Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-07-10
Editorial Correspondence
THE Up COUNTRY-DOrTINGS BY THE WAY

No. v.
Ii was o'clock in the evening as we drove
up to the Big Lake House, so called IN conse-
ouence of the Lake adjacent, which is fine
sheet of water, although each year it has grad
ually decreased, as the ridges of the banks
plainly indicate. A human voice startled us at
the gate-''Weli, massa, what for you do wild
de bosses, eh?" "Good God! exclaimed the
Colonel, ''who's that!" "Who's dat? eh?-why
OATS me, massa; old oe.-he! he he" and IN
the thick darkness, white teeth and glarlng
eye-balls seemed to float, as Erebus and old
Joe were of SO near color that it was inn
possible TO discover the back ground. "You
knows old Joe, massa, eb?" and cutfy approach
ed the Colonel rather patronizingly, at the same
time giving one of his broad she, he, he's"
which echoed away across the Lake and came
back agan-"he, he, he" We couldn't see
the Colonel, but we heard footsteps, and pres
emily he touched our elbow and-Whispered, 81
say, who the ID is that?-havet you got
revolver about YOU! don't like that chap; he
may rob u.s." While the Colonel MAS prepar-
ing for an attack, light at the door cast its
rays over the dusky face Of Joe, who in his anx-
iety to serve his "massa," had unbuekled near.
ly every part of the harness and was Juggling
away at another buckle which had meyer been
unbucLled before and probably nevefYill be
again. The appearance Of the light, W&h sev-
eral white persons, gave courage to th4Colc-
mel, who grasped the "old colored gemmak'' by
the hand, and swore that he knew him WE'LL
when the fact was, he had never seen him be-
fore. Doubtless, considering "dscreuen the
better part of valor," he adopted this course,
and the sequel will prove that he was correct.
Well, old Joe hustled about, much edited with
the acquaintance Of so distinguished a gentle
man as the Colonel, and as quick as the horses
Were disposed Of, we were ushered into the d.
ming room OF the house, where huge hot stove
was in full blast and the bugs and the musqui-
toes were drawn up in martial array to receive
US. The reception was little more than we
expected. There was more warmth and cordl-
ality about it, than can usually be found in the
higher walks Of life, and then again, there was
no formality Of an introduction-each musqui-
to presented himself individually, and if we are
not greatly mistaken, some OF them were treated
in the same manner as the Monkey treated its
offspring-squeezed to death-as a matter of
course just for the love of the thing. Old Joe
was uncommonly gracious---particularly 10 the
Colonel who winked and blinked like a toad in
a mud puddle after shower. The Major sat
opposite Us, and as his appetite had been some
what sharpened by the ride, he seemed exceed
ingly anxious to clear the table as soon as pos
sble, which fact was quite evident to old Joe,
Tor his eyes doomed up like full moons, and
threw the light Of the candle completely in the
shade, as the Major opened his mouth and
slowed away the salt pork. 81 say, Major, l
thought you SAID there was no fresh meat up in
this country" swell, (endeavoring to swal-
low,) ''there Clearing his mouth, } there isn't,
as know Of" "Perhaps there isn't but
counted on the piece of bread and butter you
placed in your mouth, just now, three musqui-
Toes and two bugs" Old Joe couldn't stand
that, and breaking out in one of his ''he, he,
he's" he yamosed the premises, much to the
amusement of the Colonel, who, sll Of sudden
had lost his appetite and was busily engaged
wrenching his mouth with cold water, but he
insisted that he was not sick at the stomach.
The Major showed back his chair-.-cast dole
full look as though he had been taking poison,
and was soon after discovered behind the house
running his finger down his throat, vainly at
tempting to eject the aforesaid bugs and mus
quitoes.
Supper over, we CROPPED about the premises
until the hour Of ten, when the pleasant land
lord, who had made ample provisions for our
comfort, escorted us TO headquarters, when
Judge Of our and his surprise to find the bed oc-
cupied with machine which sent forth vol
umes of sound akin to snoring To turn in
there, was not just exactly TO our liking, so
signifyipg desire TO be sacrificed on the altar
of imposition, We were led up stairs into room,
we should Judge, 10 by IA, not sufficiently
high to stand upright in, and ventilated only
by one small window. In this room there
were eight beds with no sheets) and into one
of them we quickly deposited the mortal re-
sure that we should be dead in the morning)
and waiting patiently for the Colonel, we cogi-
tated-" To sleep or not to sleep, that's the
question" Whether it is nobler in the
mind to suffer" the buzzing and singing Of
these cursed musquitoes, or with one fell swoop
10 rush headlong down stairs and dash our
brains out. Aye, there's the rub" Tofret, to
swear, 10 turn over in bed 1--WE fell out once !; it
didn't hurt .hough) and at last to wrap your
head in the clothes and endure second edition
OF the flood, was a consummation by no means
to be wished. Buzz, buzz, on every side the
grand army of mosquitoes marshaled their
forces, and when they made an attack, oh,
shades of Sevastapol! how quickly we were
made acquainted with the fact that life had not
yet left the body. There are times when we
feel indignant at our own forebearance, and we
were Just in this mood, when a dozen musoui-
toes made an onslaught on the prominent points
e Ccoro,1x, l.