The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-03-31
THE YANKEES FOX SKIN.

"Mornin' SQUIRE" said a down-easter,
giving nod and wink to Lyman & Towle
az those tive gentlemen stood in their
store one morning, cup and dressed" for
business.
"How are you, siri" said the mer-
chants.
"Pooty well, considering the state of
things in general. say yeou sell skins
here. don't yeou!'
We do, occasionally was the re.
sponse.
Wal. so calculated; buy fox skins tew
/ reckonp
Sometimes. Why. have you got some
for saie!'
Seine. Yes, guess have one; it's
some tew, tell yeou.'
Let's look al it, said one of the mer.
chants.
The owner of the skin tugged at the
capaeious pocket of his old yellow over
coat . few minutes, and out came
pretty good sized baug-up Of a venerable
reynard.
There it is-a perfect bewty it is too.
Amt iti'
Seen finer ones says Towle.
| Praps yeou have, and praps yeou hain't
but ! dew think it's a rale bewty, slick and
shiny as Drawn new hat
when did you get this skin?' says the
merchant.
When did ! get it? Why. when 1
killed the larned critter, of course
Yes, we know. but was it in the fall or
summer, or when?'
| oh! yes; well reckon 'twarnt far from
the fourth of July, any way, for I'd just
cleaned up my shootin' piece for p'rade
on the glorious anniversary, and along
comes the old critter, and just give him
rip in the gizzard that settled his hash
mighty sudden, tell yeou.'
Fox SKINS said the merchant, are not
very good when taken in hot weather;
the fur and skin is very thin, and not fit
for much in summer
Wal, meow, reckon, since come to
think it over, 'twant hot weather when
shot the critter; no. III be darned ifit
was, made thuuderin' mistake bout
that, for it was nigh on to christmas-was
by golly, for and Seth Purkins wcr goin'
to frolic. remember it like book,
cold as sixty, it wor suowin' awful-was
BY ginger
WELL says the merchant, was the fox
very fati'
'F-a-tl Oh! molly, wsrnt it fail never
did see such fat feller in all my born
days. Why yeou, the fat came clean
through the fsller's hide, run down his
legs, till the very airth was greasy where
the dsrn'd varmint crawled along. Did
by peurkins.'
Too fat. then. wesguess, to be good.
4 said Towle. Fat skins, sir, are not so
good as those taken from an animal not
more than ordinarily fat
We'll, guess it warn't so darned fat,
nuther; come to think about it, twas an:
lther fox Siah shot last fall; this critter
warn't SO darned, not overly fat-fact,
guess it was rather lean; kind o'lean. tree
men-jous lean; poor old var,nint was
abeout to die of pure starvation; never
did see such darn'd ternal, starved lean
lank, famished critter on the Lords airth
beforep
Very poor, eh?' says Lyman.
Very poor7 guess it was; so almity
poor that the old critters bones stuck
clean eout, almost through his skin; If
hadn't killed it just when 1 did. 'twould
have died afore it got ten roGs further
{ along. Fact by golly!'
'Ahl WE'LL said the merchants, I'VE see
that the skin is poor; the fur is thin and
loose. and would not suit US.
'Wunt suit yew? Now, look ahere
yeon, SAYS the Yankee folding up his Ger.
s0tile skin, i don't kind o'Iike snch deal
in 90 that, noheow. and I'll be darn'd te
darnation, ef yeou ketch me tradin' fol
skins with yeou agin there ain't no lumber
!, in the state of Maine.' e4
And the holder of the skin vamous
lcd.