The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1847-08-24

| ana my foot broke through. 1t was my
wooden leg, and in my endeavors to extri-
cate il, the unfortunate limb, broke loose
and fell into the cellar
Here was terrible awkward situation for
fine gentlemen to be in. There was no
getting my leg fits limbo, in the dark, and
10 apply for help would discoverme. Luck
ilyI had my walking stick, and with the
help Of that, made shift 10 hobble to my
lodgings, where arrived undiscovered:
thanks 10 the darkness and lateness Of the
hour. But the difficulty was not over. had
lost my leg, and no one could make me such
another; or, if il conld 90 replaced, the thing
could not be effected without delay of
many days, and the story would infalliably
get wind. What should lido? Iknew the
house into which my stray limb stepped, but
was not ON the right terms with the occupant
10 trust him with The secret. This was the
most unlucky circumstance Of aIl-he was
Joe Clackabout, person with whom was
involved in quarrel, and was moreover an
arrant busy body. In short he was no man
TO cn,rust with the secret ofa sham leg.
AT last thought struck Inc of method
to get my leg and save my credit, for saw
clearly that my leg must be had Immediately,
or else the cat would be let out of the bag.
| thought of Beau Babbleton, the foppish
fellow mentioned above, as person on
whom | might with some conscience, play
the trick Of fathering my lost limb had got
myself into bad odor with his sisters and two
or three score Of their gossipng female ac-
quaintance, by means Of his foppery and the
Insensbility of my timbered Toes, ard de-
termined now to be revenged upon him by
means of the same intractablo MEMBER
The plan was this,-to send by trusty SER
want note to MIR. Clackabout, requesting
the leg in the name Of Beau Babbleton, by
which means should get my limb again
without being suspected, and Beau might
account for the superfuity of shin bones in
his own animal economy as we'll as he was
able.
The plan succeeded to admiration; and
much better than looked for. For l had
the luck to see darke passing under my
window in the morning, and him sent of,
with the note. You must judge Of the sur
prise and astonishment of Mr.. aud Mrs. Clack-
ldbo,lt' and his two sisters, as they sat ut
breakfast, when they received the fellow
pg;--a .s s.r.a.,.-
"Mr. Babble,on's compliments to Mr..
Clackabout, and requests he will have
the goodness to despatch his leg by the
bearer; it will be found in the cellar. Mr..
B. hopes 10 be excused for stepping through
Mr.. C's cellar door last evening""
Nobody knew what TO make of this strange
opstle at first. One thought it hoax, but
on sending into the cellar to examine, the
!eg was found sure enough, and the breach
in the cellar where the mis-step had been
made. And then what staring and won
dernent there was among the Clackabout's
at the discovery of Beau Babbleton's ar,ifce.
Who wou I'D have thought it?--they all ex-
claimed--a tip top dandy, buck of the first
water; an irresistible creature among the
ladies'; and yet doing all this with wooden
leg! Oh! monstrous! To-"
However, after a pretty close scrutiny of
this unfortunate limb, il was delivered to tile
cuffee, who passed for Beau Babbleton's SER
want, as no question was asked, and my
strange appendage brought me without any
discovery being made. Now was Richard
himself again; but Beau Babbleton was abso-
luteIy lieside himself Mr. Cackabout
chanced 10 meet him the same afternoon, and
wished him JOY on the recovery of his leg
Beau replied that his leg had never been
i'll. Ea3a aiv is.'sa
"Not i'll to be sure," said Mr.. c. "but ter
ribly out ofjoint"
"out ofjoint! out Of joint! sir?--lVhat do
you meanf'' 'n' '''.! OBJ el s
"Oh,I don't mean that ii was hurt in brea-
king through the cellar door; indeed Ibeieve
it was sent in good order; truly, you walk
very we'll with it--one would never suspect
you.'' .'t.'a1ls af '7
q "Never suspect me! don't understand
you, pray what do you suspect me of" ''
\. "Ofgetting the boot on the wrong foot, for
you needn't think to mystify me. What!
brave ii out in this fashion, when you left il
in my cellar last night, and / sent it 10 you
this morning!' '.. '.-.' '4H Y i
"Really Mr.. Clackabout, you talk like
man who has lost his senzes."
"Really Mr.. Babbleton, your effrontery is
too much 10 bear. You will make lame
piece of work of it, and get yourself into a
hobble. | advise you to show little more
understanding" And with these punning
illusions to Beau's fancied infrmity, Mr.
Clackabeut walked off
Poor Babbleton was utterly confounded at
being snubbed and brow-beaten in this in
comprehensive manner. But this was
cakes and gingergead 10 what happened al.
terwards, for the Miss Clackabouts kept the
secret of Beau's wooden leg in the customa-
ry way; that is, thoy told it in confidence
toall their acquaintances; the consequence
was, the greatest fuss and stir among the