The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-07-19
Vol. III.

"ur, and how nice and slick they wore
their har, and their shiny boots, and
the way they stirrupt'd down their
trowsers. You couldn't go to see one
on 'em that she wouldn't stick one Of
these felIers at you, and keep tarnally
talkin' how slick they looked. 1t got
to lie perfect pizen to her oflate to see
the critters, and the boys got together
at last to see what was to be done -
the thing had grown perfectly alarmin.'
AT last a meetin' was agreed on, down
to old Jake Bents.
"On next Sunday night. instead of
takin' the gals to meetin' whar they
could see these fellers, we left 'em at
home, and met at Jake's, and | am of
opinion thar was some congregated
wrath thar--whe W warn't theyg'
"Razors and scissors! says Mike Jelt,
let's go down and lick the town, right
stralghtW
"Nom holered Dick Bats, diets
ketch these slick badgers comm out of
meetin' and tare the hide and feathers
off of them!''
"Why, d-n 'em what G'ye think,
boys busted in old Jake. 81 swar If
they amt larnt our gals to wear stsrn
cushions; only this mornin' caught
my daughter Sally putin one on and
tyin' it round her. She tho't was
sleep, butt seed her, and made the
jade repudiate it,and no mistake quick
er!
"The boys took drink on the occa-
sion, and Equality town was slumber'
fora short spell ,overa contiguous earth
quake. At last one of the boys propo-
sed before we attack the to wn, that we
should get up ball in the Bottom, and
jest out shine the town chaps, all TO
death, afore, we swallowed 'em. 1t
was hard to gin into this proposition,
but the boys cum up to itat last, and
every feller started to put the AFFAIR."
agoin.'
81 had been long spell hankerin' ar
terold Tom Jones' darter,on the branch
below the Bottom, and she was a crit
ter good for weak eyes--may be she
hadn't pair of her own-welI if they
warn't brace Of movin' light houses,
wouldn't say it-there was no calcuIa-
tin the extent OF handsomeness of the
family that gal could bring up around
her, with a felIer like me to look arter
em. Talk about grr ceiuness, did you
ever see maple saplin' movin' with a
south wind? 1t warn'ta crooked stick
to compar' to her; but her old dad was
awful. He could jest lick any thin
that said boo, in them diggns, out-swar
Satan, and was cross as she bar, with
cubs. He had q little hankerin' in "a
vor of the fellers in town, too, for they
GIN him presents Of powder to hunt
with, and he was precious fond Of usin'
his shootin' iron. | dctarmin'd, any
how, to ask his dartar, Betsy, to be my
partner at the NettIe Bottom Ball.
"Well, my sister, Marth, made me
bran new pair of buck skin trowsers to
go in, and rile my pictur, if she didn',
put strrups to 'em TO keep 'em down.
She said straps wur the fashion and ]
should were 'em. jest felt with 'em
on as ef had somethn' pressn' on me
down-all my joints wur sot tight to-
gether. but Marth insisted. and | knew
| could soon dance 'em of, so | gin in,
and started off to the branch for Betsy
Jones.
"When arriv, the old fellar wur
sittin' smokIn' arter his supper, and the
younger Jones' wur sittin' round the
table takn' theirs. A whappin big pan
of mush stood right in the centre, and
u large pan Of milk beside il, with lots
of corn bread and butter. Betsy was
helpin' the youngsters, while old Mrs.
Jones sot by admirin' the family col
lection. Old Tom took hard STAR at
me, and kind shook, but the straps
stood it and | recovered myself and gin !
him as good as he sent, and wur near
the door and ready to break efhe show
ed fight.
"What the thunder are you doin' in
disgise,' says the old mamie swore
dreadfully--'are you comm down
here to steal?
81 risd up at that. Says ], ,ef wur
comm for such purpose, you'd be the
last I'd come to steal off on
"You are right says he, 'ld makes
hole to light your innards, eff you did,
And the old savage chuckled. Imeant
because he had nothing worth stealin,'
but his darter, but he tho't twas cos
was afread on him.
"Well purity soon ] gather'd up and
told him whatl cum down fur, and in
'ited him to cum up and take a drink
md see that all went on rite. BETSY