The native American., 1839-04-20
EASY JOE BRUCE.
BY II. III. WELD.

was noble, easy fellow, nobody thought of al
lowing HIM more than half OF his name. or Of any
thing else which belonged to him-'l see by the
paper that Hawk HAPPY have assigned.
meant TO have secured my debt yesterday! He
left his coffee half drank, stumbled over the
threshold, and went almost at run at the count
ng-room of Hawk & HAPPY. One half that
speed on the day before would have saved his
debt; as it was, he was just in season TO put on
his name at the bottom OF a dozen and a half pre-
ferred ones, to receive ten per cent. He went
back 10 his unfinished breakfast with what appe-
tite he might.
'Why did you neglect this so long, Mr.. Bruce!'
said his hepmate and comforter.
4 meant to have attended to it yesterday, my
dear
You meant! That is always your way, Mr..
Bruce. You carclessly neglect your business TO
The last moment and then put yourself in haste
and heat for nothing, my dear!'
Really, Mrs. Bruce
But Mrs. Bruce did not allow him a chance
to defend himself On she went, in the mos, APP
proved conjugal manner, TO berae him for his
carelessness and inatention.
Really, Mrs. Bruce
And it was really mrs. Bruce, for few of the
feminine, and none of the masculine gender could
have kept pace with her. Certainly Easy Joe
could not. The clatter of the cotton mill would
not have been circumstance to the din she rails
ed. Easy Joe pulled CT gar case out of his pock-
et-capped his feet on the fender--and it almost
seemed that the smoke rendered his ears imper-
vious to the beatings of that gentle lamb his
Spouse SO placid was his countenance, as the va
por escaped in graceful volumes from his mouth.
People overshoot the mark sometimes: Mrs.
Bruce did. Had she spared her Grafton, the
nr'c hovo Ind, he. Il
to have been punctual to his business, for one day
at least. AS it was, he took the same sort of
pride in neglecting it under her lecture, that the
Grande Nation took SO long in refusing to pay the
claims of our citizens.
Breeze away, Mrs. Bruce!'
Breeze away, sir Breeze away! wish |
could lmpart one title of my energy to you, Mr..
Bruce, IL
Bruce sprang to his feet; crash! came an ele-
giant mantel clock down upon the hearth.
There, Mr.. Bruce! That clock has stood
there three months without fastening; single
screw would have saved it; but
We'll, | meant to-
You meant! Mr.. Bruce-you meant won't
pay the damage, nor Hawk g. Harpy's note!
Y on meant, indeed!'
Bruce seized his hat and cloak in few mi
nutes he was on change. Nobody could read in
his face any traces of the late matrimonial breeze;
and nobody would have suspected from his coun-
tenance, that Hawk & HAPPY failed in his debt
Easy Joe Bruce!
We'll, Mr.. Bruce, they've routed him.
'Who?'
'Our friend Check. Pingree was chosen pre-
sident of the - bank, one vote would have
stopped him..
How deucedly unlucky, meant to have been
present to vote for Check, myself
Never mind, Bruce said another, you are
lucky man. The news OF the great fire in Speed
erville but just reached town by express, and |
congratulate you that you was fully insured
Insured! my policy expired last week. /
meant to have got it renewed this morning.
Joe posted home in no very happy humor.
When an easy man is fairly up, he is the most
uneasy and unreasonable man in creation.
Mrs. Bruce, by staying at home to hear YOU
scold, have lost thousands. l meant to have
got insured this morning. l did not. Speeder-
vile is burned down, and l am beggar!'
why did you not do it yesterday, Mr. Bruce?'
i was thinking of Hawk & Harpy'
Thinking! why did you not secure yourself?'
| Il meant to-, but
| 'But-me no buts
You are in excellent spirits, Mrs. Bruce
Never in better
VdSAy HllC, HldudlI. w Z are DcggarS.
Mrs. Bruce sat down and clapped her feet on
the fender, after her husbands manner in the
morning.
'We are beggars, madam Bruce repeated
Very good will take my guitar, and you
shall shoulder the three children. Well play
under Mr.. Hawks window first, then under Mr..
aarpys, and then beg our way to SpeederviIle,
to play to the ashes of what was once your fac
tory-which you meant to have insured. |
should like begging, of all things
You abominable woman, shall 90 mad!'
Don't, | beseech you, Mr.. Bruce, they put
mad beggars in Bedlam.'
Bruce sprang for the door, his wife intercepted
HIM Here, Joseph is paper which meant to
have shown you this morning.
| "A policy, and dated yesterday!
Yes. You meant to get it renewed to day
Imeant it should be done yesterday-so told
ymr clerk, from you, to do it. Am l not an
aDminabe woman!'
When said SO, was in pet. meant
No more of that, Joseph. Now tell me who
is ne first on Hawk & Harpy's assignment
| Y our brother.
His claim covers you both
| Won are an .nonI Nrc prucol,