Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-09-26

ms was precisely the case with
Fritz Piglron and his family. Every
nerve must be strained TO make a
show. Their former acquaintance must
be abandoned of course. alt is So
very vulgar" said they, "to associate
with mechanicsi" "Lud,o exclaimed
tie Miss Pigiron's, "that any body
should presume to think Of going into
good society with their hands befoul-
ed with dirt of the shopl" But the
shop, like the evil genius Of Brutus,
was ever ready to appear to them at
Phlllippi. The sound Of an anvil
struck them dumb; the grating of a
flle set their teeth on edge, and the very
mention of a leather apron threw them
into Mysteries. The youngest child
was once the innocent cause of great
modification to the Older part Of the
family and drew upon itself severe
chastisement for its infantile thought
lessness. 1t was in "good society,"" and
the child said, "Pa, pa, why don't you
wear your leather apron as you used to
do, and''-" Shoh shoh!" said Fritz,
stopping The child's mouth with his
hand, whats the choild dreamln'
about? as sure as Pm aloive the choiId
is crazy here do take it out of the
room Mrs. Pigiron." The good lady
did as she was requested, but in no gen.
tie manner, as she nearly ierked off
the poor child's arm. The Miss Pigi.
ron's blushed and fidgetted, and endea.
vored to draw off the attention of the
company from the unlucky child by
making some unmeaning observations
about the weather, asking the gentle.
mems opinion Of the last novel, how
they liked the last Sundays sermon,
and whether they were fond of music
all of which subjects had been dis
cussed before. As for the offending
child, it was sent to bed without its
supper, and the next day it was severe
ly birched for its innocent mention of
the leather apron.
At length Fritz Pigiron and his fami-
ly contracted SO great and such NOR
bid sensibility ON the subject of his for
mer occupations, that the very sound
of an anvil half mile off, or the sight
ola leather apron on one oftheir indus
trious ncighbors, was found to be an
insulferable annoyance. They would
fam have had every blacksmith BAN
ished beyond their sight and hear.
ing.
From his extravagant mode of living,
and the great expense OF supporting his
gentlemanly pretensions, the affairs OF
Fritz became embarrassed. He was
duly running in debt, suits were enter.
ed against him, executions were levied
on his property, his costly furniture
was sold, one article after another, by
the sheriff; and at last the house itself
was brought under the hammer. Fritz
was allowed weeks time to procure
and remove TO an humble dwelling !;
but on the last day previous to his ex-
pected departure, a strange noise being
heard by the family in the upper part
of the house, search was made, and 10 !!
in one corner OF the room lay Fritz
Pigirop with his head closely enyelo-
ped in his cast-of leather apron; on
removing which, he was found to be
black in the face, and the vital spark
extinguished.
How the leather apron came to be
preserved, after the transformation of
its owner and his consequent antipathy
to every thing connected with his for
mer occupation, was at that time, and
continues to be even to this day, u
matter Of wonder in the village of FAIR
bush. But so it was; as if the badge
Of his early prosperity, when cast off
and despised, should still continue in
existence, only to become the instru-
ment of his death.