Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-09-24
THE HOCUS POCUS.
BY MEER1LL Q. YnuNG.

WOOD, winch skirts scene where II prairie
stretched in boundlcSs beauty lies"
Is situated a charming little cottage, nestled i'm
the shade and the seclusion beneath the foliage
oi overshadowing boughs. On the piazza in
front OF this dwelling, venerable sucker,
named Gorlen, was seated, one Summer al
,ernoon, building dreams of thrift as he sur
reyed his plantation, enamcllcd with heavy
crops ripenit2 into plenty. Now AS our sweet
est dreams are feetest and quickest to close,
ii Is not strange that his, though pleasant,
were soon terminated by some one shouting
out
Halo, old dad"
"Hallo yourself and diskiyer how il feels"
he rctorted, and turning simultaneously with
his reply, his eye iell upon young man,
stranger TO him who was leaning on the yard
fence,
"Xcuse me, said the stranger; "lnay be
you mought be 50 clever as to tel a chap who
owns that're wheat field aside the timber,
won't youl"
"Well, will; own it,"
"Dew sayl' said the stranger. "but amt ii
mighty cute that You allow four legged ami
mails, aud SIGH critters To he in it?'
"But don't said Gorden.
81 sden boss in il though az kun along
remarked the stranger, drily.
"A boss III my wheat?' exclaimed the Sue
ker. "Zangs and lighning!-Here Butcher!
Santa Anna, here"
His call had the effect TO bring forth two
dogs, one hound, with legs as long as an
Eastern schoolmaster's, the other bull. the
peculiar 9uirk of whose under jaw nigh, lead
you TO misirust that he was ever fond of what
the knowing ones call the "grab-game." At
tended with these, he trottcd off in hot-haste,
the dogs wagging their tails as their master
wagged his tongue urging them onward in the
pursuit.
The young stranger after wagging his chin a
little awry, and INDUCING IN light laugh
that made him look suspiciotisly waggish,
walked TO the cottage door-and, then, with
out ceremony-into the parlor Here, find
ing himself alone hc commenced a survey of
the apartment. Before he had much leisure.
however, either to observe or admire the taste
and elegance combined in everything around
nlni, he was entranced by gush of rich wild
melody, succeeded by the sound OF light foot
steps, and instantly fitted creature OF beauty
and comelness into his presence. OH that
fair, rosy.cheeked damsel, the very personfi-
cation of bitterness. She was startled, tho
when her soft blue eyes encountered the stran-
ger; and was instantly Withdrawing, in doing
which, she Glanced To cast another glance
her countenance changed from fright TO glad
ncss-s'ie uttered the name of Henry Les
lie and then ran--not ont of the door, but
smack into the young strangers arms. What
am extraordinary aCt--in-ia u-a-tion. She
let him-let him-kiss her, too: and listened
to his impassioned language-why, what did
the girl mean? Their conversation will, per-
| haps, suffice To explain.
"Clarisse," said the stranger, ''Clarisse. my
beautiful idol, have come to claim you for
my own"
90 Henry, fear that our hopes will never
change to realities. | love YOU, very, very
much; but my father dislkcs YOU merely be-
cause you are Yankee lawyer. He is obst-
nate and will not consent" and the ROSY flush
fled the lady S cheek.
do not fear, Clarisse,' said Henry Leslie.
IL can and will remove his prejudice ]
know how to work on a farm; and as he does
not know me j will hire TO him under an as
sumed name, and by the merit of honest
worth and virtue will win place in his af-
fectons."
Their hopes excited, and, consequently
their anXieties lulled by the reasonablcness of
this plan, the two stated themselves on the
sofa and enjoyed those bright, angel -plumed
delights with which a reciprocal love inspires
young hearts.
When Gorden returned, however, he found
the young stranger alone. Clarisse having
deemed IT prudent to retire at the sound OF her
fathers footsteps. Gorden was glad that he
stranger had tarried; he wished to give him a
"pealing, Tor he had searched the field over
and found no horse.
Now don't blame me, old man." said the
Yankee, "lor surer than my names Dick Quirk
/ seen boss a de dd one, in that're very wheat
as KUN along
Oh! but old Gorden waxed wroth at thus
learning that he had been sent to drive me re
skeleton from his field; yet the Yankee con-
trived to calm his ruffled feelings, and hired
himself to the Sucker to ''dew things" clos
ing his bargain with the impartial agreement
that they might ''hocus- pocus" one another as
much as they pleased; whereupon Gorden
tickled his inner self with the conceit that he
would make our hero suffer for all the WRONGS
he had endured from Yankee trickcry. even
from the time of his buying clock from a
Connecticut pedler, which he said kept Tins
backwards, down TO the period when the New
iork pettliogging attorney wished to marry
| Clarisse
Respecting Henry Leslie; he had been in
early manhood an enterprislng young farmer
endowed with broad and beautiful domain.
But being moreover gifted with an excellent
smack OF intellectual power, he had been in
duced to iorsake his natural avocation for one
| perhaps better befitting his ambition. taste
ana aDility-law. In the village where he
studied and .practiced, he became acquainted
with Clarlssc Gorden, who had ACCOMPANIED
an aunt from the west, with the design of
completing her education at one of those me-
! ritorlous institutions for female education in
winch the Eastern States a. u nd. They low
! ed The aunt wrote to her brother. old Cor
den, soliciting his consent for Clarisse 10 mar
| ~, explaining affairs, SC. Gorden answered
stating That be should ever negative his daugb.
ters wish TO marry sny Yankee who il sp.
peared was too lazy to work and hence had re-
sorted to Pettliogging H. also instructed
Clafisse to come home Immediately under the
protection of an elderly lady and gentleman.
/ friends OF his then about to return from the
East. Clarissc was obcdient-wept-ob
/ her father.
| Love, we all know is like wine, marker
and sometimes rostfdtes IT. victims by mys-
FERROUS intoxicatiou. Something of this sort
beiel Leslie. His noble upheayings of desire.
his earnest OF ambition were staid. The ex-
| m III nHr.st a - al