The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-10-16

10 lOOt.
The latter was saluted with hearty
cuff, as she emerged from the puddle; and
it was just at the propitious moment when
her shrill howl aroused the echoes, that Mr..
Willoughby, having reached the threshold,
was obliged to set about making the agreea-
BILE to the mamma And he called up for
the occasion all his politeness.
81 believe / must become an intruder on
your hospitality for the night, madam" ne
began. The dame still looked at the pigs.
Mr.. Willoughby tried again, in less county
phrase.
''Will il be convenient for you to lodge
me to night, ma'am? ! have been disaP-
pointed in my search for a hunting pary,
whom had engaged to meet, and the night
threatens Storm"
81 don't know nothn about it; you
must ask the old man" said the lady, now
for the first time taking survey Of the new
conner; ''with my will, we'll lodge no.
body"
This was not very encouraging, but il
vas poor night for the woods; 50 our
traveller persevered, and making so bold q
push for the door that the lady was Obliged
to retreat little, he entered, and said he
would await her husbands coming.
And in truth he could scarcely blame
the cool reception he had experienced,
when he beheld the state Of affairs within
those muddy precints. The room was
large, but it swarmed with human beings
The huge open fireplace, with its hearth
of rough stone, occupied nearly the whole
of one end Of the apartment; and near i
stood long cradle, containing pair o.
twins, who cried--a sort Of hopeless cry, a.
if they knew il would do no good, ye
they could not help it. The schoolmastsr
Ut was his week. sat reading a tatteret
novel, and rocking the cradle occasion
ally, when the children cried too loud
An old gray-headed Indian was curiously
crouched over large tub, Smelling corn or
the edge of hoe; but he ceased his noisy
employment when he saw the stranger, fol
no Indian will ever willingly be seen al
work, though he may be sometimes com
PEELED by the fear of starvation or the long
ing for whisky, to degrade himself by labor
Near the only window was placed the work.
bench and entire Paraphemalia of the shoe
maker, who IN these regions travels from
house to house, shooting the family and
mending the harness as he goes, with vari.
Gus interludes Of songs and Jokes, ever
new and acceptable. This one, who was
little, bald, twinkling-eyed fellow, made
the smoky rafters ring with the burden Of
that favorite dirty Of the west:
"All kinds of game to hunt, my boys, also the
buck and doe,
All down by the banks of the river O-hi-o;''
and children of all sizes, catering in all
keys, completed the picture and the con,
cert.
The supper-tsble, which maintained its
place in the MIDST of this living and restless
mass, might remind one Of the square stone
lying bedded in the busting leaves Of the
acanthus but the associations would be
any but those of Corinthian elegance. The
only object which at that moment divers-
fled its dingy surface was an iron hoop, in.
to which the mistress Of the feast proceeded
to turn quantity of smoking hot potatoes,
adding after bowl of salt, and another of
pork fat, by courtesy denorninated gravy:
plates and knives dropped in aferward, at
the discretion of the company.
Another call Of Pop! pop" brought
in the host from the pig-stye; the heavy
rain which had now begun TO fall, having,
no doubt, expedited the performance of the
chores. Mr.. Willoughby, who had estab-
lished himself resolutely, took advantage of
very cloudy assent from the proprietor, to
lead his horse to shed, and to deposit in
corner his cumbrous outer gear; while the
company used in turn the iron skillet which
served as wash-basin, dipping the water
from large trough outside, overfowing
with the abundant drippings Of the caves.
Those who had no pocket handkerchiefs,
contented themselves with nondescript
article which seemed to stand Tor the family
towel; and when this ceremony was con-
cluded. all seriously addressed themselves to
the demolition Of the potatoes. The grown
people were accommodated with chairs and
chests; the children prosecuted series of
flying raids upon tie good cheer, snatching
potato now and then as they could find
an opening under the raised arm of one of
the family, and then reireating to the CHM
ney corner, tossing the hot prize from hand
to hand, and blowing it stoutly the while.
The old Indian had disappeared.
To our citizen, though he felt inconvs
niently hungry, this primitive meal seemed
a little meagre; and he ventured to ask i'll
he could not be accommodated with some
tea.
"A'n't my victuals good enough for
you p
ooh the potatoes are excellent, but
am very fond Of tea
80 be l, but can't have every thing |
you ~
This produced laugh from the shoe
maker, who seemed to think his patron
very witty, while the schoolmaster, not
knowing but the stranger might happen to
be one Of his examiners next year, produced
only faint giggie, and then reducing his
instantly to an awful gravity, I
helped himself to his seventh potato.
The rain which now poured violently,
not only outside but through many a Gre
vice in the roof, naturally Kept Mr.. Will
oughby cool and finding that dry potatoes
ave him the hiccups, he withdrew from the
able, and seated himself on the shoema-
lers bench, took survey of his quar-
ers.