The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-05-14


good; but every year they have been GET
ting worse and worse, until last year we
hardly made bread enough to live on. II
wafn'tt the fault Of the soih for the land 10
as rich ss'eter thelsun shIaed on; it wsrn'l
the fault Of the people for oar folks are the
bar iest working shd most industrious to be
found anywhere; il warn't the fsult Of the
sessons, for the dry and wet spells came
exactly right and regular; il warn-t the fs6lt
Of the weavel. for blast the Tarnint Or that
sort hasevcs made his appearance IN. The
Valley; il warn't the---" snss nsa So,
"Whdt In the durnation then was the
cause Of your being scarce of brsadi" vehe.
mently broke in the tavern keeper In his
anxiety to learn the reason Of The failure OF
"Well." said the Major. himself ws1ins
warm and excited. "it warn't none OF these;
bpt It were the everlasting and internal
rstsi RArs!'' g,ahssfr 3, 81 ilsyasg s6'
"Ratsip ejaculuted the landlord, sghast
at the announcement. @s%
ayes, sir, rats.''' chimed in the Major, in
the same excited key. "You have heard
how ithshO~Lwora chsws up whole fields
Of cottoa in Louisiana. You have heard,
may be, how;the iocusts swarmed In Egypt.
and eat the folks, there oat of house and
home; but these amt pstchin' compared
to the way the rats are serving US, Man
alive, you never ssw--you never deeamed
| the like of itr' ,s2l.'|'s3,"ie' y 's7' -
"Ge.ru.sa lem!'' burst forth the astounded
Boniface, giving vent, in the single exciu-
nation, prolonged as he uttered il, to HE
pent up feelings Of indignation and amaze.
ment, "Why don't you kill 'em,'' w.
skill EN-. Kill the devil aud Tom w ak,
eF!" snappishIy interrupted the Major.--
"Catching's before banging, isn't it! How
is il to bedonei rs no use hunting them
with dogs; and cats are getting scarcer eve.
! ~ day, for the rats kill the kittens, and the
only chance ieft.us is to get a fresh supply Of
fail grown cats. And ao@, that's my busi:
ness in Blountsvile. And business is busi.
aess; SO tell me how many cats do you
think l can pick up 10 this neighbofh5od.--
Ny calculatioas we're that | might get
thousand or more hereaboats. What's the
chance!" 89 ~. ,s- h5. ast,gr
This was q poser. Honeycut, for the
first time in his life, was puzzled for re-.
| ply. A thousand cats! Such d number of
cats in one collection, was an. idea that
4 oyerpowered him. Slowly recovgrins from
his state Of stupefaction, he said: ,''sls Z. = =
"a thousand cats! May be you can, and
may be you can't get that many., Plenty
as cats are hereabouts, ii will lake nigh unto
the last one to fill your list. But what are
you going to pay for them!'' '''t 7s
al have Determined oa price," answered
, the Major in an Off hand, business like way.
'and think il lie fair one; at alt events,
willsnot pay higher for can't afford It. I
!, will give a dollar for full grown cats, half q
dollar for half grown cats, and q quarter Of q
\ dollar for Kittens Don't you think my
\ terms are liberal enough!'sa " Hrt ''|7i
| Just atithis moment Mrs, Sairy Ann Hon.
. eycut, the putlican's better half, who, ia
an adjoining rom. had overheard the whole
conversation, came bouncing into the room
and unceremoniously pitching into the sue
|, ject. let the '.cat out 81 the bag, that sh'
had been eaves-dropping, by saying: l.|sie
"Majur Whats,your.name, I've got twen
Il tyl odd cats, and Ilflet you have all 6f them
except one, ifyoa want to pay, money fo
! them. What did you say you would giye'a
\ "My terms,n suid the Major, bowling III
! the lady,y"I have just stated to Mr.. Honey
\ cut. madame, WHO'S now revolving in bi
y mind whether or not he will accede to them.
4 "Git out, stranger!r said the lady testify
"Don't talk to me about Hiram Honeycat
! IIiram Honeycut's q fool Tell me wha
4 yon'H give,"' -, H., sa.,y Il Ssal8pq4
!: F"Well, madame, 2 replied the Major, 4
the same business like tone,a ,a"I have ixe
! upon a price for different descriptions .
cats, which am willingito, pay down., an
which am unwilling to increase, under an
circumstances. Twill: pay aidollar for fu
!" grown cuts, half d dollar for half grow
d cats, and quarter 81 4 dollar for kittens.
I "Talk q plenty quickly replied the d.
lighted Sairy Ann. "You shall have d
u got, except one, Do you want ther
i right 7now!" y" y ~ ''-'- ~ .,,',,;,,,l'
!" y..Not Immediately, masams" answered y
q trader, in the same formal and precise t5n
I "nor will want themsat oil, unless can g
6 about THOUSAND in tAisiaeighsorhood.
lady Of your quick perception and good sens
!; will readily see the diticulty Of trsnspostin
2 such . number Of cats over the moatains
p1 my home in the valley, Your nod shos
Z that you understand me. i, takes wonie
. to look plumb through nillstone! 70
/ know ma'am, itswould be impossible TO dris
d 'em, ike q droreaof, hogs, dndithersis =
d other way dc takil' .em but In wagons
Il Now II I can ge. Z full loSd for both my Nai
ons- II think the two wagons viii hold abo'
al a thousand=-I will have them here oniti
]. first day OF January, just sweek from now
III "Sakes aliye!" respondent the female he'
sl Of the house Of, HpneEcu,;s II ,shsuld thin
: yop nigh. &c, couple eIbs of wagon lOads u !
-