Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-08-02

the gals listened to US and went on with
their work.
Bimeby I noticed. right in the middle
Of the big hewed log over the fire place.
one of the biggist sort Of anger holes
The man,lc-piece above was fixed offwith
ornaments, and the very wall itself looked
like il had been scowercd with soap and
sand that very day. it was SO white and
clean. The big dark augcr hole looked
mOns,rous ugly whar everything was so
nice and tasty. and | couldn't help but
wonder what upon ycarth they left it thar
for. right in the middle Of the chimney
piece, whar every body could see it.
] sposc must looked ut it pretty hard,
for bimcby, seed Miss Fanny, the oldest
gall. sort Of smile at her sister. and then
they both looked at me. and then at the
sugar hole. and then kind o held down
their heads and stole the mischievousest
chances at one another ever seed.
Thinks I. what upon yeartI,'s that aug
er hole for! and | looked at il sideways
while talked to Mr.. Byers, and tried to
keep one eye on the gals to see what they
was up TO.
! 81 see" Sos Mrs. Byers, ''that your
wondering what that big. ugly. auger
hole is doing thar in my chimney piece"
"Well that's a fact" SEES |. IL could mt
think what it could be thar fur. if it amt
for the gals TO hang up their stockins, on
Christmas nights"
Both the gals blushed drelful, and Mr..
Bycrs took good healthy laugh.
.'No. it amt for that" says he: "It's
a fact it's in monstrous conspicuous
place and spoils the looks ofthe fire place.
and bothcrs gals terribly. But, sir that's
one Of the greatest auger holes that ever
was borcd!''
4 Thinks I. what in the thunder's in that
anger hole more'n any other! and ] got
; up and looked at it close. The way the
gals did laugh.
Ii was two inch augcr hole, and abont
three inches deep.
~ don't see anything but common
auger hole,'' ses ], putting my finger into
it.
Well, sir. said Mr.. Bycrs. that augcr-
hole is worth fortin to me. and don I
believe all the money in Georgia could buy
il from this family. Could it. old woman!
SEES he. chuckin his old wife under the
I chin. who had laid her nittin in her lap, and
5 was lookin at the auger-hole with a smile
Oh her face that made her look almost as
handsum as her daughters.
No, scs she: that ugly auger-holc has
: been a blessn to US indeed; and Thought
| seed tear a standin i'll her eye, and
her voice sort o trcmblcd.
Bv this t,ric my curiosity was up to a
! terrible pitch, to know what was the mys-
terry about that auger-holc.
What's about il! ses !, that makes 1t
worth morc'n any other auger-hole!
| Well. III tell you, says Mr.. Byers.
, tho r,f
handin' i, to the Youngest daughter TO put
: away. That augcr hole has been the
: earthly salvation Of this family. It's
l now fifteen wears sinsc settled on this
= place; | cum here from Burke county.
whar once owned one of the best Gotten
plantations in the State, and as likely a
d. set o niggers as was to be found any
; whar In old Burke. when was young
man, every body used to keep spirits in
. their houses, and it was a common thing
20 treat ones friends with good glass ct
toddv whenever they come to see us. and
to give the family bittcrs all round in the
,norning. / needn't hardly tell you that
I soon got a liken for drink, and that drink
: soon got the better of me, and that the
end was, ] was ruined man before my
, oldest daughter that was five years Of age.
| was sold out by tile sheriff. ! got kind
Of a idce in my he'd that the world didn't
use me right, and that thar was no use in
my tryin' to get along no how. so the only
satisfaction | had was TO drink like a
beast; ] was a miserable devil then. and
used to make every one miserable about
Mrs. Bters put her hand TO her face TO
hide tear that was rollin down her cheeks;
and the gals stopped their nittin. and sot
thar and looked in the fire without Savin
word
My wifi, had little comm to her
from her fathers estate. and her friends
made out to save enough from debts TO
move us up here and buy this little place:
and promised to do better when | got
out Of my old haunts. Our beginnin here
was a monstrous poor one; but wife's
spirit wasn't broke vet, and my boy was
Citing big enuff to help me little: we
went to work to build UP a new home in
the woods in good earnest. We went on
for n while very well. till one day | went
} to town to the election. and thar l got
drunk. and did not come home for three
days. till they all thought was murder
ed, and sent my little boy to try and find
: me. When l come home. ] felt mon-
strous bad: had broke all my promises.
and couldn't bear to look my poor wife in
the face. But she forgiv me and ] prom
ised again. This time made out to go
to town twice and cum home sober. but
! the third time got drunk. and got into a
tight which like to cost me my life. Well.
+. after my wife nursed me up again.
thought | never would touch another drap
Of internal spirits. and didn't for about
three months. One day went to town
, with my horses and Wagon TO sell load
Of fodder. | sold the fodder and got the
+ money. and the man | sold it too sed |
must take glass with him ON the bargain
. Well, hung out for while, but he stuck
/, two or three drinks. The next thing
knowd Of myself walked up in a shuck-
pen about = mile from town on my way
home. Wagon and, horses, and all my
I money was gone. and even my coat and