Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-06-17

| the sun, or they wouldn't tho't he mind
in purity little things. Then they had foun-
all their frock tails, and all over their
capes they called chalmers ~ and they was be-
fiounced from the top of their head to the bot
tom of their feet and all the founces pinted
like wndin' sheets only heap finer.
Betsy had run back as soon as she had got
the first glimpse, cause she had on mighty
dirty froclz, but she put new white satin
shawl all over her, and then she looked as fine
as any of fem, and axed 'em to walk in and
take Seats and SET down and be seated Arter
a while she told 'em she was lookin' for 'em
all mornin'. ssOh,'' said old Mrs. Feathercord
sswe were engaged to be here to dinner and
We never dine before four, and it wants some
minutes to that now," takin' out her fine gold
watch, though the clock was starn' right afore
her. Betsy looked as blank as if she had run
for sheriff and didn't get vote. But she run
right to the kitchen, and the way she hallowd
up Dilce, and Alice, and Dina, and the whole
! tuckin of 'em from the tater patch, and the
wash tub, and ironin' board, and all quarters
want slow.
Soon as I got the quality all settled l went
out to help poor Betsy. was sorry for her.
Sch sight as the kitchen was Thar was
half-picked turkeys, half picked chickens, ev-
cry body running round all sides at onct.-
| Says l, ssBetsy, honey, do let me help YOU"
Says Betsy, claw, mar, what ken you do p
Do pray go long in the house and talk to them
ladies, and keep 'em from pryin' about; but
for the Lord sake, mar, don't talk nothing
lowlife.''
'sWell," says I, s'Betsy, will try to talk
anything you want me to- Says she, ssTalk
about the fashions, and Washington, and whar
they went to last winter.''
So goes in, and says l, s'You all seed any
new fashions this year?'' Says one of 'em,
holdn' her head up mighty high, ssWe always
receive from our manta- maker and milliner
the latest stylcs.'' ssWell, now,'' says 1, 81
thought you wouldn't spilled yourselves that
away, your own selves an 10 an behole, its
that mancher-maker woman. She sent you all
these outlandsh jimecracks and thought you
don't know no better" / don't know what
made Betsy think they'd like to talk about
fashions, for they didn't, was cute enough to
see that in a minute; / tried Washington.
Says l, ssYou was tow Washington last winter %
Says one mighty brisk, eyes, we went to see
our uncle take his seat in Congress as an Hon
orable Representative" "Well,'' says /, elf
l amt clean beati So Jake Feathercord is a
Csagr;ss mani Well if he ken make speech
es as fast as he can lay bricks, he's glib one.
But L don't approve Of people leavin' off
good trade an5takin' up with what they know
noihn' at all about. Now Jake was mighty
good brick layer"
ssYou are mistaken, Ma'am," says she ''my
uncle is the Hon. jacob Feathercord.'
Says l, 81 reckon l aint mistaken. Old
Jake never had but two sons, Zeke, your pap
py, and young Jake.''
Well, if you believe it, Betsy was out of it
again-they wuz no ways anxious about Wash
ington; so picked up mighty fine little
shiny snuff box, lynn in of their laps, an
says'I, ssThis is new fashion snuff box nigh
ty purty.'
ssIt's not a snuff box" says she, right of
short; ssits card case.'
Bless me, 1 looked right up to the top of the
room. ssThe Lord help your poor soul,'' says
1, sswhy you aint eighteen years old, and are
carryin' your cards about to play an gamble
with all day long,
They're not playing cards. says she.
SWELL - says L, edo let me see them.'' She
showed me one; twas nothing on the Lord s
yea,th but piece OF white pasteboard, with
Miss Netty Feathercord' writ on it. Says 1,
sswhat does you do with these things? 'Twant
worth while to fetch 'em here we all knowed
you. And your niger in the uniform told us
all o. your names afore you could get chance
to tell 'em yourselves"
Says she, ssWhen we wish to pay calls, If we
do not feel like going in ourselves, or the per-
sons we are calling on are out or do not wish
to receive the company, we just send our SER
want to the door with of these, which is
equivalent to a visit, We had some calls to
make on the way here this morning."
ssWell,'' says 1, ssyou all don't set much
store by each Others company, eff niger in
a soger's jacket am piece of pasteboard does
as WE'LL" and put it mighty softly, athinkin,
ssyou better make a snuff box of it,"
s.Well, l tried mighty hard to entertain for
poor Betsy. 1 told 'em all about blue dye and
coperas dye, and how wuz the best way to set
hens, an which eggs would hatch pulletS an
which roosters, an how to keep dog from a
suckin' of 'em, an all about Betsy's baby a
havin' the measles an hoopn-cough both at
once. But eff you believe me, they never
! heerd a word 1 was sayin! So through
| and let 'em alone. We was all a settin' up be-
| havin with all our might, when Betsy came to
| the door an axed 'em all to walk out to din
ner. 1t was powerful relief all round. When
we got TO the dinner room, thar was mighty