The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-15

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possible; ayo?'
ssWcel, Mary he at length hesita
tingly, answered, eff it maum be sac, i
maun be sac, that's, all: but I dim;
like to treat onybody sac sourrily as a
that comes tae.'
"Well, that's settled,' said Mary
'and now go, away to your bed again.
The old man went off to bed, and the ole
lady sat think for a moment: and thu
tears came over her eyes.
She at length arose, and taking hcl
candle, she proceeded to the cham5c,
in which Bruce lay extended ON the bed
in o horrible mud and filth. His face
was as black as ncgro's, while sickly
smell Of whiskcy filled the whole room
his eyes stood CLASSY in his head as o
dead man's---his mouth wide opcn, and
choking sound rattlcd in his throat. II
seemed like the death.bed Of a idiot.
The good old lady, with tears in her
eyes, commenced to undrcss him, nor
stop. until she had taken every article
off Of him..cvcn his shirt, leaving him
entirely made, excepting his hat,
which she allowed to remain, tied on
under his chin. Then taking the feath-
or bed from under him, she let him lay
on the mattrass, covering him with the
feathcr-tick in lieu of blankets. She
took every article of bed-clothcs from
the room--bcd curtains, window-cur-
tain, tablc-coyers, carpets, burcau-coy-
cr, and every article of the weavcr's
manufacture she took with her; togcth.
er with his own clothing, leaving not an
article whcrewith he could clothe him
self when he awole. IA
The old lady then returned to the
kitchen, and sat down by the fire.
After some hours of dcath-likc sleep.
he began to move; and his slumber be-
came disturbed, he rolled and tossed as
if fsomc horrid nightmare had but re-
moved its shacklcs from his bosom,
which hcavcd high, with labored breath.
ing. Seeing then that all danger was
al an end, the old lady, closing the door
behind her, left Kim to awake to full
sense of his most degraded condition.
The day was far spent, and the sun
was high in the heavens, ere he became
aware of his existence, and his rcco!lcc-
tions of the preceding evening, which
were confused enough, were anything
but pleasant. twas some few minutes
after he awoke, that he discovered the
singular state of the room; to say moth
ing of the very primitive state in which
he found his own person. His wander
ing senses slowly, and but partially, re-
turned one by one, but all their united
powers, could not unravel The very sim
gular appearances which met his eye
on every side. He gazcd stupidly
round the room, endeayoring, but in
vain, to see something that might assist
his memory, but nothing would; in fact
he was not quite certain where he was,
so much was the room changed that
he could not tell whether he was at
home or not.
Sometime passed away in a vain
struggle to recall the past evening, but
all to no purpose.
He then determined TO get up and
dress himself, and then put the best
face on the matter possible; but what
was his surprise when not an article of
clothing was to be found. He searched
in every corner, and under the bed, and
in every closet; but all to no purpose.
He was thunderstruck and contound-
cd beyond mcsurc; there was not one
morscl Of rag to cover his nakedncss,
and he stood in the middle Of the room
like one demcntcd: when gradually
turning round, he came full in front OF
the lookins.slass, in which, percciying
the very ridiculous caper he cut, with
hat on and nothing else, he rushed head.
long into bed again and hid himself un
dcrncath the tick.
What were now his cogitations, we
will not attempt to describe: but VIC
think our readers may imagine, they
were anything but pleasant, or satisfac
tory.
The day began to wear apacc; (
death,hkc stiffness reigned over tht
whole house, a disagrecably, mournfu
sort of silence, which rendered Ills sit
uation irksome and painful. His heat
ached dreadfully, and his mouth wa.
parchcd, and dry as q chip, and not
drop Of water to cool his raging thirst
was to be found. His face and hand
were plastored over with q coating of dr.,
mud, the stiffness of which must hav,
felt, agreeable, suppose, very. AT
sorbed in the most bitter reflections. h
thus spent the rest Of the day. TIL