The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-01-24

t1al S Tie tTutil3 cNcI v uOy hHO"o i's
and if you don't, ] had as well tell it to
you myself, as any one else, for hear
il sou will, before you have ridden
three miles on this trail"
kept my face, and he went on.
zone evening last harvest, | was in
a field with my hands-in the prairie
field; it were getting late, 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 at
tention to it. The last wheat was on
the wagon, and the team was about to
move homewards, when the shrillest.
keenest noise broke upon us that you
ever. 1t was just like nothing ev-
er hearn afore! My boys, one and
all, declared it was painter, and a
mad one at that. Now, | had never
seed painter, nor never heard one
neither, and as | always healn tell,
they make the darndest noise of all var
mints, Just concluded it mought be a
stray one and no mistake. Well, while
we was thar settling what it was, and
what we should do, the varment let
loose again several times, one straight
after tother! Then broke up our cog
itation; we hurried to the house!-
There we found every thing in an up
roar; dogs barking, and the cattle gath
cred about, believing for dear life. 1t
was very alarmin, tell you, and be-
gan to feel pretty considerably skeerd
myself, and | amt ashamed 10 own it.
What to do | didn't we'll know, but !
mustered up my force, and off ! started.
followed by four niggers, six injuns, and
nine cur-dogs, that was as good as ev-
er treed a varmnt, but warnt much for
painters, as | soon diskivered, for we
beat through the whole Of that darned
bottom, without making the least dis
kivery. The night was sorter darklsh,
and the briars sorter thickish In the
bottom. and recken lound out what
green briars war afore ! got home,
which was long about late roesting
time, and if didn't curse that painter
some, when | came to find my face and
hands stripped like Tus-te-nug-gee's
legs about 'baH playing time" it was
just because couldn't. | went to bed
in bad humor, and as usual, had bad
dreams. thought my grey mare was
running a thousand yards, agin Ike
As sorrel, .sThe Major" and he
beating her just as easy! | felt like
wanted te get away, but couldn't
bulge peg! Just then some one
said "Mas Jim the painter in de gar
den last night, and played old scratch
with the fxings." | didn't start and
jump like skeered people do! just
rolled over and over; out o'bed, and
didn't raise fuss in the family? You
know alters sleep behind, and had
circumgyrated over the old woman
and the baby. and such squalllng as
that young'un kept up, would have
been distractlng to an old bachelor
When / came to my senses, which
was purity soon, under circumstances,
| found it was broad day light, and a
grinning niger standing in the door,
declaring the painter had bin in the
garden the night before, case he'd seed
his signs. Well, reckon it warn't
long afore | was out, with niggers,
dogs and Injuns, and if we didn't beat
up the swamp the. night afore we did it
then. Every rod ofground from Grand
river to the Verdigris was ramsacked,
and if a painter had been in thar, |
am keen TO swear we'd found it GER
tain, Long about 9 o'clock we fetched
up at the Ferry, and thar seed ge-
MUS in Georgy dress, sitting on a
log ga eotting."
"Hellow, says /.
"Hellow YOURSELF" says he.
Shave you seen, or heard any thing
of the painter"
"Well," says he, that's nice! Hear
any thing of that painter! Why, |
reckon we did; and that's just the big
gest painter that ever was whelped."
"How do you know; did you see itp'
"Oh, we didn't see it--but reckon as
how we hearn it, and it made the all
screamest kind OF a noise!"
"Was you much skeered over herep
"Well, want we? Nanny nearly
went into Ats they say, when she first
hearn it; and thought ! should a.!
| was at least a quarter from the house,
and two fences between! The stock
was skeered some too-thar was no
Citing in the house for 'em but low
thar amt much danger now, tor ! guess
you've run him off to taller timber"
81 rather guess it's off, myself, so
I,tt L H.. D..~...l ho.o