Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-04-30
MISCELLANY.
AN AWFUL NIGHT
4 Az sH OR, t5f1 iitE ~
TIE DEVIL IN A GROCERY.
CHAPTER /.

B..
CAPTAIN sluggs, jolly old customer
standing five feet three in his boots, ana
weighing some three hundred pounds, re-
.,ded in illinois, and kepta grocery up
at the head of Possum Greek at a place
called Crackers Neck--that is to say, nc
used to sell molasscs, whisky, and such
like in log cabin up there. The Captain
had goodly number of patrons, and es-
pccially for the whisky, and rumor says
he was not a bad customer himsalf--in
fact some went SO far as to say that he
drank more whisky than any other three
men ON the Greek; and will not attempt
to refute the charge, for know from some
cause or other, the old fellow was exceed
ingly fond of the business.
The Captain had a son, who IKE MS
dad. was true lover of the good crltter,
but the old man refused to let him drink
it. lie had enough of the "Young Amerl-
en- about him, however, to be capable OF
shifting for himself; so when old sluggs
was in bed, snoring away in regular saw
mill style the young sluggs was pretty
sure to come 'bobbing around for the pur-
pose of stealing the key from the pocket
of his old dads trowser's, as they hung
on chair. This accomplished, he would
collect lot Of his friends together in the
Grocery. and have what they called jolly
time Of it.
Captain sluggs' grocery had got to be
an intolerablc nuisance to the neighbors'
All day long the old man and his friends
drank and carouscd, and all night long
the young gentlemen and his associates
kept it up, after the plan laid down by the
older one. 1t was too much for the
patience of any people, Even the Cracker
Neckians could not endure it, and so they
called a meeting and appointed commit
toe whose duty it was to visit the old cap
tain, and request him to keep better
order of things in the future. The COM
mittee men performed their Office, at.which
the captain laughed heartily. Finding
that he was inclined to make sport Of them,
they resorted to threats, and assured him
that unless he mendcd his ways the citizens
would take tho matter into their own hands
still he laughed. Their visits made no
things went on as before.
Some nights after this, Sluggs, junr,
having possessed himself of the key, re-
paired to the grocery as usual, to have his
spree. 1t was about the hour of eleven,
and one of his participants was already in
waiting.
"Arch," said he, addressing the young
Sluggs, 'I'n be dinged if don't believe
thar's something in this ere grocery, for
I hear some kind of trompiu' round in
thar
Guess it's only rats, for thars lots and
gobs Of them about, replied he.
"ITark! I hear it again" exclaimed
the first speaker. ....
at does sound little queer, returned
Arch. "Let's go and set down on the
door step and listen awhile before we go
in" h".#
They proceeded to put this plan into
execution, but ere they had scarcely
touched the step, which was large, fiat
stone, they bounded up with sudden
ness that would have led lookor-on to
suppose it was red hot,
"What in the nations that we've sot
down in ?" said Arch.
Tar, or molasses, or somethin as | live,
replied the other
"Molasses, as sure as shootin," con
tinued Arch, after short investigation
"Yos, molasses aud whisky, by blixim 7
put in his friend, who had just carried the
work of analyzing still farther by bring
ing some of the doubtful compound in
proximity with his nasal organ.
"rhat's so, aud it's runnin' out from
under the door In perfect sluice.
just then their ears we're greeted by The
most inhuman sounding groan from with
in, aud then tho 'trompin round CON
monced again. This was too much for the
uustruug nerves of our young heroes, and
., tLsV cilt dirt for otker ouayters