Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-11-11

stone.
Here, Sammy, chunk your foot out
with thisr'
0, Sally Jones, into what an error did
your heart betray you, to offer this I'm
timely civility in the presence of the as
seInbled connty-admirers, rivals and all.
Sam took til Stone and struck a fran
tic blow at The pertinacious stirrup, but
missing his aim it fell with crushing force
upon "a soft corr t,4at had come from his
wearing tight boots.
Whoa. darn ye," cried he, losing all
control of himself. and threatening to
bea. his horses brains Out with the stone
" Don strike the %critter. Sammy. said
old Jones. you'll gin him the pole evil.
But jist let me ongirth the saddle, and
We'll git you loose in no time"
In short the saddle was unbuckled. and
Sam ~dismounted with his feet still fast in
the stirrups, looking like a criminal in
foot-hobbles.
With some labor he pulled off his boots
and squeezed them out of the stirrups,
and pulled them on again.
The tender Sally stood by, all the
while manifesting the kindest concern
and when he was finally extricated, she
took his arm and walked him into church.
But this unlucky adventure was too
much for Sam he sneaked out of meet.
ing during the first prayer, pulled off his
boots and rode home in his stockings.
From that time Sam Bates disappeared
from society. Literally and metaphor
cally he shut up shop, and hung up bis
fiddle. He did not take to liquor like a
fool, but took to his axe, and cleared ]
don't know how many acres of rugged
heavy timbered land, thereby increasing
the value OF his tract to the amour. O.
several hundred dollars.
Sally indirectly sent him divers civil
messages, intima!ing that she took nc
account of that little accident at the meet
ing house, and at length ventured on a
direct present Of a pair of grey yarn
stockings, knit with her W hands.
But while every effort to win him back
to the world was unsuccessful, the yarn
stockings were a great comfort in his self
imposed exile.
Sam wore them continually, not on his
feet as some matter Of fact BOBBY might
suppose, but in his bosom and often dur
ing the intervals of his work in the lone
ly clearing, would he draw them out and
ponder on them till a big tear glistened
in his eye.
"Ohl Sally Jones, Sally Jones, if
had only had the spunk to have courted
ye Saturday night, instead of waiting til
Sunday morning, things might have been
different !"
And then he would pick up his axe
and whack it into the next tree with the
energy of despair.
At length the whole country was cleo
trifed by the announcement that Farmer
Jones had concluded to sell out and 60
West. On the day appointed for the
sale, there could not have been less than
one hundred horses tethered in the barn
yard.
Sam Bates was there, looking as un.
easy as a pig in a strange corn field.
Sally might have been a little thinner
than usual, just enough to heighten
rather than diminish her charms.
1t vas generally known that she was
aVerse to moving West. In fact, she
took no pains to conceal her sentiments
on the subject, and her pretty eyes were
evidently red with recent weeping.
She looked mournfully around at each
familiar object. The old homestead, with
Its chlncked and daubed walls the>cherry
trees, under which she had played in
childhood the flowers she had planted
and then to see the dear old furniture
auctloned off-the churn, the apple butter
pot, the venerable quilting frame, the
occasion of SO many social gatherings.
But harder than all it was, when her
own white COW was put up; her pet, that
when a calf, she had saved from the
butcher it was too much, and the tears
tricklcd afresh down Sally's blooming
cheeks.
Ten dollars, ten dollars for the COW p
Fifty dollars p shouted Bates.
Why, Sammy" whispered a prudent
neighbor, " she haiR't worth twenty, at
the outside
"TIl gin City for her," replied Sam
doggedly.
Now. when Sally heard OF this piece Of
gallantry, she must needs thank the pur.
chaser for the compliment, and commend
Sukey to his special kindness. Then she
extended her plump hand, which Sam
seized with such a devouring grip that
the little maiden could scarcely suppress
a scream.
She did suppress it, however. that she
might hear whether he had anything fur
Their to say (; but she was disappointed
He turned away dumb swallowing, as it
were, great hunks of grief as big as
dumplings.
When everything was sold off, and
dinner was over. the company disposed
itself abouS the yard in groups. reclining
on the grass, or seated on benches and
d~ismantled furniture.
The conversation naturally turned on
the events of the day, and the prospects
Of the Jones family, and it was unani-
mously voted a pity that 50 fine a girl as
Sally Jones should be permitted to leave
the country so evidently against her will.
"Hain't zone of you sneaking whelps
the spirit to stop her ?" asked the white
headed miller, addressing a group OF
young bachelors lying near.
The louis snickered, turned over, whis-
pered to each other, but no one showed
any disposition to try the experiment.
The sun was declining in the west.
Some of those who lived at a distance
were already gone to harness up their
horses. Tomorrow the belle Of Cacapon
Valley would be on her way to Missouri.
Just then Sally rushed from the house