M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1857-07-30

through q crack IN the Oarn.
Sam brought the old Queens arm
up to his shoulder, took long, delib-
crate and careful aim, at o distance Of
about two rods, and blazed away
The report was tremendous. Sans
hat went about ten feet one way, the
gun few out of his hands, and went
as far another, while Sam staggered
back a rod or so, and sat down ker-
chung on the ground, where he re-
mained silent and immovable, to the
great exhultation Of the peeping Jer-
re, for tie space of three minutes,
when he picked up, first himself, then
his gun, then the mutilated remains
of the bird; looking around to see if
Jerre was looking, carefully brushed
the dirt from his clothes, came around
to the front of the barn, where he
lound Jerre with a sober face, swing
ing his fail like a good one. He stop
ped n moment and asked SAM
Did you kill the kingbird"
"Thore's the feller," said Sam, as
he threw him down, and the two
cronies parted without another word.
Some weeks passed on, and the
matter was not alluded to by either
party. Sam recognized fully the lea
.tali0nis, and treasured up in his mind
that "that Jerre never loaded that ere
gun chuck full ofpowder for his own
shootin'," and kept his eye open for
the expected "sockdolager" from Sam.
But after awhile his watchiullness, in
a great measure relaxed, and he rath-
er came to the conclusion that Sam
had forgotten it.
Well, Jerre's birthday came along,
and so he and Sam concluded twas
best to celebrate little, and the old
mare was hanessed into the rickety
Concord wagon, the black jug tucked
away into the straw in the bottom,
and off the cronies put for the "Four
Corners" distant, perhaps, four miles.
There they stayed all day, smoked
their pipes, drank their flip with the
poker accompaniment, played draught5
and told stories with their cronies OF
that ilk, sitting
"ROusing at the nappy,.
A gceting fou and unco happy"
till the "wee smH' hours ayont the
twal," when the jug was replenished
the mare was harnossed in, and they
made towards home, more than a ''lee'
tie sprung" For some distance they
went safely and harmoniously, till
thev came to a fork in the road, when
Sam said home was one way, and
Jerre said home was the other way
Both had been over the road a great
many times, but both were decidedly
salubrious, and the dispute waxed
hotter and hotter. While they were
debating this "pint," they had a good
deal settled the other pint iu the jug
At last, Sam made a proposition to
decide the controversy, that was nnan-
imously agreed to by Jerre.
81 swow, Jere Cooper, it's no sort
O use for you and me to be settin'
here in the rain all night, a swearin'
about this derned fork in the road
Let's drive back to Squire Smiths on
the hill, and ak him."
81 say that" says Jerre, "this Gus
sed fork in the road want here yes.
terday, and the 'Squirell know all
about it,"
So, the unwilling mare turned her
head toward the -Four Corners again.
They had but little difficulty in find.
ing the 'Squire's house, but they did
have in deciding who should 60 in
and ask him; but this was at last set.
tied by Jerre's volunteering to go, il
Sam would tell him the way.
"Now," says Sam, "you 60 inter
the backdoor-there amt no use a
knockin'-jest open it oasy--go right
through the entry, till yer come to
door; 60 through that door, turn to the
right, and foller the side ofthe room
till yer come to another door; &C
through that door, right Stright Gross
the room, and the next room is where
the Squire sleeps. You can jest tecl
him on the shoulder, and he'll tel
you all about it,"
!. So, Jerre started. lie blundereC
through the entry; he followed the
wall through the next room; he opened
the next door, he took one step into
the room, when his foot hit some Oh
struction, he lost his balance, and
throwing out his arms, he fell, ant
"what a fall was there, my country
menl" One arm up to the elbow il
one earthern pan Of milk, the othel
arm up to the elbow in another earth
en- pan of milk, both knees in milk
pans, his body on milk-pans, his tacC
up to the ears in milk-pan; aud al
astounding crash of earthen pans ma
king an accompaniment that struck OF
Jerre's ear like the knell Of fate, on th(
} 'Squire's like desperate burglary
and on Sans like the consummatior
&c oll H. Lo..o. o,l Il,o Iootr1ntiOn n