Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-01
a Puzzled Yankee.
BY PAUL LAURIE.

One very pleasant day in last July, as /
was riding from Saint Paul toward Alton,
overlook character" in the shape of real
live Yankee, who, it appeared, had nothing to
recommend him save his own assurance; but
of that there was no lack. As we caught
each others glance, / nodded slightly, my
fresh acquaintance Initiating bow as he
jerked out,
"Mornin': mighty pleasant day, Squire"
yes, it's rather pleasant"
"Some of horse, that o. yourn."l
did not reply, but instead scanned my
neighbours beast closely. His eye detected
the scrutiny.
20 guess he'll do, won't he?n
'' should judge So" replied, not little
amused at my fellow-trayeler's manners. "
presume he belongs to you"
He puckered his lips, half closing his eyes
at the same time. then jerked his head hastily
TO one side, as he managed to squeeze out.
"Ye-es-noI" A long pause. Wall,
stranger, Pll be hanged eff l know who owns
it," and be made a sorry attempt at a laugh.
evidently the man is poking fun at me"
thought the readers humble servant; but l
could not forbear remarking aloud.
THAT is a little singular"
The giggle died away, the grimace left his
face. mot eff you knew the hull on it.
You're new conner, take it, stranger"
mo am not" l answered dryly.
''No offense, Squire, come from the East?''
ayes" My companion blew his nose vigor-
ously, patio his horse on the neck, and then
placed a fresh quid of the weed between his
lantern jaws,
''Wall, about this boss; it as mine, an it amt
mine; ieastways, I'm not sartain. yet. 1t
would take Philadelphia lawyer to decide
on it; that's so, even So"
And here my companion assumed a medi-
tative manner. working his jaws freely. l
deemed it best to give him his own time to ex-
plain himself After riding mile in silence he
broke out with.
.'Much acquainted hereabouts?"
every slightly"
"P'r'aps you belong to st. Peters river, or
to below?''
shook my head, and once more he came
back to the ownership of the horse.
Wall, about this yer hoss; I'll bet you
never heard of such an idee as this boss trade;
but maybe you could guess where l come
from"
"From Connecticut"
"No! from Vermont. Pm an out am out
Yankee; names Treadwell p'r'aps you've
heard on Gov. Treadwell that used to be -;
he's my fathers uncle, you see. Somehow a
poor cuss haint no chances there, at least
used to think SO; SO one day / pulled up
stakes and perambulated out here to Minneso-
ia; thot I'd make my fortin sartin, and
mean to do it, some day. You see. Major,
when | come to- that place over there, (point-
ing significantly toward st. Paul. / hadn't
more than Il shilln' left; the rascals almost
took the clothes off my back. Now | don't
mind tellin' ye,o all about it, cause ye7o don't
know Jerusha. nor the rest on 'em. GOu see
afore | left hum | used to beau Jerusha
round to parties considerably, just to bGsp
my hand in, you know. Jerusha. she kinder
got stuck after me, but laws! wasn't the
least might after her. There was pooty nice
gal lived near home called Susan Pepperil,
and so / divided my attentions, acting unpar-
tial, you understand; but the first thing
knew, Jerusla moved away with her folks and
eff you believe it, stranger, that was the first
time / ever knew Jerusba was worth dollar.
Come to find out, she owned five hundred.
That riled me- and to aggravate it, Susan took
up with another fellow, an laughed in my
face. So | never asked any thing about
Jerusha but come ont here. | just worked
here one month, when l met-who do you
suppose
"Jeynsha?"
L" No, you're out; twas her aunt, an laws,
eff we didn't laugh OF course l had to go
right along with her, and ON the road found
out that Jerusha's uncle owned three hundred
acres, with forty broke in. You'd orter seen
Jerusha smillin' at me. The old folks wanted
Inc in the family all along, and seen that they
still kept drawin' me sorter kinder. But Je-
rusha amt no beauty nOhow, an she's pretty
tart too, so didn't let on that knew what
they were up to. Now, this boss belongs, to
or once belonged to Jerusha, (she's got yoke
of oxen and a COW, and two pair of geese be-
sides the only geese | ever seen in the terri
tory,) and she has a hundred dollars laid
away to buy another, eff l conclude to -
marry her.
Her, an the old folks heard me talk about
lOokin' over the country, and so, after a long
talk, says she, one day, Steve, (my name S
Stephen,) Steve, that boss is worth hundred
and eighty dollars cash, any day now you
want to look about you. Take the boss, Steve,
pack off to Saltwater, Prescott, Oceola, and
them places take yer time, tew. The boss is
you'rn to keep or swap, if you know what
you're about but mind, Steve, 'ef yew own
the boss, own yew.' Her precisely identi-
cal language, Mr.. -, what may your name
be ,"
4" Smith John Smith"
"Her exact words, Mr.. Smith, an now eff
claim this, (patting Ills horse gently,) why Je-
rusha claims me, an can prove it by the old
folks, to say nothin' about a piece of paper |
signed Jest this time yesterday"
.'Well, ofcourse you will marry her, ven
tured to remark, as l strove to control my
muscles.
'Oh, sartinly, sartinly only I'll be hanged
eff know who'll own this boss. Howsomever
I'll keep the critter, CHATS your way Mr..
Smith, good day } I'm bound to keep the
crtter."
And Mr.. Treadwell parted from me. mutter-
ing, ''Ill keep the critter. "-Arthur's Home
Magazine.