True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-08-18
The e.valve.
BY EDITH wooDLEY.


"You don't know, Lizzy, how good It
seems to be home ag'in, and settin' in my
own chimbley corner. II t'pears to me as
ifPd been gone an age,"
. "You have been absent long time,
aunt."
"Arter all, as the old provard says, home
is home, though ever so homely."
81 hope that nothing happened, while
you were gone, TO prevent you from en-
joyiDg yourself"
''La, no, indeed I've had as good a
visit as ever was. Wherever I went, the
folks were glad to see me, and was glad
to see them. But tell ye al'ays bore
one thing in mind, and that was not to
wear my welcome out. Ii seed the
people we're oncomon busy where went
Timed my visit accordingly. Sometimes
didn't even take my bonnet off. The
last tpairson | went to see was Lois Hart.
You've heerd me tell of Lois p
"Oh yes, ofienH'
f'She's cousin Of mine, and about nv
age, and foA the matter of dozen years
has kept Josh Dawberry's house. had
some misgivin's bout goin', for every.
body told me that Josh was one of the
crustiest old bachelors that ever breatheJ
the breath Of life. But, come 10 consider
on it, knew that Lois would be dreadfully
hurt if | left the place 'thout jest givin'
her call, SO | made up my mind to go.
Arter was there, / tell you twas no easy
matter TO gitaway. Lois was determined
that should stay and take a cup of lea
with her. She'd been bakin', she said
and, besides loaf of riz bread, light as q
cork, she'd plenty Of sarcer-cakes, equal
to any pound-cake that was ever made
to say nothing Of custards and cramber.
ry talts. And that want all, size said
She had some persarved squinches, tha,
jest the sight Of 'em would make pair.
sons mouth water. But you know, Liz
zy, that, when 60 to see Gri'nd, 'tisn't
for the sake Of da'nties and so | teIled
ber, the plain truth-that / felt a leetle
shy Of Mr. Dawbeny--had heered he
was subject TO fits Of i'll humor, and
likes not would think my room better n
my company"
"La, no he won't! says she. Josh
ism I the worst critter in the world,
wouldn't have you think To be sure,
hs'sa Ieelle mite waspish sometimes, but,
sence | contrived the 'scape- valve for him,
in gin'ral way, / get along as smooth
as can be with him.
IA scape-valve says I. what kind
Of a critter is that =
"Lois smiled, and p'inled to the furdel
corner of the room.
"You don't mean that black cat, with
white feet says /, that's been settin'
still. as if she was watchin' mouse, ever
sence I've been here?'
"Sartain, says she. That's the very
critter.'
"'Du tell" says I. And with that
jumped up, determined would s'arch
into the mystery. If this don't beat all!'
says !; for, when ! come to look, found
want a liven' cat. on'y stuffed one.
ITS all riddle TO me- says l; and, il
you've no pariic'lar objection, l should be
rally glad to have you tell me the meanin'
ofit.'
"Well, I've nothing ag'ins. your
KNOWN about it, says she; though
shouldn't like to have the people round
here know, cause. If they did, they'd be
sartain TO tell Josh; aud then there'd be
an end TO all the benefit 10 be had from
my scape-yalve, that's done me sich an
abundance Of sarvice.'
s"She then went on to say that when
she FIRST went to keep house for Josh
she had a cat that used to belong to her
sister Nancy, afore she went out Vest
Nancy sot dreadful sight by her, and
charged Lois TO take good keer Of her.
She promised she would, and she kept
her word as, far as she was consarned; /;
but you see she couldn't peryent Josh
from barbecuin' her. If he was in an i'll
humor, whenever he happened 10 come
acrost her. he was ssrtsin to take her on
the toe Of bis boot, and send her the whole
length OF THE room. But it is said>to be
an ID wind that blows nobody any good,
and Lois soon found out that, whenever
he had chance to vent bis spleen on the
cal, he sildom or never found fault with
her.
"At first. she thought she might DO
mistaken. and SO hid The cat away when
seed Josh comm. But she soon 90.
tired OF that. for, If anything in the course
oftusiness had chanced to rifle him, she
found that his i'll humor, il the ca. was
only in the way, seemed, as 'twere, to
ooze out at The toe Of his boot, lest as
some peoples courageis said to ooze out
at the ends Of their fingers.
aAls'Not hayin' the common meth cd 70 Gee
80. lie did nothin' but Ecold, and fret, and
fnd fault with every individual thing she
lsaid did. Some days, when she felt a
leslIe nervous, and he kept sccIdin and
comblainin', and ssyin' there WANT a
fnouthfiI Of anything on the table that
was itto eat, she said her head felt as j