Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1840-03-28

I "oN Iuittcu tie mouse Dy the wrong door.
and at these words found himself in the
back yard. well was before him
iii drown myself,' said he, and jumped in.
Now drowning ones self is no joke,
although talking of il may be. Many a
man thinks better of his determination to
do II, IN a short walk to the head of the
wharf. Before he had fallen half way,
| he caught at the rope, and hung dang
ling fnr some minutes, till his strength
Jailed, and then he gently slipped to the
bottom. Don't be frightened reader, the
water was only knee deep, and our hero
landed with no other harm than wet feet.
! would advise all sensible persons not
to Jump into a we'll until they have tho't
twice Of it. Tom had not been in the
well ten minutes before he was heartily
/ sick of drowning. He would fam have
climbed up but he was not able; and
| there he was forced 10 remain counting
the minutes and the hours till he was
/ positive his legs had been in the water
half century. How long it really was
| never learned, but just as he had given
himself up for lost he heard a voice cry
| ing wildly, l'il drown myselfr Tom
was in such establishments a. these words,
that he had no power to speak. Present
| ly some one approached the well. ex
claiming, poor Tom; dear Tom. /
shall never see you again. Cruel, hard
hearted father. I'll drown myself and
break his heart
Ills Dorothy, by heavenn said Tom
to himself. She's going to drown her
self for love of me, tns dear, faithful,
kind hearted soul.
TO lose a lover so ardent; SO gener
Gus. No, no, cannot live. Ye stars
farewell Oh, deep abyss open thy aw
ful jaws, and take a wretched, desPairing
maid
Capital exclaimed Tom, at the bottom
of the we'll, and all so exquisitely sincere.
She's an angel. Come 10 my arms, thou
sweet euchantress-one leap and it is |
DONE
But Dorothy did not leap; she was re-
solved like Cesar, to die with dignity.
She laid hold of the rope and slid gently |
down, perhaps from misglving that her /
purpose might cool before she got to the |
bottom, in which case 1t is convenient to /
suspend the body as we'll as suspend the |
resolution. Now il is much easier TO
slide down a rope than TO climb up, so
Dorothy's change of opinion on the sub
Jet OF drowning, which took place IN
tranSitu, did not prevent her from p!ung
ing souse into the water, and she uttered
an unearthiy scream at finding herself
in the arms Of q man.
In the name Of heaven, who are youf
a man or fish2'
Only your own dear Tom. Do look
like a fishf
MY blessed stars! and how came you
here?
Jumped in out of pure despair; meant
TO drown myself
Poor fellow don't die, | beg of you, for
my sake don't
i won't indeed; besides this drowning
isn't exactly what it's cracked up 10 be-
Mercy on Us; what shall we dor
How long they continued 10 ask each
other questions of this sort, we are una !
BILE TO state. but a tete-a-tete at the bot 9
tom Of a well must be long enough in I
all conscience, If it lasts but half a-day. !
So thought our two lovers who just be-
gan 10 feel serious approximations Of
being the subject Of a GROWERS in
quest, when they heard noise bove.-
It was the voice of old Niggs, who ap-
the we'll exclaimng in a most
rueful tone, I'm undone, | won't live to
endure it,
what; more drowning said Tom, in :
greater establishment than ever. What
can all the old put?' F
LOST lost! lost! exclaimed old Niggs,
leaning his head over and looking down
into the well.
.Ah! his daughter said Tom, 'how he {
takes her loss to hearth l
NV cash. my cash! shall never see f
il againi' bawled out the old man. {
Not in WE'LL replied Tom.
sOh! that cursed Cape Flyaway Land
Company that | bought into
And this cursed well that jumped in- c
to- said Tom.
H'lI drown myself, III drownI' With $
these words old Niggs caught hold of the
rope, and went. hand over fist down near G
" 10 the bottom, when Tom pot stop
% his descent BY tremendous hailoo"
Mercy preserve usn cried the old, iel- I
ow, who's theren
IAN unfortunate mani said Tom.
Land speculation demanded Niggs.
earthly
.No-a love speculation, replied Tom. {
80 hol think know you. Come
here TO drown
Exactly. And now think we know
,ne another. You may drown II you
zee fit, and then | will take your daugh
err
Il think I WON'T replied old Niggs, !
for I've no doubt the company will pay
It least fifty per cent. I've thought bet
er of it. II
.Goodr exclaimed Tom Well all q
i've and be merry. You wouldn't have
ne tell this curious affair about town;l
rou know it might set some folks a laugh
ng, chi?
For heavens sake. never mention II,
Mr. Tom, and Dolly IS yours
How they got out Of the well we<nave
lot time TO saw, but old Niggs was soon
,econciled TO the loss of half his money. p
Tom married Dorothy, kept the secret, $
md went into partnership with his father-l
n-lnw- He has given up his preten-f
ions to the character of man of genus, I,
nut eniightens the world by selling mould o