Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-04-29

Bible oath, that you will never COM
nuncate what | am about TO tell you 10
my living being, and that you will keep
t while you live as a most inviolate
ecret." ...
ayes, Squire, declare won't never
ell nobody nothing about it as long as
breathe the breath Of life; and III take
Bible oath on il; there, sariin as | live,
Squire, before you or any other magis.
rate in the whole country"
swell, then you know when l went
up TO Boston year ago.
ayes, yes, Squire, and l know who
went with you too-Susey b. and
Dolly T. and her sister Prudence"
"Never mind who went with me, aunt
Lizzy; there was whole lot of passen.
gers-But, but"
"None Of your butts, Squire-out
with tiff folks will act so--a trolIop.',
"But, aunt Lizzy, l'm afraid you will
bring me into scrape"-
"Ive told you over and over again,
that nobody should know nothing a.
bout it, and your wife knows don't tell
tales"
"My wife! l would not have her TO
know what | was going to say for tho
world--Why, aunt Lizzy, if she should
know it"
"Well, don't be afraid, Squire, once
for all, l'll take my oath that no living
crlttur shan't never as long as live,
know lisp ont"
swell, then, if you must know it, |
slept with one of the likei,st of your
church members nearly all the way up"
Aunt Lizzy drew long breath
shut up her snuff box, and put it into
her pocket muttering 10 herself
"The lkeliest of our church mem.
bcrs!--thought it was Susy B.,--like.
Iiest!--this como Of being f,attered--
the trollop. Well. one thing | know
"the way of transgressors is hard;" bu.
| hope you'll never tell nobody ont,
Squire; for sartia as the world, if such
a thing should be known, our church
would he scattered abroad like sheep
without shepherd"
In few moments aunt Lizzy too.
her departure, giving the Squire ano-
ther caution and a sly wink, as she sale
good bye, let me alone for secret.
1t was not many days before Squire
P. received u very polite note from
Parson G.requesting him to attend q
meeting of the church and many of the
parish, at the south Conference room, in
order to settle some difficulties with
one Of the members, who in order to
clear up her character, requested Squire
P. to be present. .,.
The Parson, who was very worthy
man, knew the frailty of the weak sis
ters, as aunt Lizzy called them, and as
he was a particular friend of Squire P.
requested him in his note to say moth.
ing of it 10 his wife. But the Squire
took the hint, telling his wife that there
was to be parish meeting, requested
her to be ready by two o'clock and he
would call for her.
Accordingly the hour Of meeting
came, the whole village aocked to the
room, which could not hold half of them,
All eyes were alternately on the Squire
and Susy B. Mrs. P. stared, and Su-
sy looked as if she had been crying {
fortnight. The Parson with softenet
tone, and in as delicate manner as pos
sible, stated the story about Susy B
which he observed was in every body
mouth, and which he himself did nc
believe a word oi--and Squire P. bein
called on 10 the stand as a witness, at
ter painting in lively colors the evils q
sIander, with which their village ha
been infested, and particularly til
church, called on aunt Lizzy, in the pres
ence Of the meeting, and the church, f
. come out and make acknowledgment
{; for violating a Bible oath. Aunt Llzzy'
r apology was that she only sold Deaco
:, Squire's wife on't--and she took an oat
, that she wouldn't never tell nobody els
on't--and so it went through the whol
3 church, and thence through the village
I The Squire then acknowledged b!
0 fore the meeting, that he had, as he tol
r aunt Lizzy, slept with church men
o ber half the way up to Boston, and thu
e he believed her to be one of the likelie
5 of their members, inasmuch as she ne'
: er hears nor relails SANDER. All ey'
were alternately on Susy B. a,
t Squire P's. wife--aunt Lizzy enjoy
/ kind Of diabolical triumph which t
l Squire no sooner perceived than he Fl
r ished his sentence by declaring that I
church member to whom he allud
S was no other than his lawful wife!
o Aunt Lizzy drew in her head under
y huge bonnet, as a turtle under his she
h and marched away into one. corner
e the room, like dog that had been X
e ing sheep. The Squire, as usual, bu
= out into fit Of laughter, from viii
I. his wife, susy B., and even the Pars