Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-11-25

From the True Flag.
JOB WAX GMAN,
L Y RALPH TRYON.

place, and with those parents the Young
man boarded. Job toiled hard, scarcely
allowing himself any recreation, and was
very poudent; for snug little cottage
lay III his perspective fortune, with a
sweet mistress, which required no magi-
cans wand to transform into the person
of the ruddy Nelly Pond.
Job was also very fond Of his riAe-so
much 50, that his mistress often riewd the
beautiful, inanimate thing with a feeling
very nearly akin to jealousy. Next to
her, she was sure that he p ized that hol-
low piece of mechanism, with It's silver
mountlngs, above all his possessions
Nor was this her only trouble; for, being
very careful of his time, which he con-
sIdered, with Franklin, was the same as
money, he very profanely occupied the
Sabbath IN perf9cting his skill with the
aforesaid weapon, to the great scandal Of
the church-gomg villagers, and the vexa-
ton of the fair Nelly, who greatly pre-
ferred that he should be seated by her
side, III her fathers pew.
She had expostuIated, threatened, and
poutcd IN vain. But Job was too secure
OF her affections to fear any rapture on
this account, and too much in love with
his sport TO forgo it for any triAe. But
the determined girl was resolved to cure
hmm Of this folly; and since entreaty had
no effect, she made up her mind to try
what straiagem would do.
The young man, withal, was fond of
the marvellous; and, like many others
who have taste for such matters, had
his fears Of the supernatural, although
with every human his courage was firm
rs rock, Nelly's grandmother was a
plous old lady, who looked upou Job. S i'm
pIety with holy horror; but, at the same
time, there was fellow feeling on the
score of superstition between them. So
the shrewd girl contrived to enlist the SER
vices OF the old lady TO aid in the prose-
cution Of her plan.
One Sabbath morning, as Job was seat
ed on the doorstep, cleaning and oiling
his rifle, Nelly SAID to hin, with much Sc
robustness =
Job, | am very sorry to see you again
preparing for your wicked sports. | am
certain that no good will come OF it,"
4" What can be the harm Nell! You
know how hard | work during the week,
and a man certainly needs some recrea-
ton"
I" Then you should choose some other
day"
q" And thus lose both time and money.
No, no, Nell, | cannot afford that; and
you know why" he SAID, with an elo-
queut look, which made her cheeks take
the hue Of a deep carnalion.
Although | am not superstitious," she
said, yet, if | should 50 desecrate the
Sabbath, | should fear that the evil one
himself would appear, and claim me for
companion"
"Ay, such things have happened in
my day SAID the old lady, shaking her
head wisely; " and ars liable to happen
again, when one strangely persists in a
course Of Wickejness."
" Grandmother, that is placing it in
rather a strong light, to say the least"
.. Not stronger than truth will bear
There was Stone, the miller, when | was
a child, who would run ms mill on Sun
day, and tool-so people said-dishonest
TOLL and who had uronged his sisters
poor orphans, suddenly disappeared one
Sunday, and no one has ever heard of
linn since
do you think the-the-you know
what | mean, actually carried HIM OFF,
There was 10 other way to account
for il, replied the old lady.
" All my old friend, you and | can agree
on many points most admirable: bat this
viii not do; why, it IS satan against satan,
and common sense wont allow it to stand"
i wish you would not 90, Just for to-
day" pleaded Nelly.
Why, what is the matter with Won all,
that you regard me so seriously? / should
think | was about to commit some terrible
crime, instead of enjoying a little innocent
The fact is, dear Job, l had a sad
dream about you last night. You know
| am not at all superstitious but"
Whatz"
Il thought some terrible apparation
was to appear to you to-day, if you pur-
sued your unholy sport"
q Nonsense, but, since you seem to feel
so bad about it, let me 90 IN peace to-day,
and next Sunday will attend church with
You"
The young man shouldered his rife,
and was preparing to leave the house,
when he felt a soft touch upon his shoul-
der, and turning, saw Nelly, with a hand
kerchief to her eyes.
Farewell, Job she said, with an ag-
itated voice.
"Duece take it, cried he, rushing out
of the door. :" Why do you want to make
a man nervous? q
Jobs nerves were a little shaken al
though he was vexed with himself for
feeling thus; besides, he had gone too far
to recede now, though he did not feel half
so happy as he had usually done when
bent upon such excursions. His aim did
not prove so true as formerly and his rifle
even missed fire, which had never hap
pened before since it came into his pos
session. This so perplexed him, that he
added profanity to his sin of Sabbath
breaking.
He had made at las, capital shot, and
was cutting out the ball from the very CEN
tire Of the target, when Il mocking laugh
,tr,a rtpI his ~, harrIbl., pbIpt.f