Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-04-18

i l'llj jlst git down and lift ye oifl''
Sam essayed to dismount. but in so
doing found both feet helpIessly fast
in the stirrups. His face swelled and
Redeemed Ike a turkey gobbler's. In
vain he twisted and kicked: the crowd
WAS expectant: Sally was waiting.
Gosh dang the sterlupP exclaim.
ed Sam. endeavoring to break the
straps by his desperate kicks.
AT this unwonted exclamation, Sally
looked up and saw her beau's predic-
ament.
The bystanders began to snicker.
Sally was grieved and indignant
Bouncing out Of her saddle. in twin.
king. she handed her enirapped es-
cort u stone.
"Here. Sammy, chunk your foot
out with ihisP'
Oh, Sally Jones! into wha. an error
did your kind heart betray you to Of.
fer this untimely ciyility in the presence
Of the assembled county-admirers.
rivals and all.
Sam took the stone and struck a
frantic blow at the pertinacious stir
rup. but missing his aim. it fell with
cruching force upon n soft corn. that
had come from his wearing tight
boots.
whoa, darn yel" cried he. losing
all control OF himself. and threatening
to beat his horses brains out with the
stone.
"Don'l strike the critter. Sammy"
said old Jones; you'll gin him the
poll-eyi. But jist let me ongirIh the
saddle. and well git you loose in no
time"
In short. the saddle was unbucklcd,
and Sam dismounted. with his feet
still in the stirrups. looking like a
criminal in foot-hobbles. With some
labor he pulled Off his boots, squeezed
them out Of the slirrups. and pulled
them on again. The tender Sally
stood by. all the while mani.esting the
kindesl concern; and when he was ex-
tricated. she took his arm and walked
him into church.
Bu' this unlucky adventure was too
much for Sam; he sneaked out Of the
meeting during The first prayer, pulled
of his boots and rode homo in his
stockings.
From this timc Sam Bates disap
peared from society. Literally and
metaphoricrlly he shut up shop and
hung up bis fiddle. He did not take
TO liquor like fool. but took to his
axe and cleared don't know " how ma
my acres Of rugged. heavy timbered
land. thereby increasing the value Of
his tract to the amount of several hun
dred dollars.
Sally Indirectly sent him divers civil
messages. intimating that she took no
account Of the little accident at the
meeting house, and at length ventured
on direct present OF pair Of gray
yarn stocking, knit with her own
hands.
But while every effort to win him
back TO the world WAS unsuccessful.
the yarn stockings were great COM
fort to him in his self-imposrd exile.
Sam wore them continually, not on
his ieei, as some matter-of-fact booby
might suppose. but Ia his bosom; and
often. during the intervals Of his work
in tho lonely clearing, would he then
draw them out and ponder on them
until big tear gathered in bis eye.
"0hl Sally Jones. Sally Jones. had
l only had the spunk to have courted
ye Saturday night. instead of waiting
until Sunday morning, things might
have been ditferentp'
And then he would pick up his axe
and whack IL into the next Tree with
the energy Of despair.
AT length the whole country was
electrified by the announcement that
"iarmer Jones had concluded to sell
out and go west" On the day ap.
pointed for the sale. there could not
have been less than hundred horses
gethered in his barnyard. Sam Bates
was there. looking ms uneasy as n pig
in a strange cornield.
Sally might have been littlc thin.
ner than usual; just enough to height.
en- rather than diminish her charms,
IL was generally known that she was
averse 70 moving west. In fact she
took no pains to conceal her sentiments
on the subject; her pretty eyes were
evidently red with recent weeping.
She looked mournfully around on each
familiar object; the old homestead
with It's chunked and dapbed walls; the
cherry trees. under which she had
played in childhood; the lowers she
had planted: and then to see the dear
old furniture auctioned oG--,hc churn,
the npple-butler pot, the venerable
quilting frame. the occasion Of SO ma
nv social gatherings.
But harder than all was il when
her own white COW was put up: her
pet that, when calf. she had saved
fr'm the butcher; il was too much,
and the tears trickled afresh down
SaIly's blooming cheeks.
"Ten dollars, ten dollars for the
COW l''
Fifty dollars |" shouted Sam Bates.
why. sammy" whispered pru.
dent neighbor. "she hain't worth
twenty. nj the outside"
"l'li gin City for her," doggedly re.
Piled Sam.
Now. when Sally heard Of thi,
piece Of gallantry. she must needs
III NIX tho purchaser for the compi,
ment. and commend Sukey to his es.
pecial kindness. Then she extended
} her plump hand. which Sam seized
with snch n devouring grip that the
little maiden could scarcely suppress
a scream. She did suppress Il, how.
ever. that che nigh, hear whether b,
had anything further 10 say; but shl
Was disappointed. He turned away
dumb. swallowing. rs II were. hunks
Of grief rs big as dumplings.
When everything was sold oil and
dinner Was oyur. lhu.oompany disposed