses a handsome pioperty, ic
yields him a handsome income independent
habits to swallow it up, ’ with
and partihil h<H to speak ol his contmunl
smoking and 4ridk;n|. and attend.og thea-
& jF&mflg 2£cU>simi>ev : to attcratuve, agriculture, Jtteclimitcs, Sfcucatiou, iForclgw amt ©omrsttt EutclUgeurf, Kt.
“ is the reason misfor.tun.es are
so common in married life ; and mtt'Jiy a
girl, who made Skliat was at the time thought
a good matrib, is left a widow, with only her
luxurious habits and her husband’sdeibts for
Iter portion. Again, how many a lad)', at
tired in themost expensive clothing, is yal. t
ing Broadway, or entertaining fashionable
visitors, whilst her poor husband is toiling
from morning till night in his office or cot tn
ting-room, to suppott her in such splend* >r.
I think the happiness of our ladies would
be farther increased hud they less of splen
dor and external ornament about them.
and mote of their husband’s interest at
heart. Julia may not be arrayed in silks
and jewels, hut then she will live w ithin ait
atmosphere of affection around her, and eti
jov sntne of her husband s company ; and,
though she may have no carriage when she
wishes to go abroad, yet his arm will sup
port her, and give her more pleasure and
pride titan the richest equipage in the
world. But how I have chatted here 1 l
declare, it is hear ait hour since 1 entered,
and I must bid you good-by.”
So saying, Mrs. E., took leave of Mrs.
Gore, which we will do also, and following
Julia, sec “ how it turned out.”
And how did it turn out ?
Some six or eight years after the above
conversation a difficult and very important
case iu law was waiting a decision. ‘1 he
highest talent of the si a t,e, according to the
newspapers, was engaged in it, and so com
plex and difficult did it seem that few ven
tured on opinion ; although, at the first
hearing, an appearance of clearness and
right on the aide of the plaintiff seemed
likely to decide the suit at once. But the
keen glance of the lawyer engaged in the
defence soon detected the well built-up
fraud against his client, and with his com
prehensive mind he grasped the whole, and
atep by step, unravelled it so clearly to the
tics five or six times a week. Why, n man
with his habits would be poor though lie
possessed a million.”
“ 01 course, l do not mean to excuse his
dissipated course ; hut, llten, a wife might
soon win him to domestic tastes and more
reasonable doings. Still, there is Edward
H., who also paid her great attention, and
will have a handsome fortune from his fa
ther, besides his business, which seems to
be very profitable, nnd—”
“And who is in debt to his landlady, with
whom 1 am acquainted, and who thinks no
thing of running into debt for every trifle.
No, no, Mrs. Gore, none you hove mention
ed are worthy of being compared with
young Danfort It, though, 1 grant you their
position in society seems to give them some
what an advantage over him as to fortune.
But, then, he possesses within himself that
which cannot fail to bring him wealth in
the end, besides securing to him the admi
ration and esteem of his fellow’ men. His
talents are of no ordinary kind, and are
joiUfd to a clear, comprehensive mind. In
deed, I cannot but congratulate Julia upon
having secured the affections of such an up
right young matt, as every act of Mr. Dan-
Fort h’s ltas shown him to be.”
“ My dear Mrs. E., I do not quarrel with
the character of Mr. Danforth, hut his im
prudence in drawing into his poverty such
a fuse girl as Julia, whom, we all know', de
serves the best of husbands.”
“And believe me, Mrs. Gore, she lias se
cured that desideratum.”
“ Well, well, Mrs. E., I hope it will turn
out as Vo;: seerr* to think, hut my experi
ence and ohseiration both warn me of the
yeats of care and sorrow that are sure to
follow in the train of those who have marri
ed without some sure and sufficient mpans
of support ; and I fear Julia has a hard fu
ture before her.”
“ If she U'as like the generality of young
ladies, who seem only educated for show
and ornament, I should fear so too. But
such is not the case. Julia can fashion Iter
own clothes, and, if needs he, some of her
husband’s. She also lias a natural taste for
all that pertains to domestic life, and can
give an air of elegance and comfort to even
the humblest apartment. Witness of whnt
use she has been in iter mother’s family, and
how well her skilful fingers have hidden the
poverty which otherwise would have been
so glaring.”
“ But is it not hard that her whole life
should he one of such slavery as we know’
she has had to undergo a! home?”
“ 1 believe Julia does not look upon it in
that light. I have often heard her say it
was a positive pleasure to her to do any
thing. however humble, for those site loved;
and, as she knew her mother could never
lie happy in leaving- Iter present handsome
mansion and resia’in.g in one more suited to
her father’s circumstances, she has exerted
herself, for I er mother's sake, to keep up
appearances in the fuW.'fy, mid at least hide
from the world in genet hI what we, their in
timate friends, knew t<K> well. I’cOuldirtt
you of many !t sacrifice ih at site bus made
tj her mother’s pride; and, though her
whole life should he a work-day, yet she
has strength of mind ami nobility of soul
sufficient to hear her with honor through it;
amt, wlien girded mound by .affection, which
site has long sadly wanted, at In ‘me, she will
he happy, you may be assurer. 1 .”
“ From all you have said, Mi's. E.,
tainly do see the subject in a dLffe.'.ent lialit,
and Itope, sincerely* it may have a prosper
ous ending. But liow very differently the
world argues!”
MADISON, MORGAN COUNTY, GEORGIA, SATURDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 7, 1843.
court and jury, that a unanimous verdict
was returned in his favor ; and the humble
attorney offurmer years, Mr. Danforth, had
the honor of having successfully defended
the cause of justice and humanity against an
array which at first seemed invincible, track
ed as it was by two of the oldest and ablest
veterans at the bar.
Mrs. Got e would have hardly recognized
the humble clerk, whom she had so unmer
cifully assailed for having carried ofTher fa
vorite Julia, in the elegant and dignified
matt who now stood with honor among the
most eminent and distinguished of his com
peers.
But so, indeed, it was. Three years of
trial and disappointments were followed by
a fourth of unusual prosperity; and the wife,
who had so freely abated his humble desti
ny, now could count Iter income by thou
sands.
“ But were not the first years of your
marriage vety gloomy?” asked a young
ftiend of Julia, who had been present at the
conversation which had occurred in Mrs.
Gore's drawing-room the day after Julia’s
imprudent match, as it was tnen almost ex
clut-ively thought.
“ Judge for yourself, my dear Ellen.—
When I married, my husband’s income was
vety limited. 1 should he ashamed to tell
you this did T not wish to convince you up
on what small means people who love each
other, and are willing to exert themselves,
can live. I saw from the first that Mr.
Danforth, ir. his profession, had many diffi
culiies to overcome. My happiness never
depended upon the gratification of the sen
ses, such as is received from fine clothes,
furniture and amusements, therefore I hard
ly missed the se things, surrounded as I was
by an Affection that seemed to grow stron
ger and brighter every day, whilst the sim
plicity and frugality of our Style of living
ever kept us above want, even during our
darkest trials. And very simple was our
style of living. Two neat rooms was the
whole extent of our territoiies ; and in that
small compass we kept house, even gen
teelly, for three years. Often were our
friends pleasantly entertained in our com
fortable parlor, without having any suspi-’
clou of the narrowness of our limits, and
only wondering how we got along so well
upon so little. But I must he more minute
in our manner of keeping house, and give
you a description which may be turned to
account should your husband ever fail, and
you meet the reverse of fortune. Our fur
niture was all good of its kind. W e had a
sofa-bedstead in the parlor, coveted with
scarlet and damask, that answered the dou
ble purpose of a comfortable seat by day
and a bed by night. Here also was onr
‘.took-case, well filled by my husband before
our marriage with truly valuable books; in
the lower part of it was a snug place for
our best tea-set, and the jar of preserves
kept for n few dear friends who now anti
llten spent an afternoon with me. Caipet.
chairs, a cloak, anti a centre-table, covered
with tnagaz n sand annuals, completed the
most of nor simple pa rlor furniture. From
time to time, however, we added to its or
naments, as our means allowed, now an as
tral lamp, and then a rug, &<\, until our
room looked both elegantly and tastefully
furnished, and none would have guessed it
served us for a sleeping-room. The other
apartment held a small cooking-stove, and
its numerous fixtures quite superseded all
other co iking-utensils, and could be used
both summer and winter. This was very
handy to me, and our food was always well
cooked in it. And tea table, chairs, and a
largo bureau, besides a wash stand in one
corner of the room, completed its furniture.
Here we took our meals, and 1 did my kitch
en work—though, to tell the truth, there
was not, after all, so much to do. Two
grovvn-up persons, living as we did, are not
half the trouble to do fir ns the manage
ment of servants are in a larger household.
Alt ample closet in this room held tbe ne
cessary house-keeping appat at ns, nnd saved
all trouble of running up and down stairs.
A poor woman, who lived in a street back
of us, and whose yard joined onr own,
washed our clothes, nnd I myself ironed
them. A little h.y of bets was very use
i'itl to me in runuitig errands, nnd the inite 1
i >ave them in return for their services was
r.sally of great help to them. 1 found a
p-ositive pleasuie in keepingoursmallhouse
hold in order, and it was a real happiness to
m e to prepare my husband such dishes us
lie liked, and have them served precisely at
ti’ie hour he wished. Thus you see, Ellen,
I vv as not afraid to toil—and, to tell the
tru tri, it was really a benefit to me ; the ex
eictse conducing much to keep me in good
spirit a. Keeping our wardrobe in older
and reading and writing made the time pass
plcnsantly until my husband’s return, which
wajs seldom later than four in the afternoon.
Often we walked out together, or attended
the opera, and not unfrequently entertained
a friend or two during the evening. Thus
two years passed away with us, and then my
little Mary was born. My husband, in
spite of his small income, was enabled to
stirrouud me with every comfort necessary
to my situation. Os course, my cares in
creased after the birth of my child, for I
would not keep a servant after the first two
months of my recovery, as my husband’s
business grew’ even duller than usual; and,
though we never wanted for anything ne
cessary, yet we were sometimes in fear of
it. This year was the darkest one, yet still
our courage never left ns, and our affection
only grew the stronger for each other ; and,
had it not been for the unkindiiess of some
of my relatives, I should have thought
nothing of our humble living. But, alas!
my mother never ceased to reproach me
for what she called my folly. And, instead
of counsel and sympathy from those so near
to me, I met only cutting re murks towards
myself; and my kind and itohlcminded hus
band, who was struggling through many
difficulties, was assailed with hitter taunts
from my own relations ! Ah ! these things
were harder to hear than the poverty that
assailed us; for that quickly passed away,
whilst the sting of tittkiiidnees, I fear, lias
not even yet healed. It is true, they now
strive, by every attention, to make us forget,
but I cannot help saying their attention
would have been more grateful to us, and
lightened us of many cates, had it come at
the time of need. My mother WBB, how
ever, much disappointed that I did not ac
cept a Mr. R„ who was, at the time I mar
ried, a prosperous merchant. Alas! but
two years after myself he married, and t< ok
his bride to a splendid mansion, where, for
one year, they revelled in splendor, and
then he died, leaving his wife totally unpro
vided for, with nothing hut luxurious habits
and his numerous debts. She returned to
her father’s honee, broken in health and
spirits; and I heard, not long ago, she was
in a consumption. In the meantime, my
dear husband was fust nearing the reward
of his persevsrance. Fortunately he gain
ed a very important suit, that had been put
in his hands, through the illness of a friend,
almost at the very last moment of its trial,
and the quickness with which he compre
hended it, and the clear manner in which
he presented it to the court, together with
the extraordinary knowledge of law which
he also showed, brought him at once into
notice, which was, in reality, all that was
needed to advance his fortunes. And tlius
all our pecuniary cares were soon ended ;
aud I assure you that, as liberal as the posi
tion of my husband makes it necessary for
us now to live, we do not consume more
than half of rite income his extensive
practice brings him in. I cannot say that
we are any happier now than during the
first humble but blessed year of our imTon ;
at.d I am firmly convinced that the lowliest
fortune may he divested of all hoiror when
affection sheds its light upon it, and, each
want is brought cheerfully within its limits.
M. A. E.
Frtm the Boston Mercantile Journal.
BATTLE BETWEEN THE EXITED
STATES AND MACEDONIAN.
Reading in your paper of the 14th inst.
a very graphic account of the battle be
tween the United States and Macedonian,
I was reminded that 1 had in my possession
a very fine counterpart to it, written on the
day after the battle, by a gentleman who
was a volunteer on board the United States.
It would be difficult to imagine a greater
contrast titan tlie scene presented on board
tbe two ships, so highly creditable to onr
own navy, and to the character of the brave
Decatur. A.
At sea, Oct. 26, ISI2, lot. 1,/on. 29.
My dear friends —1 will endeavor to giv#
you something like an account of what I
have witnessed since wc patted. The
gentry who have heretofore done the sea
fighting of the world, have represented it as
a business so frightful, hgve so filled our
eats with the thundering description of the
cannonade, and so wrung our sympathies
with the agonies of the wounded and dying,
that had ! not just come out of one as noisy,
at least, as any of theirs, I should think it
a tety improper sort of a picture to present
to a lady’s eyes; hut it being a very tame
(‘•meet it, saving uow and then a ridiculous
occurrence, 1 not only do not despair of giv
ing you a very minute account which shall
not effect your nerves, hut I hope even to
excite your curiosity as high as mine was
when 1 came to sea for the put pose of see
ing a fight. You must know that yester
day morning 1 was waked out of a sound
sleep with the very agreeable intelligence
that n frigate was in sight, statu ing for us,
nnd close aboard. “How large is she ?”
“ Very large, sir,” “ Perhaps it is an Amer
can or Spanish ?” “ No, sir, she has got an
English flag flyinc.” “ Give me my clothes.”
The Putser by this time hud got the intelli
gence. His station you know is in the
cockpit, out of shot. With his clothes in
Iris bund, he was darting with the rapidity
of lightning for his hiding place, when, see
ing me, he stopped suddenly, and taking
me to his cabin—“ Come, my good fellow,
there’s no knowing what might Itappen—
just subscribe this receipt for your share of
the small stores.”
Avery pretty omen, thought I. Dress
ed and armed (for you must understand I
am one of the goodly fellowship of board
ers) I ventured on deck. Here, every thing
was in a bustle—the hurry of preparation
for battle; I met the commodore’s eye.—
“ Well, sir, you are ready, I see.” “ Yes,
sir,” said I, in a very husky voice. “We
slinll have a fight.” “ Think so, air ?’’ “Oh,
yes, there she is, and a beauty too.” I
got on a gun carriage, looked over the
bulwark, and there she was sure enough,
right abreast of us, showing all her teeth.—
Ah ! thought I to myself, how much better
’twould be how it she would only strike
without firing. “ Stall we hoist the en
sign ?” asked a quartermaster. “ Yess.”
” More than one ?” “No; we can whip
het as easily under one flog B 9 four. Si
lence !” And all was as hush as death.—
Our captain now mode a speech : “My
good fellows, we’ll have no cheering. If
you knock out one of her masts, don't stop
to bawl about it but thump away the harder
at the other twu.” Well, thought!, if yu
don’t make a better fight than you have a
speech, we may as well give up et once.—
“ Fire one broadside from the gnn-deck 1”
And off it went, very much like fifteen oth
er guns, making some noise and a great
smoke ; and then very faintly we Iteard ten
funs in return, but not a shot came near us.
gtew calm, and now if they would only
finish it at this distance !
The enemy, however, went about again.
Our sails were hauled up, and there we lay,
waiting sot him to come down. He came
within about half a mile, and Jet slip all his
broadside, nnd off went ours. And so we
went on, our men firing three times to his
once—the shot flying thick and close, whiz,
whiz, whit, whit—they flew fast aud thick.
I went to the capstan the minute that one of
her yards had settled, and the moment I
turned my hack, crash came a shot, through
and through, knocked down three men, cut
off” a whelp of the. capstan and threw it in
to a thousand splinteis all about me. There
the men lay—not a groan, not a wry look,
no crying out. At length, Lieut. Funk,
who was one of them, beckoned to me. 1
took him in my arms and carried him to the
gun-deck to the grating over the cockpit.—
There were three others with their legs off.
“ Let them go down first,” said Funk, “ I
am in no pain.” They all went down. 1
put him through. “Go to the commodore,”
said he, “ 1 can get down without you.” I
turned to go up, and three men were pick
ing up one of their messmates without a
head.—” Out of the port with him,” said
the officer, and they threw him out as if
he’d been a dog.
All this at any other time would have
been distressing—hut when I got on deck,
a smile from the Couimodoie, and “ Well,
Mr. 8., you came to see a fight, how do
you like it 1” “ Very well—but it scents to
me ’twill never be over.” “ No,” said he,
*• l shall have to go home for powder and
shot if he keeps of!’ much longer.” Direct
ly he set his foresails, and edged down pret
ty close to ns. The commodore turned to j
me, “ We’ll now settle in twenty minutes!” I
—and after seventeen spent much in the
same manner as l have described, down !
ctStuc all his masts and yards, his firing ccas- |
ed, and we ranged ahead. Soon went about
and stood close down to him, when he ac
knowledged ho had struck. And this was
all. And this is a fight ? I looked at the
watch, arid we had been hammering a*
way one hour and twenty-two minutes. —
What ship is that I “ The Macedonian.”
Give Commodore Decatur’s compliments
to CaptaiuCarden—hopes he is well. You
must know that last March C'apt. Carden
was in Norfiilk with his ship. While there
he and the Commodore had a watm dis
pute about the respective discipline, equip
ment. armament, &c., of their and out ships.
At last, they quarreled, and the Commo
dore told him that if there should he a war
they might be able to settlethose questions;
till then they hod bettor not lie discussed.—
Carden replied, “ My frigate is thought a
match for any single decked ship afloat.—
She may go down, sir, but site can never
strike to a frigate.”
He catne on board looking more like a
butcher than anything else, for lie was liter
ally besmeared from head to foot with blood
He w'as received at the gangway in the
most gracious manner by his old acquain
tance, shown into the cabin, nnd although
in the most distressing state of mortification,
saying, “I shall certanily lie hung-my coun
try never will forgive this—they wont le
---lieve it till 1 tell them of it,” Sec. &c., was
pacified, and at length in some degree sat
isfied. He was told that the Guerriere
struck iu 30 minutes, with half the loss of
men he had suffered, and so on, for you
must know he came from a scene horrible
enough to make him mad. His deeks were
lumltered with Iris dead end wounded.—
Out of a crew of 300 men, he had 36 killed
and 68 wounded—we otdy seven killed and
five wounded. His vessel was a complete
wreck, ours in one hour’s time could have
whipped just such another frigate in half
the time, could we have got close alongside
one. We are now employed in putting her
in order to come to America, with what
chance, you will easily judge of our getting
her in. when informed that we are just 2500
miles from home and a winter’s coast to
come on to. With Decatur’s luck, 1 think
we may reach America by tire first of De
cember, when I hope to have the pleasure,
See., &c. With the kindest regards, I am,
My dear friends, your much obliged
And very humble servant,
B. F. B.
| The foregoing was written by the late
Ben). F. Bourne, Esq., then, as the letter
shows a volunteer on hoard the United
States, nnd afterwards a I’ursci in the Na
vyJ <
No plaster can be made strong enough
to draw genuine tears from a hypocrite’s
eves—money from a miser—generosity
from selfishness —truth from a slanderer—
honesty from a thief—ar a prize in the lot
tery.
j NUMBER 28.
WM. T. THOMPSON, EDITOR.
TAKING THE CENSUS—A SCENE
IN ALABAMA.
BY H. HOOPER,ESQ.
Wo rode op one day to the residence of
n widow rather past the prime oflife—(juat
that period at which nature supplies more
utimtiJmrttrtJre ‘nl wtrtrtl lubricates I tie bing
es of the female tongue)—and hitching to
the fence, walked into the house. “
“ Good morning, madam,” said we in our
usual bland, somewhat insinuating manner.
“ Mamin,” said the widow gruffly.
Drawing our blanks from their cases, wo
proceeded—l am the man, madam, that
takes the census, and “ ! *
“The mischief you aro!” said the old
termagetit. “ Yes, I’ve heaiu of you; Pair
son W. told me you was coming, and 1 told’
him jist what I tell you, that if you Said
“cloth,” “soap,” i ir “chickens to me. I’d set
the dogs on ye. Here, Bull! here. Pomp!’
Two wolfish curs lesponded to the rad fop
Bull and Pomp, by coming to the door, ‘
smelling at our feet with a slight growl, and
then laid down on the steps. “ Now,” ron
tinued the old she savage, “them’s the se
verest dogs in this country. Last week
Bill Sfonecker’s two year old sleet jumped’
my yard fence, and Bull mwl Pomp tuk him
by the throat, and they killed him afore my
boys could break ’em loose, to save the
world.”
“ Yes. ma’am,” said we, meekly ; ** Bull
and Pomp seem to be very fine dogs,”
“ You may well say that ; w hat I tell#
them to do they do—and if I was to sick
them on your old horse yonder, they’d eat
him up afore you could say Jack Roberson.
And its jist w hat I will do, if you try to pry
into my consarns. They are none of your
business, nor Von Boren’s not her, I reckon.
Oh, oid Van Bureri! I wi.-h I had yea
here, you old rascal ! I’d show you whet—
i’d—l’d make Bull and Pomp show you
how to be Pendin’ out men to take
down what liitle stuff’people’s got, jist to
tax ir, when its taxed enough n ready !’
All this time we were perspiring through
fear of the fierce guardians of the old wid
ow’s portals. At length, when the widow
paused, we remarked that as she was cietci
mined not to answer questions about die’
produce of the farm, we would juat set
down the ago, sex, anJ complexion of each
member of her family.
“Nosicb a thing—you’ll do no sieh a iking,’*
said she, “I’ve got five in my family, and
that’s all you’ll git from me. Old Van Bu
ren must have a heap to do, the drotietl old
villynu to send you to take down how. old
my children is. I’ve got five in family, and
they bre all between five and a bundled
years old, they are all a plaguy sight whiter
than you, ami whether they are boys or girls,
is none of your consarns.”
We told her we should report her to the
Marshal, arid she would lie fined, but it only
augmented her wrath.
“ Yes ! send your marshal, or yanr Mr.
Van Bureu here, if you’re had off’ to—let
’em come—let Mr. Van Buren come, (look
ing as savage as a Bengal tigeress,) Oh. I
wish he would come,” and her nostrils dil
ated, and her eyes gleamed, •* I’d cut hi#
head off!”
“ That might kill him,” we ventured t
ivnM.i t, by u ny of a joke.. _ .•/
“ Kill him ! kill him—oh if I had
here by the year* l reckon I would kill him.
A pretty chap to lie eating his vittits out’tt
golden s|h ions that poor people’s taxed fur,
and raisin’ an army to gttliim made king of
Anieriky—tire audacious, nasty, stinking,
old scamp !” She paused a moment and
then resumed, “And now jist put down
what I tell you on that paper, and don't be ‘
telling no lies to send to Washington city,
Jist put down Judy Tompkins, agreeable
woman, and four children.” ,
We objected to making any such entiy,
but the old woman vowed that it should s>.,
done, to prevent any misrepresentation of
her case. We however were pretty reso
lute, until she appealed to the couebant
whelps, Bull and Pomp. At the J|*®t
glimpse of their teeth our courage gavd%sfe; ;;
and we made the entry in a bold handacran#
a blank schedule. ” Judy Tompkins, age
oil e woman, and four children.”
We now begged the old.lady to dismiss
her enuine friends, that wo might'go ou|
and depart, and forthwith mounting our old
black we determined to give the old soul U
parting fire. Turning half round in older
to face her, we shouted— }’
“Old ’ornan !”
“ Who told you to call me old ’oman, you
longleggod, halched-faced whelp, you 1 I’ll
make the dogs tuke you off that horse
quicker'!* lightning, if you give me eny mute
of your di alled impudence. What do yolfc
wantl’’
“ Do you want to get married 1”
“ Not to you, if I do !”
Placing our riglit thumli on the nasal ex
tremity of < ur countenance, we said, “ Yi'ii
needn’t be uneasy, old ‘till, o*i that score
though you might suit sore leggud Dick S
up our wav, and should like to know
what to tell him lie might count on if he
came down next Sunday !”
“ Here, Bull 1” shouted lire widow, “eipjfc
him. Pomp !” but we cantered off, unwntin
ded, fortunately, by the fanga of Bull and-
Pomp who kept up the chase as long as thfey
could hear the cheering voice of their mill
tress —“S-i-c k, Pomp —sick, sick, s4l§)|pt
him, Bull—suboy ! suhoy ! suboy l’\