The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1851-11-14
For The Athens Post.
RINGING THE BELL;
OR.

THE ADVENTURE or AN ARKANSAS LAWYER,
Mr.. D. was merchant who lived in
a certain village far back in the State OF
Arkansas. Possessing more means. and
it may be, having inherited more of feel
ing for the distinnue than his fellow towns
men, he sent his daughters 10 boarding
school at the capital of the State. At the
end of two years they came back perfectly
initiated into all the mysteries, etiquette
and fashions of the elite. They could sing
like nightngales, jabber French, play the
piano, write verses, talk of the vulgarity OF
the loom and spinning wheel, and wiggle
through life in style which compile. ely
astonished those ut-wes;ers, who were so
totally unacquainted with the ding lie dansIe
Of fashionable lie. A great many im-
prove..fents were introduced into the fami-
ly apparatus of Mr.. D., and conspicuous
among these were piano and parlor bell.
There resided in the same town a young
sprout Of the law, who claimed distant
relationship TO Coke and Liulelon, and who
could spout for an hour about assumpsit,
trorcr. tresspasses Vi el armis, the vinculuns
malrimonii and plea and demurrer, in
style oil verbose pomposity that made all
the negroes and boys Of the town stand
with gaping mouths and bleared eyes. ca
ger to devour the astounding revelations OF
this oracle of justice. None thought him.
sell so well qualified to welcome the girls
back 10 town as our Young friend w. So
drawing on his bes, pair of unmentona>
bles. his high heeled boots. and a stand-up
shirt collar which propp.d his ears so high
thai he had to rear on tiptoe whenever he
spit, brushing his cloth, oling his whskers,
and d"nnlng his beaver, he imagined him.
self the very personication of wit, ele-
gance and taste, and tilted Off in the direc-
ton of Mr.. D's residence. With a step as
proud as Julius Cnsar's he strobe up to
the door and gave it several taps with his
knuckles, but no footslep from within ap-
preached him. There stood. for long
time, the embodiment of Arkansas law
rapping the door, still no voice babe HIM
enter. DISAPPOINTED and mortified, he re.
,uraed to his office. At supper time lie
gave his landlady an account of his visit,
end of his most unfortunate disappoint.
ment. Said his hostess, "Wby didn't you
ring The bell?-that is the signal for admits
ni,lance into that family" Atlhe tavern
a small hand-be!l always sat on the mantle
board, and The next day the hero OF our
Iale getting this stuck into his pocket,
again prepared to give the Misses D. a call.
Coming over few coupIets from Burns
and Moore, which he thought appropriate
70 The occasion, he again strul,ed up to the
mansion OF Mr.. d., and drawing his bell
rom his pocket. commenced waving ii to
and fro in quite an animated manner. Now
i SO happened that a certain black sheep of
he masculine gender had accustomed him.
sell TO scaling the fence, and committing
serious depredations upon the garden herbs
'ge that matted the grounds around the
louse, much against the will of Mrs. D.,
md she hearing the tones of the bell, natu.
ally supposed that the prince of the sheep,
old had unccremoniously entered the yard,
md was browsing on the grass and shrub
'ery. Dick, large rusty negro, was or
lered TO drive the rascal out. Dick sailed
orth, and tina, he might be the better pre-
,ared to execute his mission, gathered some
stones as he ran, and darling round the cor.
Ter Of the house was about hurting one in
he direction from whence the bell jinsled
before he discovered his mistake. The man
If law seeing the drawn rock, and by no
means edmirlng the belicose aspect of the
able face. drew himself up in most au>
,ust attitude. as he beloved out, "See here
Dick! by heaven, don't you throw that rock
1 me !"
"Beg your pardon, massa," said Dick,
me thought him was dat cussed black
ami"
mo, but it is not the black ram, and so
ou had better take care. want in the
ouse."
"Well, den, Just ring de bell dare" re-
lied Dick.
"Ring the ID! Havn't been ringing
for half an hour!" And again he fell TO, !,
light and main. rafting his llIle bell as il |
e would wake the dead. Dicks ivory u
eamed-you might have seen II a halt u
Iile, and heard his loud ,rhoo ra,c at least
J lar again. as he walked up and told w
jerk the knob on the door. And W.
d Jerk the knob, and he declar red after.
ard that it seemed TO HIM as il the bell
ng two hundred yards of. A very po-
e daughter of Africa opened the door,
Id inviting our friend 10 walk IN xt' nde -,
,r hand TO receive his hat. W. bowins =;
much a la mode of Frenchman as pos. 4.
bic. cras2rd the hand Of the "nigger." M
ID shaking it most heartily. made many