Lincoln telegraph., 1838-05-03
TOM TOWsON's STORY.

TOM TOWSON'S STORY.
Tom Towson was telling me story the
other day about the way he was first intro
duced TO his present wife, Colonel Ridge
ly's daughter Now can't tell it as well
as Tom told me but W ill tell it as well as
| can.
Tom, you see, was poor, and had but a
sorry education; but he was very quick to
learn, and it was said that Tom had the
clearest head in the country. Tom lived
on Poverty Plantation, as he called it, with
old widow Towson, his mother, and the
farm, which was small was all they had be-
tween them, The f4ct is, Tom was hand
some fellow, in hoElespun or in broadcloth.
One cloudy afternoon, Tom went down in
Silver Valley TO see old RidgeIy about a
division line on Joe Ginson's plat Of Power
ty Plantation.
A storm came on just abont as he drew
opposite Col. Ridgely's lane gate K. Col.
Ridgely was a proud old chap; rich too;
and report said that his daughter Lucy was
almighty handsome, now Lucy bad been
brought up in the best style, and was a
high lady in the neighborhood Some said
that she had refused several capital offers;
but that was not here nor there, as Tom
you know, could not think other.
the storm ragged, and in rides Tom,
hooks his horse to an apple tree, and goes
up the wide steps, and ends with loud
knock at the door Jim Squirrel opened
the door, an Ole negro who had carried
water to TOMS father when he (Fom's fa-
ther) Graded in Ridgey's green fields.
'1'he Col inl'
yes sir, come in was the ready res
ponse.
Tom was led into large old fashioned
parlor, where he found the Colonel read
ing, his wife sewing, and his daughter
writing. The old man nodded without
rising ,and told Tom TO sit down; while the
old lady verv reseryedly drew her chair
closer to the wall Tom felt little curl
Gus. The daughter, too, threw two or
three beautiful gances at him, which made
him feel still more curious. He made so
many bunders in telling his business, that
kind smile began to show itself upon the
faces of all in the room, which encouraged
Tom, who instantly recovered his selfpos-
session and added to their mrth by many
intentional errors and oddities.
Col, said Tom, tits quite out of the
question for us to settle this now
why so' inquired the Col.
ON account qf your daughter, sir, re-
piled Tom.
My daughteH' returned the Colonel, as
tonshed what has she to do with it ?
why, added Tom, she has knocked me
into a cooked hat with those black eyes of
hers
The old lady drew up, although she
could not suppress a smile, while the
daughter blushed, in spite of her efforts to
laugh contemptuously AS for the old
Colonel, he was so astonished at Toms
impudence, that for while he lost the
use of his tongue. They all looked at Tom
in silence, and in the meantime they re-
marked his figure, high forehead and in
telligent eye: while the irresistible good
humor of his countenance entirely dlsarm-
ed the Col who burst out with hearty
laugh at Lucy. Miss Lucy curled her
sweet lip into sort ofgood humored scorn,
and hastily withdrew.
The next thing we see is Tom, in his
homespun, seated at the supper table, de-
lighting the Colonel with his droll stories,
complinenting the daughter, and hattering
the old lady The old lady put plenty OF
sugar in Toms tea, and Miss Lucy was a
full half hour in drinking one cup.
Tom took leave shortly after supper.
sD-n that fellow!' cried the old man,
as Tom rode out into the Jane, and the
tears of Joy still stood in his eye.
lie is quite handsome quietly remark
ed the old lady.
: Not he reioined Miss Lucy, and few
months after, she was Toms wife.
EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCES OF LoNGEv-
ITY Apolonius, of 'Fyara, attained the age
of 1870, Llywarch Her $50, Thomas Parr
l52, Henry jenkins, l69, the Countess of
Desmond las, Thomas Damma l55, Peter
Portion 1856, Margaret Patten 1877, John
Rovin and his wife l72 and lG4, Fl. Mon
gate 1876 Solomon Nibel l43, judith Craw-
ford $50, Robert Lynch l60, ,Catharine Lo-
pez l34, Margaret barley 1870, Rebecca
Pury 14O, Francis Peat 100, Juan Moroy-
gayta 1873, John BAN LAG, and Catharne
Hyatt $50.