The Southern journal., 1846-02-07
to you myself, as any one else, for
hear it you will, before you have rid
den three miles on this trail"


hear it you will, before you have rid
den three miles on this trail"
kept my face, and he went on.
"One evening last harvest, was in a
field with my hands-in the prairie
field; it we're git,ingaate, and was
pushing to get all my wheat in before
night. had heard occasionally dur
ing the afternoon very strange, un-
familiar noise, but Hadn't paid much
attention to it. The last wheat was
on the wagon, and the team was a.
bout to move homcwards, when the
shrlllest, kecnest noise broke upon us
tbat you--it was just like nothing ev-
er hearn afore My boys, one and
all, declared it was painter, and
mad one at that. Now, had never
seed painter, nor never heard one
neither, and as always hearn tell,
they make the darndest noise of all
varmints, concluded it mought be a
stray one, and no mistake. Well.
while we was thar settling what i,
was and what we should do, the var.
mint let loose again several times. one
straight after tother. Then bl oke up
our cogitation; we hurried to the
house! There we found every thing
in an upfoar; dogs barking, and the
cattle gathered about believing for
dear life. 1t was very alarmin. | tell
you, and ! began to feel pretty con-
siderably skeered myself, and ain't
ashamed TO own it. What to do ]
didn't well know, but mustered up
my force, and off | started. followed
by four nlggers, SIX ipuns, and nine
cur dogs that was as good as ever freed
varmint, but warn'i much for pain.
tiers. as ! soon discovered; for we bea,
through the whole ofthat ugly bottom
without making the least diskivery.--
's,e "'eist ,~e.o eotte- derisirir, md ti,s
briars sorter thickish in the bottom.
and ] reckon found out what green
briars war afore got home, which
was long about late roosting time,
and if | didn't curse that painter some.
when come to find my face striped
like Tas-te-nug- gees about s'baH play
r ing tinae," it was just because could
not. went 10 bed in bad humor.
and as usual, had bad dreams.
thought my grey mare was running a
thousand yards, agin Ike As sor.
rel, "The Major" and he beating her
just as easy! l felt like | wanted TO
get away, but couldn't bulge peg !
, Just then some one said MAS jim. de
} painter been in de garden last night,
and played old scratch with the ax.
ines.' didn't start and jump like
skeered people do! just rolled over
and over, out o'bed, and Didn't | raise
a fuss in the family? You know al
ers sleep behind, and ! had circum.
gyrated over the old woman and the
baby, and such a scaling as that
young'un kept up, would have been
distracting to an old bachelor. When
came TO my senses, which was purity
soon under circumstances, found it
was broad daylight, and a grinning
Niger standing in the door, declaring
the painter had been in the garden
the night before. Gaze he'd seen his
signs. Well, reckon l war'nt long
afore | was out with niggers dogs and
lnjuns, and il we didn't beat up the
swamp the night afose, we did it then.
Every rod Of ground from Grand river
to the Verdigris was ramsacked, and
if the painter had been in thar, | am
keen to swar we'd found il certain.
Long about 9 o'clock we fetched up
at the ferry, and thar seed genius
in a Geergy dress, sitting on log ssa
eating. ."-sHelow," saysI.
"Hellow yourself" says he.
"Have you seen or heard any thing
of the painter?'
"Weli," says he, that's nice! Hear
any thing Of that painter! Why, L
reckon we did; and that's just the