The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-06-20

with smoke, the floor around the stove
was dotted with little spots of blacking,
and the Squires hands were certainly not
the cleanest that ever was, when violent
ring of the bell resounded through the
house, making our hero start as though
he had been surprised in some dishonor-
able act.
He looked toward the door, then at his
hands, and finally at large stain on his
shirt bosom, which bore very strong re-
semblance to blacking.
"I won't go! they may ring all day, if
they like'' he exclaimed, going to the
wash basin and trying to bring his hands
to their accustomed color; but second
ring warned him that some person with
out was not inclined to "give it up so. u
"Confound that tintinabulal I suppose
its some old man after boots, clothes;
grease or rags. If he does it again I'll
bring suit against him for assault and
battery!' cried our incipient housekeeper
making few desperate dashes at the dish
Icloth, which he mistook for the towel, and
|hurrying toward the door which he open
ed with trembling hand.
/ "Ah, good morning. Squire" said q
well dressed good looking young lady
who evidently expected to see somebody
else appear. ais Mrs. Crosby in7"
i Yes-no-she insn't;" be stammered
or truth to tell, the Squire was thinking
more of his personal appearance than his
wife's absence, besides he imagined thai
the lady looked at him with some curios.
ity and this embarrassed him the more.
| Now it must be observed that our hero
was remarkable for the neatness of hi.
dress and the stain on his linen assumed
enormous dimensions under the searching
glance of his visitor. He dropped hi!
, eyes and forgot the stain in contemplat
) ing his sooty hands.
) Excuse the disorder of my dress thi
morning, Miss Haynes" he added. %
was SO unfortunate as to upset the ink
stand just as you rang, and you see tn
effects of the accident"
i This, it must be confessed, was rathe
a departure from the truth, but the Squir
couldn't think Of any other way to extri
( cate himself from the dilemma; he wa
, not disposed to confess the state of tn
case to his fair black-eyed friend, who
! after making few common place remark
r took her leave.
J, "What an ingenious excuse that was
Nobody but lawyer would have though
of it." soliloquised our hero, glancin,
: complacently in mirror pertaining t.
5 the hat tree. Imagine his modification
r at discerning black streak across hi
E face which gave it most ludicrous as
4 pect. No wonder that the young lad
looked at me with curiosity, for nothin,
: probably but good manners restrained he
r from hearty laugh.
r Squire Crosby went back to the kitchel
f with heavy step. To his utter astonish
t ment it was twelve O'Clock, and he had quit
4 forgotten dinner The fire was entirel
out; the room was in sad plight; tn
: list of duties not half completed, and tn
! meat, vegetables, ETC., remained untouched
His zeal had cooled amazingly sine
e morning, and he half repented acceptin,
), his wife's proposition. He had expecte,
e to see her enter every moment, expressing
: herself satisfied with the experiment, ant
t desire him in very humble manner to g
q back to his Office and resume his legiti
: mate sphere of action.
But Mrs. Crosby did not appear, an
e he was at length obliged to collect his en-
r ergies for the purpose of making anothe
: fire. After wearying out his patience b
e succeeded in his undertaking, and con
signed the meat to cold oven. It wa
t too late to think of pudding; Mrs. Cros
e by must excuse him that time, althoug
# he had always expected it of her unde
y all circumstances. He began to thin
e that it certainly did require some ingenu
# ity and calculation to dispose of so man
e duties in morning, and had some fain
! suspicion that housekeeping wasn't such
d joke, after all. He wondered how Mrs
: Crosby prospered, and whether she didn'
: wish herself safe at home: busted .himsel
s in anticipating how frightened she woul
be at finding how much work had bee
9 laid out for the day, and how completed
q nonplussed she must inevitably appear,
: a client shonld happen to call for advice
d This last was such an amusing idea tina
S our lawyer rubbed his hands and laughet
to himself at the ridiculous figure whic
he fancied Mrs. Crosby was about tha
: time making.
i Leaving the Squire to work out the res
y of the items, We will attend to the foot