White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-07-30
sfIttt Gale.
THE PONY CLUB.
ATALE OF THE BACK-W00DS SET.
ELEMENTS OF GEORGIA.

IS the midst of a dense pine-forest, on the
western side Of the Wretched road which former
" led from GAINESVILLE to the Falloolah Falls,
about three miles from the above named village.
there stood, some nineteen or twenty years ago,
a sheal log dwelling This building, which has
long since disappeared, was even then in a ruin
Gus condition. The clay chimney, through the
cracks of which smoke vas issuing in every d.
rectien, seemed scarcely able to stand upright,
and the hut itself, from the rottenness of many
of its under timbers, leaned considerably to one
side. worm-eaten shutter, suspended on one
hinge, swung lazily in the breeze, ever and anon
maliciously creaking at the door, which having
no hinge at all, was reclining indolently against
the side Of the house. A new single roof, how
ever, (Which, by the by. gave the hut the appea-
rance of seedy old gentleman in a new fiaxen
peri-wig,) and the bright red clay which had
been inserted into the chinks, evidently within
week or two, indicated not only that the cabin
was used as place Of residence, but that its
proprietor or tenant was taking measures TO de
fend himself from the winds of the coming win
ter.
In front of his cabin. towards the sunset Of a
bright November day, were three persons, seem
ingly very intent on different occupations. OF
these, the elder was man, who, though deci-
dedly past the prime of life, displayed the iron
frame and muscular limbs Of one whom forest
residence had Injured to hardship and fatigue
Attired in the common blue homespun Of the
country, with an old broad hrimmed, low crown
ed white felt hat stuck sideways on his head, and
the stump Of pipe that long use had blackened
and polished projecting from his mouth, he was
putting together the parts of rife which he
had disjointed in order 70 clean it.
At little distance from him fne-looking
lad, sixteen or seventeen years of age, was shar-
pening an axe, while negro boy turned the
grind-stone. He had been for some time busted
in this occupasion,-vhistling,a as he worked, in
concert with the merry little black-faced urchin,
some well known backRood air. Occasionally,
however, as he raised the instrument from the
stone, and pressed his thumb along the edge, as
If to ascertain the degree Of keenness IL had
arrived at, he would glance his eye restlessly up
and down the road, md then, peevishly repla-
cling the axe. would whistle mere vigorously than
before.
For an hour or more these three beings, seem
ingiy the sole occupants Of this dresry locking
place, had tOiled without the interchange Of q
single word. At length the eldest rose from a
bench on which he had been seated, leaned his
rife against the wall. and cycling it with paren-
tai fondness, exclaimed with half sigh, 'Ah.
thou art almost gone, Snap. Thy jints are git
tin crazy now, and ricketty like. Yet reckon
thou'lt last ont my day. We are gittin old to-
gether: feel It, SnAp-I feel it in all my bones
and sincws, For q moment after the utter
ance Of these sentences, he stood gazing at this
well tried friend, evidently snddened BY the
thoughts it had suggested; then looking up at
the sun, the declining position Of which in the