Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-05-16
9sSiSteCCa1tepuS.
AN ORIGINAL.

ours set out on horse back from the east
eTn part of Massachusetts for the Green
Mountains Of Vermont. While travelling
through the iowa Of New Salem his road
led tito piece Of woods, some few miles
IN length, and long before he got out of
which he began to entertain doubts wheth
er he should be best with the sight of a
human habitatlon ; but, as all things must
nave an end, so at last the woods, and
the neat brown house Of farmer greeted
his vision. Near the road was a tall,
rawboned overgrown, lantern. jawed boy,
probably seventeen years OF age, digging
potatoes. He was a curious figure TO be-
hold What was lacking in the length OF
his tow breeches was amply msde up for
behind; his suspenders appeared 10 be
composed OF birch. bark, grapevine, and
sheep-skin; and as for his hat, which was
OF dingy white ielt, poor thing! it had
once evidently seen better days, but now,
alas, it was the shadow of its glory
Whether the tempest of time had beaten
the top in, or the lads expanding genius
had burst it out, it was missing, and
through the aperture red hair in aound.
ance stood six ways for Sunday. ln short,
he was one of the toughest specimens of
domestic manufacture that ever mortal
beheld. Our travelling friend, feeling an
itching 10 scrape an acquaintance with the
crit,ur, drew up the reins Of his horse and
began:
"HeIlo, my friend; can you inform me
how far it is 20 the next house?'
Jonathan started up, leaned on his hoe
handle, rested one foot on the gambrel on
his sinister leg, and replied:
"Hallow yourself! how'd dew! Well,
les can. faint near so far as il used
to be afore they cut the woods away; then
twas generly reckoned four miles, but
now the sur shriyels up the road, and
don't make norma tew. The fust house
you come to, though, is barn, and the
next is n haystack, but old Hoshln's house
is on beyant. You'll be sure to meet his
gals long afore you get there; tarnal rom
pin critters, they plauge our folks MORN
little. HIS sheep get into our pasture
every day, an his girls in our orchard.
Dad sets the dogs arer the sheep and me
arter the glls, and the way we make the
wool and pettlcoais fly is sin to snakes.
81 see YOU are inclined to be faceilous,
young man; pray tell me how it happens
that one of your legs is shorter than the
other"
al never lows any body to NEEDLE
with my grass tangers, mister; but SEEM
it's YOU, ri tell ye. was born so at my
ticker request, so that when | hold a
plough can go with one foot in the fur
rer and t'other on land, and not lop over;
besides, it is very convenient when NOES
round side HILL"
VERY good, indeed; how do your po-
iatoes come on this yearl"
"They don't come at all, digs 'em
out: and there's an everlasting sEarl oil
en- in each hlH."
"But they are small, perceive"
eyes, know it; you see we planted
some .whoppir' blue noses overln that ERE
patch there, and they flourished so allfir-
edly that these ERE stopt CROWN just out
of spite, cause they knowed they couldn't
begin to keep up"
! w uVptdI W VIC PictA1 oh'o'', "hu
should think you could afford better hat
than the one you wear"
"The loods aIrt nothing; it's all in the
behav or; this ERE hat was Sunday go to
meeting hat, and it's just as chock full oil
piety as q dog full of fees. I've got a
better one to hum, but don't dig laterf
10 it no how"
"You have been in these parts some
time, should guess"
81 guess so tew. was born and got
my bro'tn up in that 'ere house, but my
native place is down in Pordunk."
"Then you said il was about three ant
a half miles 10 the next housed"
eyes, sir, it was spell ago; aud
don't believe it's grown much shorter
since"
"Much obliged. Good bye"
GOOD bye to ye; that's darn slick
horse OF your'n."
There reader; there is Jonathan for
you Of the first water. You don't fine
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