The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-12-05

WAS tae Only one up, anu ran 10 IL III
course, but afore it come to, the iron had
made its mark-that is, burnt two holes
in the extremity of my linen. Next morn
in l put it on as it Nas, then dads true
blue, then the fust reg'lar built par Of
shoes I'd ever had.
l was seventeen just, that Sunday morn
in, and in my Sunday rigin,' felt myself
a man, and was resolved, if Betsy Crump-
ton was at meetin to show it. We'll, she
was there, and ext her for her compsnF;
and got it. Walkin' by her side, l felt
as light as nothin skercely touched the
ground walked on. But I shan't tell
the few things l thought and said to her
on the way, and more after we got home.
"Oh yes do" said several voices. No
you'll have enough without that; you're
to- skim the cream of the story yet.
She kept me up late, say two o'clock
and in spite of the novelty-Gt being the
FIST time)-I got sleepy. Now the Squire
had just come to these parts, and pat up
= one-story, one-roomed log cabin, and
the whole family, 'cept some of the young
on's, slept below. l was lectle bsshial
bout gowine to bed thar, but was three
miles from home, and it was rainin' like
blue blazes! had to do it, and did with
cut exposn' Tie blank in my linen. Ire
solved TO De up afore anybody else in the
morniH' on the same account and some
others.
That was the last know'd till wakened
by the hounds (bslf dozen of which slept
nnder the bed) pulin' the kivers of n
ME. Holy heavens! the sun two hours
hish, breakfast on the table, and me in
bed! Just SIS l was g~ine to spring out, in
pops the old oman, with a plate q sas-
sage. It was dog days now, aud she
cooked in a shan;y. POISONED sleep till
she went out again. and then looked for
ny trowssrs, thsr they wur in the jaws Of
the pups at the foot of the bed. made
mighty lunge over the foot bos.d to re-
take them, bat Oh, horrors! my head down
and my heels upi WHATS ths matter,
thinks but it flashed across me in a
moment that hole in my linin was over the
post-and a tall post tn! kick'd aad
dounder,d and uoulc'd but all 70 no pcr-
pose--I couldn't get down. strait! TO
break the bem, bat it was no go. jist
now all the houuis commenced yeilin' so
furiously the old oman and both gals run
in to see what was up, and when they seed
it was me they run otf-and begin to hol-
low for the Squire, while tothers, through
the cracks, with tishin' poles, battied the
cursed hounds that were wulIin' me.
On, thought of Absolcm and every
body that ever did hang, but he didn't
hang by the wrong end, no, that was a
consolation had Eot Ids eHst my fate
like Bostoa but I remembered belonged
to mee,ia' and it Vas sSin the rules.
did however think some mighty hard words
if l didn't speak'm. but sll that didn't
do any good. / couldn't make nothin'
by pa!Iin' downwsrls, so l thought Ia
climb up the post and unloose myself that
way had nearly succeeded when one
of the uamannerly pups a,tacked me in
the rear, and lossia' my holt, the bottom
busted CT and came out fall length on
the floor in prceiSely .:se sa- Job Aaid he
came into this world The acx: mint
was under the bed where tfs- s<S:.sssisy Z
pups had dragged Hy trossers. / easi
them of, but every time l pat one leg
partly on, the Internal whelrs wo'd pull
tother Off
worried in this way for some time,
when puncheon gave way, and l fell
through into a trough of soap under the
house! Gosh! / thought 1 was in the
pit what's bottomless! / sprung for my
life, but in doing this, threw myself into
the face and stomach Of Squire Crumpton,
who was camin' on the run, 'specting the
Injuns was massaerecing the whole fam
lily. The collision threw him down the
hill and | followed suit heels over head to
the bottom. There / recovered my un-
derstanding, and without any apologies,
or even word / struck bee line for home
just as l was, in all my native purity, at
a speed that split the winds, my toe nails
striking fire out'n the 6ints every jump!
| But b'hoys, Incver went within quar-
ter of a mile of Squire Crumpton's after
wsrds-nor did l ever cast sleeps eyes al
Betsey again, let alone gallanting her
home.
NFop.tou CIR ,rYo-,rco A N off,o;oJ e+o to