Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1813-11-25
From the Cleaner.
From the Desk of Poor Robert the Scribe
$50 to the dnt thou SIlegnrdn


GO to the Ant thou SIaggard"
A little back of Mr. Clayton's house there
rises high hill. from the summit Of which
the whoie country IS spread out to view
'iis pleasant prospect; and there are
three steeples and seven school houses, all
in sight. 1t is there, that on Thanksgiving
nights, the boys make their" bonfires"-and
there the cam ,n is planted every Fourth
of july ] used to delight to ramble thither
with the Parson. He knew every family
within reach of the eve, and their history
from the earliest settlement of the town,
and that was long and many day ago ,
for some of the grave.stones are all moss
grown and the inscriptions illegble.
One summers day as MIR Clayton and
! were climbing up the hill together he stop
ped 10 view an Ant hill Tie little people
were right industrious. Il love to watch
their motions" said Mr. Clayton, "they
are wise, and put man, with all his boosted
learning and sense, to shame $50 to the
dat The" staggard' was wise precept.o
As we seated ourselves on the rock that
affords the best prospect of the surrounding
country Observe" said Mr. Clayton chat
old mansion, far beyond the village. sur
rounded by those old e'ms: twenty wears
ago II belonged TO Mr.. Goodrich. whose IA
Their trs' settled there TIE large mill be-
low was lis, and the choicest farm in the
vafley. TIE old folks say it was a most
hosn'ao.e mansion. Every thanksgiving
tee poor knew where to look for a fat goose
or chicken pie Every body that came
TO tnpIeSary used to ride out to visit there,
o. Captain Goodrich built this son and
her lived and died there, and then it des
cended to John Goodrich who was as in
dolent aoi profuse, as his ancestors were
industrious and frugal Thought he would !
not prosper, Tor when poor man, one stor- |
my night, came to his house. he was too !
lazy to get up and let him i'm perceived |
That the text, go to the INT" was still in |
ME-, Clayton's mind And what became |
of hrm :" asked l. Every thing" replied
he, event to waste The fences fell down
The briers over-run his meadow-And.
at last the sheriff sold the whole estate, and
now the footsteps of strangers arc alone
heard in the halls of his fathers"
And who owns the property now ?" said
L. " Doe who had learnt wisdom at the
Ant-hlll,' replied he About so wears ago
a smart little lad came to Applebury to seek
his fortune. His hair was brown, his ewes
We're blue and lvel y-his tongue tripped
little with the brogue, for he came from
the :" Sweetest Isle of the Ocean" lie
spoke pleasant to every one-was as indus
trious as hee-and old lady Goodwin. at
whose house he lived, seemed to delight to
tell aholt their little Irish lad If he saw
one OF the girls going for pail of water.
= n gtn 4
If stick of wood is wanted hs never
waits to De told to fetch Railways shuts
the door after him, and every Sunday
brushes up his shoes and goes regularly to
meeting, and do believe, she used to add
that Deacon Goodwin loves him as we'll as
either OF the children This good conduct
soon brought William into high repute.-
lie grew up--was a pattern of industry. in
tegrty and frugality-Inarried Nancy God
win-became wealthy, without being nroud
bought the Goodrich farm and dozen
other piantations-wss sent deputy from
Applebury many year, and is now eniov.
ing the reward for following the lesson he
learnt at the Ant hill
Girls sirls-do YOU want advice-Cov
up your nechs-the weather is getting cold
MAKE long sleeves to your gowns-see there
your shoulders are all goose flesh Put on
another Petticoat--for shame. Thin mo-
rocco shoes are not fit for winter-One pair
OF good WOODEN stockings are worth more to
your health than three pair of cotton. Now
turn about-Aye, dear little saucy crea-
lures, now like We Go now and cut nm
the old hannel pettcoat Of last winter--that
is II you can spare it-and make that moor
little girl that goes shivering along half ma
ked, a comfortable suit.
Then tell me if you ever felt happier in
your lives