Litchfield enquirer., 1857-02-05
l am the pipe of old Skwunchy.

K Skwunchy was born in Germany, on the Rhine. He remembers the Rhine, because he was nearly drowned in it one cool day There is no knowing what Skwnnchy would have been in Germany but here, in America, he is simply cobbler s
 People wonder why Skwunchy's shoes never wear out, aud he smoked me for x'ycars be- fore he would let me into the secret.
 $ At last, one night, said to him, "Skwun- chy, if you don't con6de in me, hope you may fall down with my handle in your throat, and your nose in my lighted bowl"
 "Oh, horrible suggestion, Pipey, my pet '" he replied, C. when you know that 1 have only been waiting for such anight as this to open my vest and make clean breast to you" So say ing, he placed his feet on the fender to toast and puncd forth as follows
 My first shoes, precious Pipey. were poor i; they ripped aud all my customers swore they The world looked cold to me then
 "This is the forticth anniversary of sad night when had but one pair of shoes in my shop, an ugly pair, that made me shudder. No money had for more leather to begin anew, neither was there any ale ill the cask, nor tobac- co in the drum, nor one drop of comfort in my bottle
 "In my despair, I crushed my hat on the back of my head, thinking that would step into friends, and smoke myself into more cheerful frame of mind.
 "I found myfriends out not so much out of their houses, or out of wh.skey aud tobbacco, as out of conceit with me for 1, Skwuuchey, was out at the elbows that night.
 "I carried my heavy heart far away from my friends to lonely moor, where the frogs croakcd, where the owls hooted, and where the cold dew sparkled on the grass. The moon shone very bright. followed the dew-sparkles tlll came to the river's bank. There thought of my lonely littie shop--that last ugly pair of shoes, 50 ill shapen, so rusty. Ugh ugh !- 10 ale ill the cask, no tobacco in the drum- Such man as am, said 1 aloud, and ill., tended to add, ought really to be taken care of by his friends But the river evidently feared meant to say, ou,s sht to be drowned for it flowed back rom my feet, making a pleasant, soothing sound as 1t receded.
 Such a man as am,' said l, in louder tone, ought toglye up f. ol ckng, and take to work 1ne river, as if to embrace me, came swaShing up to the bank on Which stood. "On, yes,' sad l. finding the river liked my style of conversation. It's al stuH and noit- sense, for man with his elbows out, and his brooches exceedingly thin about the knees, per feet stuff and hoHSenSe for d man ln sucn condition to tritle With hlmscl!.' Saying this l gave the rivera look that made 1t leave the shore white behind mc and turning on nay heel, l rau home as ii those ugly shoes ln the shop were chasing nc
 "There they were, however waiting to re- ceive me, standing In the middle of my little shop iioor-thelr toes turned i'll just as l hau lett them kicked both of tnem out of my sight, seized my aIron putit on, anu seaciag my self with Q last between my kneesI whistied u lively air. The door opeled. ''Skwuncahy, :" saiu voice tlom behind red comforter, can you explain what you have to be lively about !! Speak out, n6w." Certainly, friend. replied, walk in, and sit down and we'll talk the matter over. In the first place | have sold all my shoes, except one pair, and they are so ugly should have to pay small boy to carry them away. lu the sec ond place continued
 "Stop where you are, aud allow me to con tadict you, and my new acquaintance, seated himself near me. II will take the shoes at a reasonable price.
 As he talked to me, Pipcy." said Skwu- chy, he looked at me in such Knowing way, that l felt as if he knew all about ne and the ugly sho.s, and just a-ked. as u matter of torn, what he Was going to do with the ugly things.
 Sxwunch, my liz ',t-heartcd,' replied the man. keep k>e-u-siosity shop So he pronounced it, in tone that made mc feel kce-u-r.ous. T want those ugly shoes, be- cause they look as if you had made them when you were drunk, Skwunch--when you were what ,.s,s ,s called . happy and if you had
 st He poked me in the side as he said this, and his finger felt like sharp nail. jumped up from my seat, and picked up the ugly shoes from distant corner. My companion laugh