The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-09-09

per by that time, | guess and Bills stomach is
as true as airy a clock in town
The young man made due acknowledgment
for this information as well as for the bellige-
rent Bills services in holding his horse, and
was just fiinging the bride over the animals
neck, when he was startled by the report of a
rifle near by, followed by burst of uproarious
laughter, mingled with the yelpng of dogs and
the shriller ordinations of boy hood and in n
lew moments group came round the hip of
the ridge to the west worthy of the pen of
Irving or Cooper in his palmiest days.
in front appeared tall gaunt swarthy per-
son, who from certain ungainly habit of pro-
jectng his head and shoulders so as to make
them seem step or two in advance of the rest
OF his body. and of keeping his knee Joint bent,
might he said-to use an expressive American
ism-to iope along. rather than walk. A rae
coon skin cap set knowingly upon a mass of
shaggy black hair; a coat of what had been
good homespun in its day, but now bearing
evidence of many encounters with thickcts and
brambles a pair of leather breeches well pol
ishcd from long use gay leggngs, fastened
with tow-strngS and II PAIR of rusty Shoes
completed his attire, unless We add the leath-
ern belt that served to keep his buttoness coat
together, as well as support his knife and am
muntlon. His gun, which was the only thing
about him that seemed to have met with any
thing like careful or clearly attention rested
carelesSly over his shoulder
This was Bill Glover-sometimes farmer.
sometimes drover and always hunter--a neu-
trail in politics, as he averred--a man of some
what questionable honesty in the opinion Of
many but still trusted to certain extent in
procuring supplies for the troops He was ac-
companled by his crony, Mat Jennings or
rather, his neither man was; for, owing to the
habit spoken Of above, his head was so far in
advance that he was obliged to turn it in
| speaklng-a circumstance that might be deem
ed rather favorable than otherwise by his com
panion seeing that Bill was IA n incessant chewer
of "the weed" and showed AS much ndepend
ence in splitting right and left as if "whole
Fourth-of.Julys had billed in his veins" Jen
nngs had short. thick-set frame, the differ
ent parts of which We're grooved together il
that peculiar way which somebody has de
scribed as being "socketed in" Neck he hat
none to speak of; but this frame was surmount
ed by most Misunderstanding face, and pro
fusion of light sandy hair, which, not conten
with the area afforded by his mply-developeC
region of cerebelIum, had run down his cheeks
anu oNcr His tllrOd uiltl nalr seenleu 10 ne nli
chief distinguishing feature. These were fol
lowed by two gaunt but noble hounds, bright
eyed, deep-chested, thin-eared, and slender
lmbed-dogs that would gladden. the heart o
a sportsman to look upon and two long -limbed
supple, jointed youths of thirteen or fourteen
whose ungainly, slouching gait was sufficient
indication of their relationship to Bill Glover
Their attire and equipments resembled then
fathers, save that their neither garments were
made of brown tow-cloth. and their appearance,
was calculated to raise the suspicion that Hetty
Glover was no great proficient in the house
wiiely accomplishment of making "aulC
clathes leuk amast as weel as new ~ and be
side their guns each bore at his back KNAPP
sack, from which protruded the tails of diver
squirrels and birds; and hung on hickory
pole between them were the nicely dressed
quarters of doe.
TO BE CONTINUED.