Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1849-11-30
SO lMi .OTTUMWA, IOWA, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 80, 1919.

Cdihe utttT uie lapSe Oh u lnfnute, sui
without the pouch. fare you right sure
squire that you lost it in this hole" said
Sol, getting out upon a large rock, while
the chattering Of his teeth divided his
words into rather more than their Iegiti-
mate number of syllables. r"Oh, per-
fec,ly certain, So. perfectly certain
You know twenty-five dollars in hard
money weigh a pound or two. l didn't
mention the circumstance when | first
came out of the river, because | was
so scared and confused that | didn't re-
member it-but know just as well when
the pouch broke through my coat pocket,
as can be!.'' 739 sIeHst 31a
Thus reassured, Sol took the water
again, as we were in a hurry, we re-
quested him to bring the pouch and half
the money TO Dadeville, if his diving
should prove successful. a'A'taa
q ''To be sure | will" said he, and his
blue lips quivcred with cold, and his
whole frame shook from the same cause.
The "river ager'' made Sol shake
worse than that, that fall. ~
But we left him diving for the pouch
i~nduslriously, and no doubt he would
have got it if it had been there!
Once, as We were about to leave a
house at which we had putt p the night
previous, IN of the girls-a buxom one
OF twenty followed us to the fence, and
the following iete-a-fete ensued:
.'Now, squire they say you know,
and | want you to tell me, eff you please,
what wW chickens be wutli this falI!"
SLOW many have you!'
..I!!:e rise OF seventy, and three heas
a settin'I" arlH -sy a5 a.Fr
swell now, Miss Betty" said we,
.syou know how much | set by the old
man your daddy-and the old lady, you
know how she and me always got along
land Jim and Dave, you know we was
always like brothcrs--and yourself, Miss
Betty, | consider my particular friend
and as it's you, I'll tell vou!"
ado, Squire, ef you please; they say
Van Bureaus going to feed his big army
on fowls; and some folks say he's goin'
to take 'em without payin' for 'em, and
some say he ain,-and | thoughtin course
eff he did pay for 'em, the price ,oouia
rise!!'' # -#@Gihaa @e@g
"Well, the fact is-but don't say moth
ing about it--the army is to fed OH fowls;
the roosfers will be given to the officers
to make 'em braUe, and the hens to the
common soldiers; because, you see, they
Amt as good
s.In course!"
"Soyou see, the hens will be worth
about three bits, and boosters half a dol
lar, and ready sale, at that"
She was perfectly delighted, and we
do not hesitate to say, would have re-
warded us with a kiss, if VT had asked
il; but in those days modesty was the
bright trait in our character. AS it was,
she only Insisted on our taking "a bit Of
something in our sa~ddle-bags, in case
should reach town to late for dinner.
Our next encounter was with an old
lady notorious in her neighborhood for
her garrulity and simPle-mindedness.--
Her loquaci,y knew no bounds; it was
constant, unrcmit,ing, interminable, and
sometimes laughably silly. She was IN.
terested in quite a large chancery suit
which had been ''dragging its slow length
along for several years, and furnished
her with a Conversations. fund which she
drew upon extensively, under the idea
that its merits could never be sufficiently
discussed. Having been warned Of her
propensity, aud being somewhat hurried
when we called upon her, we were dis
posed to get through business as soon as
possible, and without hearing her emu
meration Of the strong points of her law
case. Striding into the house, and draw
ing our papers
taking the census, ma'am!' quoth
we. ...
"Ah! well! yes! bless your soul, hon
ey, take a seal. Now do! Are you the
gentleman that Mr.. Van Buren, has sent
out to take the sensis? wonder! well,
good Lord look down, how ,oas MI.
Van Buren, and family when you seed
him!"
We explained that we had never seen
the president; didn't .know him from a
side of sole leather" and we had been
written to, TO take the census.
"Well, now, thar again! Love your
soul! Well, | suppose Mr.. Van Buren,
wrt you a letter did he? No? Well, l
suppose some Of his officers done it,
bless my soul! Well, God be praised,
there's mighty little here TO take down
times is hard, Gods will be done; but
looks like people can't git their jest rights
in this country; and law is all for the rich
and none for the poor, praise the Lord.
Did you ever hear tell Of that case my
boys has got agin old Simpson! Looks
likes they never will git to the eend oft,
glory to His name! The children will
suffer Pm nightly afeerd; Lord give US
grace. Did you ever see Judge b?
Yes! Well, the Lord preserve us!-
Did you ever hear him say what he was
agwine to do in my boys case agin old
Simpson! No! Good Lord! Well,
squire, wiH you AK him the next time
you see him, and write me word and tell
him what | say; I'm nothin' but a poor
lone widow, and my boys has got no
larnin', and old Slmson TUX 'em in. It's