Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1858-03-25
SELECTED STORY
AN AWFUL NIGHT:
THE DEVIL IN AGRocER,
CHAPTER 4


cHAPJERT
CAPtAin SPloggs, real jolly old customer,
sAnuing hVe iest three 10 bis boots, aud
~eishing some three hundred pounds, re-.
sided IN Illinois, and hep; = grocery up At
the head OF Possuu Creek, at place called
Cracker Asok-tbat Is TO say, be sold mo
iAsses, whisky, and such like iu little log
cabin up there. The captain had 9 KoodIy
namber OF patrons, especially for the Uhisksy
and TumoI saJs he vas not bad ouatomer
himsef-in fact some even went 80 far a. 70
hira be drank more wbiskey than aBy other
three men on the creek, and | will not At
temps 10 refute tho charge, for / know, from
some cause or other, the old fellow was ex.
oeediDgly fond Of the business
Ceptain Spluggs bad a son, who, ike his
dad, was true lover Of the good critter
but the old mAn refused to let hin drink n
he bad enough Of the Young America a.
boot him, however, 20 be capable OF shifting
Tor himself 50 when old SpluRes .uAS in bed
snoring away in regular saw. mill styls. the
young SPiuggs was pretty sure 10 come bob
6ihg around for the purpose Of stealing abe
key from the pocket OF bis dads tFouseSs. AZ
they hung 90 . chair This aeeomnlisbed
be would collect lot Of bis youbR friends
together At toe grocery, aud have shaI thsy
called, jolly ti@e Of Il
Captain sPluggs grocery bad got to Be
an iptoierable nuisance 20 lhs neighbors -
All day long the old Bap and bis friends
drsbk AID esroussd, aud ali uisht loaK the
yoHbg ge0ilemAn aud bis sss0ciatea kent ia
uP after The p'sn laid down by the older
Que. IL vas too much f,f The patience Of
any people. Even che Orackers Nsckiaps
could bet s0dafs 10. and 20 tboy called a
nesting aod appointcd CON mittee whose
duty u uas 20 visit the old captain, and re.
quest bim TO keep better order Of thiBes
10 tbs future. The oommittss men per
formed their Once, ~ which the captain
laughed heartily Rihding that be sas To-
eliasd 70 make sport Of theB they rssorted
90 tAroais, sud assured biu that unlsss be
mebdsd biz Usya tbs citizens would take
ths astteT into their OWB bands-still he
laughed. Their visits made 90 impression
things Webt on 90 before.
S0ms higbts after chs, splugas. junior
having Possessed himsslf Of she key, re-.
paired 70 the grocery A. ususl 20 hsys kis
spree. IL uss about the hour sf eleven.
sod one of h's psrtioipsBs vas already 10
waiting
- t'Ner 80 ~ AaAfeaaiuH the youna Mf.
sPiuggs, 4 u b dingod e. dost think
tbsF's ssmoibiu 10 lh,s ere Efossry, Coz I
bear aoma tsieR of uomPin FouBd in ibar ?
'eussa its oRly che rats, for thaa lots
SOD gobs n tbstn about replied Arch.
'ha'k ! hsaF u ssais p sasisitssd ,hs
arst spsahsF.
IL does SQUAD ltls qsssr, rstafnsd
Arch 'Lsts g. sbd sst doua o. The DOR
step abd listsn avhiie sf5Fe ~ 20 ia
Ihsy proceeded 70 put tbs plan toto o..
seution, but ere thsy bed scarcely touches
lbs sisp which 80 . lsfgs sat siona. tbsy
houofad % with = snddsbness tkat vssid
hsys. bad = isossF b - supposs " vas red
.WAsi ia ,hs ssiioas .Ais ss'vs sot sovs
% q ssksd AFoh
Tar, o. poisssts. o. somsthin 80 I I've p
replied ne other.
'1olaatss, as sufs as sbo8tinf eontinasd
Areb, agisf shoft inVeaiiEstiau.
'les, uaizsess 80 sbisssg, - bifrn r
Euti his frisaa. sso bsd jass sasfisa ~
sofk = analgfing stil fauusf. 81 kriasisa
soas q ths doubtfai oompeuaa 10 proaislts
va hia nsaal ssgsa.
'fhafs - agG $50 = fsnbin' ost fssu
saa.f ths doW iu pufss sluiss ssld
jest ,bsa tAsif ssrs ~sFs crested si,s ,