Piney Woods planter. (Liberty, Mi. [i.e. Miss.]) 1838-1840, 1839-06-15

be sure; but what are all those flne
things to me? You don't know what
It'll to be cobler, and SO much the
better for yourself. Your bread is ba
ked; you may 60 and sec sights the
whole day, and eat warm supperwhen
youNcome home at night; but for me
if should run hunting after all these
fine folk, what should get by my jour.
ney but an appetite? and, God help
me, ! have too much Of that at home
already, without stirring out for it
Your people who may cat four meals
a day, and supper at night, ale but
bad example to such one as /. No,
master, as God has called me into thi:
world in order to mend old shoes,
have no business with fine folk, and
they have no business with me-"
here interrupted him with a smile
"Sec this last, mister," continues he,
Sand this hammer; this last and ham.
mer are the two best friends have in
this world; nobody else will be my
friend, because want friend. The
great folks you saw pass by just now
have five hundred friends, because they
have no occasion for them. Now
while stick to my good friends here,
am very contcnted; but, when ! evel
SO little run after sights and fine things
l begin to hate my work, | grow sad
and have TO heart to mend shoes any
longer"
This discourse only served to raise
my curiosity to know more Of amar
whom Nature had thus formed into {
philosopher. | therefore insensibly
led him into an history of his advcntu
rcs;-''I have lived'' said he, ga wan
dering life, now fvc-and-6fty years
here today and gone tomorrow; for j
was my misfortune, when ! was young
to be fond of changing" "You have
been a traveller, then, presumed" in
terrupted /. II can't boast much o.
travclling,,' continued he, ''for have
never left the parish in which | was
born but three times in my life, that
can remember; but then there is not a
street in the whole neighbourhood that
| have not lived in, at some time or an.
other. Wcen began to settle, and
to take to my business in one street
some unforeseen misfortune, or desire
of trying my luck elsewhere, has re-
moved me, perhaps a whole mile away
from my former customers, while some
more lucky cober would come into my
place, and make a handsome fortune
among friends Of my making: there was
one who actually died in a stall that
had left, worth seven pounds seven shil-
lings, all in hard gold, which he had
quilted into the waistband of his brecch-
es."
could not but smile at these migra-
lions of a man by the frc-side, and con-
tinued to ask The had ever been mar
ried. Gay, that have. MASTER" re-
piled he, ''lor sixteen long years; and a
weary life had Of it, Heaven knows.
My wife took it into her head, that the
only way to thrive in this world was to
save money; so, though our comings-in
was but about three shillings a week,
all that ever she could lay her hands
upon she used to hide away from me,
though we were obliged to starve the
whole week for it,"
"The first three years we used to
quarrel about this every day, and al
ways got the better; but she had a
hard spirit, and still continued to hide
as usual; so that was at last tired Of
quarrelling, and getting the better;
and she scraped and scrapcd at plea
sure, till was almost starved to death.
Her conduct drove me. at last, in des-
pair, to the ale-house; here ! used to sit
with people who hated home like my
self, drank while i had money left, and
run in score while my body would trust
me; till at last the landlady, coming
one day with a long bill when | was
from home, and puttingit into my wife's
hands, the length oft efectually broke
her heart. searched the whole stall,
after she was dead, for money; but she
had hidden it so effectually, that, with
all my pains could never find farth-
ing."
BY this time my shoe was mended,
and, satisfying the poor artist for his
trouble, and rewarding him besides for
his information, took my leave, and
returned home, to lengthen out the
amusement his conversation afforded,
by communicating it to my friend.