The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-01-28

A1u Siat uon just muVOu Vut hOuA euuSp'
see, and he's settled below you at the mouth
He can est yella thousand psntherS."
avail, now!' -
"You'Te sure to iaeet him; and he's s0rtin
to outscream you"
"Ohtscream hiey' thundered forth Billy
leaping from his seat on kieg 0f nsils ant
staggering backwards, while his eyes Aashec
and bis fists elenched, at the bare idea Of any
ore daring to strive with him in his grsa
and boosted accomplishment. "ie cam
do it," ..~ .'.f
"Bdt he kin, Uncle Billy; he kin scream
louder than anything on the Massip."
"Wull, now, that beats the deuce. Out
scream me! Why, man, kin out-hollsr ,
yearthquake. Why, they kin hear me when
open, over to Kinron's, and thut's nigh onto
FIVE mile; and If any tiiun Kin out.holler ole
Billy, he kin" ....
"Take your coon skin cap" suggested
one. .-, - .Ha
"No sir! but he kin jest take my white
MULE" and here he scrambled to the head o
-four barrel, and screeched most glorious
ly-then, drawing out the corn cob stopper,
he took long end steady pull from the jug,
heaving deep sigh. ....... ....-
"I'll back Billy agin t'other fellow" said
a brindle faced chap in the crowd.
"I'll bet on the other ones" answered an.
Sthef.
"l'll 60 it on uncle Billy" cried the bar
keeper, she is home folks-cuss strangers!''
$50 suy." -#
"Boys" shouted Billy, taking another
pull, and Offering it around, "jest trot out
yer t'other man, and III scream every hal
off his head and every button off his cout.-
l has done it, and kin do it agin."
Various exclamations passed around-nu'
merous bets were made, and Billy frequent
ly tapped his jug, which grew gradually
lighter; and now very singular phehorie.
non began to be perceptible in Billy. Hit
hands hung more loosely by his side, the
slack leather around his jaws grew looser
and his head fell forward. The batrels were
set aside for small pine table, around which
were gathered group of dirty check shirted
fellows, who were thuttibing d greasy dsck
of cards=whle Billy, now insensib!e, was
laid nwny with his jug and cane measure
under shed near the grdcery, to awake
when he thought proper.
1t was bright Moonlight when poor Billy
awoke to consciousness, and the moon being
in its last quarter, it was nearly day. L
was consideru6Is time ere he could coler
his scattered senses, and it wns only by the
presehce of the jug and the coffin measure
that he could recall to mind the incidents OIL
the past day, and his great misfortune.
When he remembered all, slight tinge
of shame mingled with his feelings, and
softly arising, and after taking at gulp all
that remained OF the whiskey in the Jug
stole off towards a carpenter shop in town
to try to arouse the mechanic, that he might
at once 60 to work at the mortuury job
Silently and slowly he paced the now silent
town, and with absent thoughts walked on
ward. Suddenly his locomotion ceased-he
looked around-his faithful feet had borne
him to the grocery again, the scene of his
LII III ahn0 Damn fho
cant bench he sat, and silently gazed at his
now empty Jug. The precious fluid was
gone--its joy had fed. In the silent night
he peered forth, and ever and anon his
thoughts would wander back to that little
wooded hut, where lay the unburied remains
of his Nance. and his solitary Polly--the
mournful watcher by the dead=dnd then he
would sigh and gaze sorrowfully at his empty
Jug, which no Htots contained the waters Of
Lethe to him. -s,.- -=
As he sat thus dreaming and wishing for
the morning to break. SO that he cotld have
his jug replenished, he suddenly thought oi
a back window which was only closed by q
shutter, and which he knew he could open
By means Of a knife blade 10 raise the hook
He stole softly around the house and came
abreast the shuttef. then placing block
near it, he raised himself on level, and in
serting jack knife blade, he raised the hool
and the shutter swing slowly open. eau
tiotsly he drew himsel: into the room, ane
having CROPPED to barrel of whiskay, turned
the faucet, while the precious liquid gurgled
pieasantly Into The jug. Without noise, he
retreated the way he came, and leaning 1
fence rail up against the shutter to close it
he sought the front of the house. Their
squaring himself on the bench, he took q
sniff of the; to him, delightful beverage, ant
rolling up his eyes III extacy. slowly let {
little stream trickle down his parched throat
Spasmodically he pressed the jug, and deep
er he sighed as he slowly drew a heavy
breath after the .draught. He thought then
not Of his errand-of the unsanctitied re-
mains Of his wife--of tfis lonely daughter
Time fed, On hour passed, another! ant
poor Billy, again foored by the arch enemy
lay before the grocery Unconscious.
| "That is drunk Nc. 81" exclaimed Jacl
Toombs, as he threw open the doors of the
grocery, to catch the early and thirsty villa
gers. 4
|
But in the meantime, how has fared