Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-09-22

; soundlngs several times, in the long mud.
dy lane; and my boots were in a swee,
pickle.
f 1t was now old Captain Jones's turn
the grandfather. Being reused from q
doze, by the hustle and racket, he open.
ed his eyes, at first with wonder and
astonlshment. At last he began to hal.
100 so loud that you might hear him a
mile; tor he takes it for granted that
every body is just exactly as deaf as he
" Who is it I? say, who in the world
is it :" Mrs. Jones going close to his
ear, screamed out, it's Johnny Bee
de-" Ho-Johnny Beedle.. | remem-
Der, ne was one summer at the seige OF
Boston" No, no, father, bless your
heart, that was his grandfather, that's
been dead and gone this twenty years.
Ho--but where does he come from Z"
Daown taown." Ho-And what
does he follow for livin' ?"-And he
did not stop asking questions after this
sort, till all the particulars of the Be.
die family were published and proclaim
ed in Mrs. Jones' last screech. He then
sunk back into doze again.
The dog stretched himself before one
andIron the cat squat down before the
other. Silence came on by degrees,
like calm snow storm. till nothing was
heard but cricket under the hearth
keeping tune with a sappy yellow birch
forestlck. Sally sat up prim as if she
were pinned TO the chair back her
hands crossed genteelly upon her lap,
and her eyes looking straight into the
fire. Nanny Jones tried to straighten
herself too, and laid her hands across
in her lap. But they would not lay
still. 1t was full twenty-four hours
since they had done any work, and they
were out of all patience with keeping
Sunday. Do what she could to keep
them quiet, they would bounce up, now
and then, aud go through the motions,
in spite of the fourth commandment.
For my part | sat looking very much
like fool. The more | tried to say
something the more my tongue stuck
fast. Iput my right leg over my left
and said hem." Then I changed,
and put the left leg over the right. 1t
was no use; the silence kept coming OH
thicker and thicker. The drops of sweat
began to crawl over me. got my eye
on my hat hanging on peg, on the road
to the door. At this moment the old
Captain, all at once, sung out " Johnny
Beedle p 1t sounded like clap Of
thunder, and | started right up an eend.
Johnny Beede, you II never handle
such a drumstck as your father did, if
you live to the age of Mathusaler. He
would toss up his drumstck, and while
it was whrlin' in the air, take off a gill
er rum, and then ketch it as it come
down, without losin' stroke in the
tune. What dye think of that, ha
But pull your chair round, close along
side er me so yer can hear. Now,
what have you come alter : I-a'ter p
0, jest takin' walk. Pleasant walkin'
| guess. mean jest to see how ye all
do. Ho.-That's another lie.-You' We
come courtin', Johnny Beedle, ye' re
alter our Sal. Say, now, dye want to
marry or only to court Z"
This was what l. call choaker.-
Poor Sally made but one jump and land
ed in the middle of the kitchen and
then she skuIked in the dark corner, till
the old man, after laughing himself into
a whooping cough, was put to bed.
Then came apples and cider; and the
ice being broke, plenty of chat with ma
mmy Jones about the minister and the
sarmon.' agreed with her to a nicely,
upon all the points of doctrine; but | had
forgot the text and all the heads of the
discourse, but six. Then she teazed and
tormented me to tell who | accounted the
best singer in the gallery, that day. But
mum-there was no getting that out of
me. Praise to the face is often dis
grace" says I, throwing sly squirt at
Sally.
At last, Mrs. Jones lighted t'other
candle, and after charging Sally to look
well to the fire, she led the way to bed,
and the Squire gathered up his shoes
and stockings and followed.
Sally and | were left sitting a good
yard apart, honest measure. For fear Of
getting tongue-tied again, set right in,
with steady stream oftalk. told her
all the particulars about the weather that
was past, and also made some pretty cute
guesses at what it was like to be in fu-
ture. At first, | gave hitch up with my
chair at every full stop. Then growing
saucy, | repeated it at every comma, and
semicoon and at last, it was hitch,
hitch, hitch, and | planted myself fast by
the side of her.
"I swow, Sally, you looked so pla-
guey handsome to day. that | wanted to
eat you up" Pshaw, git along you"
says she. My hand had crept along,
somehow, upon its fingers and begun to
scrape acquaintance with hers. She
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