Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-10-28
IN A BAD FIN.

We were told few days ago, 4 joke on
young man not thousand miles from Ceoar
county. Iowa. which, as we have never seen 1t
in print, we consider worth relating. The cir
cumstanccs happened some time ago, but-will
loose nothing by its age 1t was told to US by
one who knew, and who vouched for its truth.
A certain young man in search of a wife, be-
ing out on counting expedition, as is Gus
tomary with young men, came late on Sunday
evening, and in order to keep his secret from
his young acquaintances, determined to be at
home on Monday morning bright and early, so
that his absence would not be noticed. But
his afiianced resided several miles from the
town in which he SO journed and so, to over
come the distance, required the use of a horse.
Mounted on his horse, dressed in his fine white
summer pants, and the other <sfxins'' in pro-
portion, he arrives at the residence OF his in
amorata, where he is kindly received, and his
horse properly taken care of, by being turned
into the pasture for the night. The evening,
yea the night passed away, but how TO the
young man is nobody's business. Three
O'Clock in the morning arrived. Our hero was
awake-nay, he had been so all night-but it
to depart, so that he might arrive at home be-
fore his comrades were stirring. Not wishing
to disturb the family of his lady love who were
then wrapped in the arms of ofmorpheus, ne sal
lied forth to the pasture to catch his horse;
but here was difficulty-the grass was high
and covered with dew. To venture in with his
white pantaloons, would rather take the starch
out of them, and lead to his detection. 1t
would not do to go in with his white unmen-
tionabies, SO he quickly made his resolve. 1t
was three O'Clock in the morning, and nobody
stirring, SO he carefully disrobed himself OF
his whites, and placed them on the fence,
while he gives chase, with unscreened pedals,
! through the wet grass after the horse. But
the steed was fond of clover, and had no no.
| tion of leaving it. But our hero was not to
! be thwarted, although he began to realize the
truth of the old adage about the course of true
love, &C., and finally the horse was captured.
Returning to the fence where he had safely
suspended his lily white nmentionables-what
a horrible sight met his eyes The field into
which his horse had been turned, was not orly
a sshorse pasture,'' but a sscaIf pasture'' too.
and the naughty calves, attracted by the white
flag on the fence, tad betaken themselves to it.
and, calf like, had almost eaten them up on
ly few well chewed fragments of this once
valuable article of his wardrobe now remained
only few shreds-just sufficient to indicate
what they had once been. What 4 pickle this
was for nice young man to be in
1t was now daylight, and the industrious
| farmers were up and about, and our hero far
from home, with no covering for his travelling
apparatus. 1t would not do to go back to the
| house of his lady love, as they were now all
up, and how could he get in without exhibit
ing himself to his fair one, which might rum
the match? No, no, that wouldn't do. Meth
er would he go home in that plight. There
was only one resource lett him, and that was,
to sccrete himself in the bushes till the night;
and then get home under cover of the dark
ness. This he resolved to do, and according
ly hid himself under thick grove of bushes.
Safely hid, he remained under. the protection
of the bushes for some lime; and it may be
imagined that his feelings towards tho calf
kind were not of the most friendly character;
but ere long seclusion was destined to be in
truded upon. The family of the fair one,
seeing his horse still remaining in the pasture,
cnquired of the lady what she had done with
her lover. She was non-plussed. She only
knew he had left about three O'Clock in the
morning. Things didn't look right; if he
had gone, why did he leave his horse Sus-
picion was awakened. By and by, the boys,
who had been out to feed the calves, returned
with the remnants of the Identical white gar
ments which had adorned the lower limbs of
their late visitor. They were mangled and
torn TO shreds! An inquest Immediately
held over them. Some awful fate had befal-
len the unfortunate young man. The neigh
bors were soon summoned to search for his
mangled corpse, and the posse set out with all
speed, with dogs and arms, to the search
The pasture was thoroughly secured, and the
adjacent thickets, when 10 our hero was driv-
en- from his lair by the keen scent of the dogs,
all safe, alive and we'll, but minus the linen.
An explanation then ensued at the expense of
our hero; but he was successful in the end,
married the lady, and is now living comforta-
bly, in one of the f1ourishing little towns of
Iowa. He has, however, an aversion to calves
and white pantaloons, ever since his adventure
when he first went conrting.
SHIP CANAL.-The Legislature of New
York has Incorporated company TO build
ship canal round Niagara Falls, capable OF re-
ceivng ships of war, and vessels OF the largest
size Congress is to be solicited TO aid this
great national work. Wheat can thus be sent
,l,e, r ok TO T.iv