The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-03-10
Georgia Scene.

sing by any of my readers. Certainly the
amusement Of the reader of my own times
is not the leading object of it, or Of any of the
Georgia Scenes" iorlorn as may be the
hope, that their ljcct will ever be answer
ed.
| Twas travelling with my old friend Ned
Brace, when he stopped at the dusk OF eve
nnS at n house on the road side for the hight,
Here we found three nice, tidy. aged mat
rons, the youngest Of them could not have
been under sixty one Ofthem of course was
the lady OF the house, whose husband, as old
as lie was, had gone from, home upon land
exploring expedition. They received us
Hospitality, had our horses well attended TO,
and soon prepared for us a comfortable sup
per. While these things were doing, Ned
and engaged the other two in conversation;
III the course Of which Ned disported himself
with becoming seriousness. The Kind lady
OF tho house occasionally joined US, and be-
came permanently one OF the party from the
time the first dish was placed on the table
AT the usual hour we were summoned to sup
/ rer-and as soon as we were seated, Ned
unsolicited, aid most xptctedly TO me
said grace. knew well that this was a
prelude 10 some trick, could not tell what.
His explanation Except 50 much as discov-
cred. was that he knew one Of us would be
asked to say grace, and he thought he might
I as well save the good ladies the trouble oil
asking. The matter was, however, more
fully explained just before the moment the
conversation went round between the good
ladies' aud ourselves, with mutual interest 20
all. 1t was cnlivened by Ned, who was ca
pable as the reader has been heretofore in
! formed Of making himself extremely agree
able in all company-and who was upon his
/ best behavior. Ii was Immediately after !
had locked at my watch in token OF my dis
position to retire fer the nght, that The con
versation turned upon marriages, happy ard
unhappy, strange, unequal, runaways, Sc.
Ned rose in the midst of it and asked the
land-lady where he should sleep. She poin-
ted to "A she'd room Joining that in which we
sat aud separated from it by log partition,
between the spaces of which might be seen
all that passed in the dining room, and 50
close to the fire place Of this apartment, tina,
loud whisper might be easily heard from
one 10 another.
! "Ihe strangest MATCH" said Ned. resum
ing the conversation with gravity, "that ev-
er heard Of, was that Of George Scott aid
! David Snow, two most excellent men tho
|
they actually got married."
"The !aca!ay" exclaimed one OF the Ia
dies.
Sand was il! really fact" euguired an
other.
! "Oh yes, ina'am," continued Ned. 81
know them very well, and often went to the
house; and no people could have lived hap
pier or managed better than they did. And
they raised lovely parcel Of children as
| fine as ever saw, except their youngest
son BIly--he was a little wild, but upon the
whole, right clever boy himself. Come
| friend, Baldwin, we're sitting up too late for
travellers" So saying Ned moved to the
shedroom and followed him.
The ladies' were left in silent amazement ;
and Ned suspecting, doubtless, that they
were listening TO a laugh from our chamber,
as we entered it, continued the subject with
undated gravity, thus You knew those
two men, didn't you.'
.Wherc did they live 2" inquired !, not n
little disposed to humor him.
"Why, they lived down there on Cedar
Creek, close by Jacob Denman's--oh I'll
| tell you who their daughter Nancy married.
She married John ClarlS-you knew him
very we'll"
"Oh yes" said I, 81 knew John Clark
very well. His wife was most excellent
woman"
"Well, the boys were Just as clever, for
boys, as she was a gill, except Bill and |
never heard any thing very bad of him I'M
less it was his laughing in church that put
me out with him more than any thing else !
ever knew of him. Now Baldwin, when !
go To bed 20 to sleep and not to talk and
therefore, from the time my head touches
the pillow, there must be 10 more talking.
Besides we must take an early start toll NOR
row, aud Pm tired" So saying, he hoped
into bed-and obeyed his instructions.
Before followed his example could not
resist the temptation oi casting an eye thro'
the cracks Of the partition so as to see the
effect OF Ned's wonderful story among the
kind ladies'. Mrs. Barney, Otis time to civ e
their namcs) was sitting in thoughtful pos
ture-her left hand supporting her chin, and
her knee supporting her left elbow. Her
countenance was that of one who suffers
from slight tooth-ache. Mrs. Shad leaned
forward resting her fore arm on her knees.
and looking into the fire AS if she saw groups
of children playing in it. Mrs. Reed. the
land-lady, who was the latest of the three
| '"s al
short intervals. From my bed il required
buta slight change Of position to see any one
of the group at pleasure.
was no sooner composed on my pillow
than the old ladies drew their chairs closely
together, aud begun the following coloquy
in low under tone, which rose as il pro.
crossed
Mrs. Barney-did'nt that man say them
was two men that got married to one anoth
or?
Mrs. Shad-It seems to me so.
Mrs. Reed--Why to be sure he did.
know lie said so--ior he said what theil
names was.
Mrs. B-Well, in the name o'scnse wha
did the man mean by saying they raised 1
fine parcel ochildren.
Mrs. R-Why, bless your heart and sonl
honey! that's what I've been thinkin' about
1t seems mighty curious to me, some how OF
other, can't study II out, no how.
Mrs. S-That man must be joking GER
tainly.
Mrs. R-No, he wasn't joking-for look
cd at him and he was just as much in year
nest as any body ever sced--bcsdes. n,
christian man would tell such story in tina
solemn way. And did you not hear tina
other man say he knew their da'ter Nancy
=