Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-11-26
MISCELLANEOUS SELECTIONS.
.porr A HAROtTETEn.

..ic 800 ,,ousai from a half and half kind of
s,nnor. caused by tho comb:ncJ influences of
tho heat of tho weather and tho oIor OF some
,oonno Havana leaf, by tho shrtll cry ofilouse!
house! II1int thero nobody to hum horo'
Jim shouted tho ovcrsocr, looking towards tho
rac,o 1uaricrs, go to tho CATO ami SEQ what on
e,rth all that ba wings for!
Chewing tho ordor, jim hastily unblrrod tho
.,te. aud there drove up one of those nondescript
vehicles known as a yankoa podlar's wagon
Thero emerged from tho vehicle aforesaid Gu
lions spccimcn Of natures handiwork. lie was
! tall. slim MAJ, with pair Of small twinkling
cey eyes, nose whose only occupation socmcd
10 DO 10 sniff and twitch Whenever its owner
.ookc, Tho mouth, Of tho individual was orna-
msn.ed with slight puckcr, and his wholo APP
uearance denoted tia, no wished to place himself
in the smallest space possible. In proof of this
his bo-crownod hat stuck directly on tho top OF
his head his coat and vest had evidently belong
ed to a Younger brother md his panta looms fitted
him like India rubber. Yes in ono thing no was
profuse and that what no formed his mar.
Il was beautiful hair-in color a delicate ghGor,
or may -be what tho urchins would call "a y"licr
tally color. 1t combed behind his cars and
foil in graceful negligence on tho back Of his
cont I'm fact TO tako him for 'alI IN ALI OF first
sight one would be impressed with the idoa that
Nature had mado Joel Spry, for such was his
name, at tho very lowest terms, of tho most
binary material, and on the very cheapest scale.
.Wa-al,' said no, aftor surveying Mr.. Simmons,
tho oversccr, for second or two, your name
bo'ant Hodson-Tompi ms; no. da rn tho name
And aftor studyin' that book nilnnloti -lny,
lmnomo,cchny) too, that tells alters what people
forgit, only tn think that can't think of it, Oh,
now 90, III Your name bo'ant IA Jcnk-l say
MISTER what might DO your namo'
Simmons answered tho ovcrseer.
'WaaI, now, only tn think! thought Of that
VI tho while, and yet couldn't git it ont.
Why, mister, tho that keeps tho plantation
admin yourn told mo that you was almighty
clever, and said he thought as how | mought du
Ieeto tradn' with YOU
WELL said Simmons, what have YOU got %
ellr
.Sell!' said Joel, with n look Of wonder, .what
have got tn soil! Why, Mistor Simmons, got
all on arth that kin DO sold. Calcocs, potash,
cutlery, ca!omcl, broadcloth. buttons, yarn, nut
mcgs, allspcc, clocks, thermometers, baromo-
ers--'
And, as if a sudden thought struck him. he
looked appealiDgly in tho ovcrsccr's face, and in
a voice of tho utmost solicitudc. said, 'Nocw,
Mister Simmons, du you want Il fust rate b-a-roml-
e.tcr! You don't know how much you could
save. It'll tell you whom it's a-goin' I'll rain and
when it's a-goin tn shinc-when IL plant and
when III hoe-when tu-
Oh said Simmons, cutting Mr.. Spry very
havo in your wagon, that have an old blind Mig
ger who can tell tho changes of tho weather with
moro precision than tho best Of your ba romcto rs!'
Il swowP chuckled Mr.. Joel Spry 10 himself, If
here be ant n chance tn make tho pewter, then
I'm darned, Simmons, I'm your man; down with
the dollars, and IN unload tho wagon
Suiting the action to the word, tho bet was
speedily arranged. Mr.. Joel Spry with great
care took out two large boxes, one marked dry
goods and the other fancy articles and had
them carefully deposited in tho ovcrsecr's room.
Noow.' sand he, after taking a stiff glass of
aonongahcla, it's gittin' Iate and / want tn
commence. Bring forth the niger tha,'lI match
this ba- romcter.'
'tlcrc. jake bawled the oycrsocr. Forthwith
thcre hobbled from tho negro quarters an old
Ethiopian, three shades darker than charcoal, rs
blind as bat. and four times as ugly
Har, massa, har am old Jake
Jake what kind Of weather arc VIC going TO
have TO- morrowP
Cloudy wcdaer, massa. cloudy wcdJcr. Do
lakes big toe feel like do dcbbil to- shs.'
Wa-al, if that don, beat all that | hoarn
toll on. wish ! may be darncd.' said Mr.. Spry,
with horse laugh. Only tn think. blind mig
ger tellin' tho state of the weather by his tocs,
oh, Jehossaphat,'
well, sir, and what says the barometcr,' ask
cd Simmons
SAYS! Why it says clear, light winds, and
lot drop o rain.
We'll soc.' said tho oversccr. Jim. fodder
ans horse, and put tho wagon under the she'd
Mr. Spry. this Is Your room. Good night. sir
Good night, Mister Simmons. But wait awhile,
uoew, du take care of them boxes. got
nearly four hundred dollars worth of goods In
en- and if tho cutlery gifts damp, or The calicoas
gu SLED. | shall be ruined
With this injunction. the parties retired to rest.
Tho next morning, when they awokc, tho sky
vas overcast. and tho aspect Of nature por,ended |
'ong fall of rain.
Aha, what did old Jako tell you, Mr.. Spry,'
vas tho first remark Of the ovorsecr.
Wa-a', now. the quicksilver in my ba- rometer
aus. a been damp. But say, now, friend Sim |
Aons, you'll let mo have another trial. You
'n', take all that poor felers got airth, jiss
saaccoun, of the qucksilvcr's bein' damp
Oh, no. said the good-natured Simmons. you
nay try every day for a week-your board and