Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-10-30
An Embarrassing situation.

Pete Tiff, knocking the ashes from his pipe,
and dra wing the belt which supported his
indispensables, one buckle hole tighter
/" Speaking of buckskin trowsers, I'll tell
you Pete has something to say himself
well, he has that 1t was too ridiculous
ha hal no, by thunder, if tell you that
story on myself, you will have the laugh on
me till the day of Pentecost."
"Oh, never mind, Pete! out with it. We
shall all know you are lying" quoth Fink.
"Fact, though" says Pete, " | cod it is
as true as the Almanac. 1t was--let me
see-the year after the Winne-let me
think had old Dodge?-yes; remember
seeing him then the first time, with knife
in his belt, pair of pistols and rifle, and
he on horseback, somewhere, about
"Well; no matter where, if it was in
the Comic Almanac. The breeches! the
breeches! Tell US your tale" says Fink.
"Well," resumed Pete; "give me pipe
of tobacco-yes; thank you; that's the talk.
Don't interrupt me. feel sentimental just
now. will come to the leather breeches
directly. At that time, there was merry
house but-well in fact it was before Roun-
tree had got up his log cabin in Platteville-
and there was merry house but one from Ga
| lena to Prairie du Chen. And the way we
went to Prairie du Chen, from Galena, was
to take a Decline right plum over the Platte
Mound. Women was scarce there /; you'd
better believe they was, nooc shore. There
wasn't enough in the mines for to swear by.
A painted French picture of the Beauty of
Boston, or the Maid of Orleans,' would
sell for mineral prospect, and a miner
would travel five miles to get peep into a
cottage bonnet. Well; there moved into a
double log cabin, shan't say which side of
the Sinsiniwa Mound, not above five miles
from where was prospecting, an old fellow
dressed in linsey, who had house full of
the taliest sort of girls"
Handsome ~ inquired Fink, elevating
his eyebrows.
You've seen the prints of the ladies'
fashions" replied Pete; SO or may be not I;
but you've seen that picture of the Belle
of Hartford under the face of that new
brass clock at The Miners Arms' Well,
they were every bit as handsome as that,
especially Minerva, the youngest"
"What has Minerva to do" inquired
Fink, " with the buckslin breechesi"
"The old man." resumed Pete, putting
impatiently, and crowding the ashes into the
bowl of his pipe with the little finger of his
left hand-ss the old man had big savage
old dog, grandfather of Santa .4nna, the
Frenchman's dog, in Fairplay,-you know
Santa .anna?-and the old dog had kennel
under the house. Now wanted to see Mi
nerya that bad, go would in spite OF the
old man or his dog; and so one Sunday
night, puts on my clean calico shirt and
my new buckskin pantaloons and over
goes to Minerals papa's."
" You went a courting?" inquired Fink.
"Well did that" replied Pete, appear
ing rather nettled by the inquiry. 60 did
and as pretty young fellow ! was then as
ever buckled himself in belt in the Upper
Mines; but bad whiskey has hurt my looks.
Come to get there, found it was just as
easy-dog never barked-old man clever
Minerva good natured-and not the least
difficulty at all--asked her for her company
said might-foks all went off to bed in
the other part of the house, and left Miner
va and me there to extend our acquaint-
ance with each other. Got to be after
midnight-warm weather-door open-and
acas going home; but Minerva, she insisted
on it, that should go to bed, and stay It'll
day break-bed in the same room. agreed
to that, and she went up the ladder"
"You kissed her first, though, you dog?"
said Hawkins, looking as if he would be
ready to volunteer for the sacking of Mex
leo.
! "That is best known to ourselves" re-
sumed Pete, signing, and knocking the ashes
out of his pipe, on his left thumb nail. 81
off with my buckskin brooches, left them on
the floor aud jumped into bed, and presently
was dreaming that had drifted an opening
/ into heaven, where there was no more ochre
nor sandstone nor flint, but the pure ore of
felicity, so massive that it had to be gadded
TO pieces; and the first heard in the morn
ing, was the old man in linsey, stirring about
! in the other part of the house. Up jump
ed, looking for my buckskin breeches, but