Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-10-15
NEW SERIES, VOL /, NO 42.i

tongue. So the men sat down on the two
extreme ends of the log, and eyed each o,h'
er for awhile in silence. At length Sila:
arose.
"Look here, neighbor Whitcomb, whal
if we should make upi hadn't any bust.
ness to say anything about your boot-jack
and I'm sorry did. don't doubt but YOU
jacks fine thing"
Whitcomb sprang to his feet and grasped
Jonas hand ..a.EF -..
"Doni say a word about il neighbor Jo.
mas, it's |, only |. that's to blame. ! ought
to have been ashamed to have got put out al
SO small thing; il was nothin' but the
truth, either. IL ask your forgiveness
mo, neighbor Whitcomb, it's that shO q
ask qour forgiveness. I'm the only one
THAT'S to blame and ieel heartily ashamed
of myself. could crawl into holier leg
and stay there fortnight. if it would only
undo what I've DONE" 81
my dear friend, beg leave to assure you
that It is /, not you, that is in error, and
81 tell you, Whitcomb, it is no such
thing. It's all my fault; and I'm SO ashamed
that could
81 am one that ought to creep in the hol
low log, and stav there rill learn beite
than to treat a good neighbor in such I
sha neful way. I'D nc business 10 get mad
with you for
Yes. you did, too. You did just right
just as any Christian man would have done
and now as IT'S my fault
1T amt 80. tell yon that I'm the one
that's to blame. It's all nv ungoverLable
temper. P,e go; the ugliest temper OF any
man ia WAe4twald-"
"Whv. neigbbor Whircomb, your temper
can't bold a candle to mine! | was alters
called the quarrelsomest boy in school, and
you know it S IT. me, and nos you, that
ougnL 10 apolyg g."
airs false. And il you donr stop con
/ adicting me, FlI ct y"u know I've got /
temper worth having; I'D just lsave fgh
about te pers as boot jacks" Whitcomc
was getting slightly exasperated.
50 had | ;" cried neigobor Joras, and al
it they went, pulling, striking, kicking
cutting and biting. Felons, false teeth snc
corns were forgotten, and there was gen.
eral knock down. Jonas rolled over in the
mud, with Whitcomb uppermost or topper.
most as he afterwards expressed it to his
wife; notwithstanding his disadvantage, he
managed to bite piece out of Whitcomb'-
left ear, and Whitcomb very kindly return
ed the compliment ba imprinting a glorious
scratch on jonas temple.
The contest lasted until the strength oil
the champions was completely spent. Jo-
mas vas lying submissively in shallow
ditch half filled with frogs, mud, snakes and
water-the ditch, not Jona--while Whit
comb was 'romantically situated bis head
resting on rotten stump, and his feet
hanging gracefully on neighborng thorn
bush.
There was long silence over Deacon
REEDS 'tater pa'ch,' if We except little
hard breathing proceeding from the thoraxes
of our exhausted friends; but at length
Whitcomb called out faintly-
'Jonas!'
sWeli.'
Let's get up and 60 home
Agreed. But how are we to do ii?'-
Poor Jonas ~ as evidently in the slough OF
despundency.
wait little, and we'll ieel bett r. Did
| scratch your face badr
No, no, nothing OF the least consequence
Did bite your ca: badr'
Don mention ii, my dear Jonas, it aiu'i
worth thinking OF, | shuui idn't wonder ii it
was nigh healed up by this time. But come
you crawl out OF the ditch, while get my
feet clear OF this bush. 1t strikes me we
can help one an ther-that's it-there, I'll
NEE, you half way
The twp worthless crept out together,
shook hands, and, after great deal of oscil
lating and vacill ting, they stood upright
On their way home says Jonas to Whit
comb:
Look here, neighbor, don't less say no
thin about this ever!"
.Never!" says Whi.comb, ste1dying him
self by the fence. "Ify you ever catch mt
saying anything about it, then hang me 10
d boot jack"