Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-11-01

mighty welcome! Old woman. fly
around, get somethin' for the squire and
Dick TO eat! Lucy, amt you got no
fresh aiggs'"
Lucy went out at this suggestion, and
her father went on.
| "They all call me ugly, Squire, and
am. My father was before me the ugri-
estman that ever lived in Hancock coun-
Iiy. But III give you my ixnerance az
ter supper. Belikes you've hearn that
I've been through the rufIs. No? Well;
WHEN We git somethin' down our bellies
Ill tell you all about it, Old oman, for
Gods sake, DO fly around thar!'
The old lady did "fy around" and
Lucy got The .'aiggs," and between them
they gol most excellent supper. The
purity of the table-cloth, the excellence
of the coffee, and the freshness Of the
eggs, not 10 mention Lucy's good looks,
were more than set-oif against The ug-
liness OF old Billy; 80 that Dick and l
continued to eat quite heartily, 10 the ev-
ident qualification of our hospitabe, tho
ugly entertainer.
Supper over, old Bill, drew out his
large soap.s!one pipe, and filling and
lighting it, placed it in his mouth. AZ
ter Whit or two, he began
"Is's no use argyfyin' the matter
am the ugliest man now on top of dirt.
Thar's marry nuther like me! I'm a
crowd by myself alters was. The
fust know'd of it, tho, was when |
was bout ten years old. | wen, down
to the spring branch one mornin', to
wash my face, and as | looked in the
water, seen the shadder Of my face
Great God! how | run back, hollerin'
for nanny every jump! That's the
last time seen my facet darsen't bu.
shei my eyes when ! go 'bou. water"
"Don't you use glass when you
shavc?" inquired.
"Glass! Thunder! Wha, glass coo
stand it? 'Twould bust il, if it was an
inch thick. Glass!-pish!''
Lucy told her father lie was "ioo bad, :"
and that he sknew it was no sich thing"
and the old man told her she was a
"sassy wench,", and to .hold her tongue"
"Yes," he continued, "it's SO; have
not seen my face in forty years, but |
know how it looks. Well, when | grow
ed up, I thori i, would be hard 10 End
woman that d be wil)in' 10 take Inc, ug-
ly as was"-
"Oh, you was noiso uncommon hard
favored when you was young man.
said old Mrs. Wallis.
"OEcoMaoN! tell you, when was
ten years old, a fly wouldn't light on my
face, and il can't be much worse now!
Shet up, and let me tell the squire my
Importance"
"Ifs no use,' put in Lucy, "to be
runnin' ones own self down, that way,
daddy! 1t oi'nt right"
"Runnin' down! Thunder and light
min, Lucy! you'll have me as good look
in directly, as John Bozeman, your
sweetheart"
As he said this, old Bill looked a, me,
and succeeded in half-coyering the ball
Of his left eye, by way Of wink. Lucy
said no more.
The old man continued
"Well, hard as lhort it 'ud be TO get
wife, fust thing ] kaewed, | had Sally.
here; and she is, or was, as pretty as
any Of them"
Old Mrs. Wallis knitted conyulsively,
and coughed slightly.
"Howsever, she never kissed me afore
we was married, and i! was long time
ar.er afore she did.
The way of it was this: we had an
old, one-horned COW, mighty onncrv Tor
dinary) lookin', old as the North Star,
and poor as black snake. One day
| went out to the lott
daddy, wouldn't tell that" exclai-
med Lucy, in the most persuasive tones.
"Blamed eff | don't THOUGHTS the
truth, and eff you dom, keep still, III
send for Bozeman to hold you quiet in
the corner
Lucy pouted little, and was silent.
"Yes, went out to the lot, and thar,
sure as life, was my old oman swung to
the COW, and The old thing flynn round,
and cuitin' up all sorts o. shines. Ses |
--'what the deuce are you up TO, old
'oman!' And with that she let go, and
told me she was tryin' TO practise kissin'
on old Cherry and she thort after that