True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-11-05
q. Raglan, Editor and Proprietor.

fine looking, young farmers, came into
supper, they were full Of story which
quite drove out all thoughts Of the sap
boiling from the head Of the widow
Pease and her daughter.
Some terrible depredations had been
committed the night before. on Squire
Hubbard's sheep and lambs-the dog had
been devoured, and two large bears had
been seen proving around Blueberry
Hill, just in the edge of the previous
evening.
The young men were grealy excited,
for large party had been organized to
20 out that very evening to Squire Hub
bard's, who lived in an adjoining town
not more than ten miles miles off, for the
purpose OF destroying the wild animals,
as it was apprehended their former sue
cess would stimulate them to fresh
depreGations. So. with that belig erent
propensity which is so strong an element
Of Anglo Saxon character, Cyrus and
Enoch descanted glowingIy Oh the best
method of surprising and dispa!ching the
animals while the mother and sister lis.
tened with the indeinable mixture of
wonder, admiration, and terror, which
woman always awards to manly courage
and skill
But, dear me-" said Lefty, as she
poured Cyrus third glass of milk, "what
II bear should come round here some of
these days! You know Elder Smith
said he saw one on his farm last autumn.
Oh, my | believe it would take the
breath straigh! out Of my body to come
across one of the creatures" And
The rosy cheeks grew pale at the thought.
"Nonsense, sis !" said the hearty
voice of Enoch, as he spread a double
stratum of butter on his fourth slice of
rye bread, 'theres no sort danger around
here. Nobody in these parts was ever
touched by one of them ere chaps, |
reckon they are smart enough not to ven-
ture their heads far into this town. They
wouldn't stay on long, if they did, that's
sartin."
Now whether there was much philoso
ply in this speech or not, it had the ef.
feet of greatly .quieling Letty's fears /;
though if Enoch had been called on TO
give his reason for exemptlng BerIygate
from bear incursions. he could probably
have found no better one than the pro-
pensity Indigenous to human nature of
supposing ourselves less liable to i'll for
tune than our neighbors.
Well after supper the boys started off,
in high spirits, duly equipped with rifles
and long knives, receiving many solemn
injunctions from their mother to look out
that them critters didn't get hold Of their
skins, maternal warnings, which have a
remarkable faculty of going in at one ear,
and out at the other.
~ declare, Lefty. we'd forgot all
about that sap boiling" suddenly remark
ed the widow to her daughter, who,
having washe up the tea dishes, was
busily smoothing down the wavy folds Of
hel hair, at the little mirror on one side
Of the kitchen, while some pleasant thought
was shyly dimpling round her ripe lips,
and Frightening through her blue eyes.
$50 we have and they havn't piled up
any boughs. It's too bad with such nice
weather for boiling, and it's likely to- set
up and rain week steady at this time Of
year. .a.. ..... ..
"Supposin' yon run down to the woods
and heap up some boughs to night Let
y! The moon shines, so it's as bright
as day. The boys could hang up the
kettle early for you, you know, but they
couldn't stay to do anything else, for
they've got to be off by sunrise to see
about them calves and they won't be
home before midnight, l reckon" conclu
ded Mrs Pease. with an or acular shake ol
her head
" But I'm expecting company to night,
mother" answered Lefty, with the rosy
tinge widening and deepening through
her cheek; "and it wouldn't be very
polite TO be off when they come"
"Well. it's likely you'd have time to gel
back afore they do. child. it's any of
your beaux. can send them out to the
naples"
Now, if the truth must be told, Lefty
Pease had two admirers, for whom there
had often, of late, been a severe strug.
gle between her affections and her pride. "
Jason Williams was a country mer-
chant, smart looking young man. who
had recently gone into business for him.
self. He was always dressed in broad.
cloth, stood behind the counter with the
politest bow and smiles imaginable. and
was voted at the winter singing school
the " greatest catch" in the town.
Then there was Seth Peters the Miller
away down in the silence Of Letty's
heart was a voice that plead for him as il
never did for the merchant. Seth wa;
certainly good looking and intelligent
while a nobler heart never beat for the
woman il loved, but then his bow wasn't
to be compared with Jason's, and ht
wore blue gray ovetalls, which were dus
ted over with -four from Monday NOR
ming till Saturday night, except when h,
visited Lefty. Il was certainly grea
contrast, and the Girl felt Il keenly IA,