The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-02-11

Il
face, and in the next instant Arch saw his old
dad rolling in the dust, about ten feet before
him. Both were soon on their pegs again, aud
they used them to their best advantage until
they were safe at home. .lr-
Here was an awful state Of affairs, Some
thing in tho grocery "a trompin' around, aud
the molasses and whiskey all running out!-
What was to be done7 Several things were
proposed and voted down, until finally ii was
agreed that jeff Sank, the blacksmith, who lived
next door, and who had the name OF being
very brave man, should be called up aud con.
suited about the matter.
jeff heard the whole story, after which, with
a broad grn, he assured the old captain that il
he would agree TO stand treat, the enemy should
be disiodged in short order.
The terms were readily acceded to, and JEFF
started for the grocery. Spluggs, senior, pro-
vided with lantern and accompanied by Splugs
junior, followed at safe distance. When they
arrived at the door, the lantern caused them TO
see sights The ground for ten feet around was
completely inundated with compound OF mo-
losses and whiskey. The captain gave vent to u
heartfelt groan as he beheld it.
Without waiting time, Jeff proceeded to
open the door short distance, and by the aid of
the lantern, to peep in. One glance was sufii-
cient. Without saying word, he slammed the
door to, and made leap which landed him
against the captains copious bread basket, pill
ing the old gentleman fat on his back. 1t is
not to be supposed he laid long, however--fsr
from it, He bounded as if his old sides had
been made of India rubber, lit upon his feet,
and when Jeff and Arch reached the door of the
dwelling he was not far behind them. AS soon
as the parties could recover their breath, Capt.
Spluggs said
{" The very devil himself, cap, and no mis-
take" replied jeff
" How did il look?"
"Oh, orful A great big white thing, with
great horns. and with feathers, and wings. and
isur legs, and such like, When | opened the
door, it made right at me"
GOOD Lord!' exclaimed the captain, at
tempting To cross himself, as he had seen Mike, I,
the shoemaker, do on extraordinary occasions.
CHAPTER III.
The rest of that night was an awful time for
Jeff aud the Spluggses. They remained up and
talked over the matter till morning, for all at.
tempt at sleeping would have been worse than
nonsense.
When it was fairly light, the old captain and
the dauntless blacksmith gathered together all
the villagers and repaired To the grocery, nerved
for an awful encounter. AS the safest mode OF
attack, ii was agreed that the chinking should
be punched from between the logs of The abIn,
majesty through the openings thus made.
The proposed aperture was made. and there
stood the trghtlul monster, plain TO be seen by
all. A gun was leveled at it by the blacksmith,
but ere he could pull the trigger, one Of the
neighbors knocked it up, and suggested that 1t
would be better policy 20 take the thing alive,
and sell it 20 be exhibited as a show. All fd-
vored this but jeff and the Splugg-es; they
argted that it was all pack of nonsense to
| 1 h, uk nfc / ha fl.yl aliya and sill
greater nonsense 10 think Of exhibiting him
However, when one of the neig ghbors offered to
go into the grocery and make an attempt to
treat with the old fellow, they yielded the point,
and betook themselves to what they considered
safe distance, where they awaited in breathlcss
anxiety to witness the doubtful result
The veuturesome neghbor, with grin on his
face that most persons would have attributed
| to inward mirth, but which Capt Spluggs put
down as being caused by intense excitement,
pushed open the door and walked in.
Brave fellow = exclaimed the captain, fixing
himself in position favorable to summing, i'll
case such a thing was necessary.
In moment the rash individual in the grocery
came leading forth BY the horn-not old Beelze-
bub himsei, but Captain Spluggs' old brinde
cow mpletey robed, from ihe tip of her
horns to the bottoms of her hoofs, in a thick
coating of molasses and feathers.
reHdlnS peat Oh laughter went up from all
save the old captain. He could not laugh, for
having got rid of the devil, vision of his losses
began TO rise up before him. On examination,
he discovered that his grocery had met a total
destruction. Not barrel of whiskey or molas-
ses remained with head in it. The old fel-
lows wrath knew no bounds. Had it not been
for the feathers. and the sly winks exchanged by
some Of his neighbors. he would have fallen on
old brindle, and killed her outright; these
caused him to suspect that she did not, "of heI
own free will and accord" have much to dc
with it.
Thus ended the liquor business at Cracker:
Neck. Captain Spluggs like good christian
bought farm, and put Arch to work Oh it.
which made man of him. To this day the OLD
captain often laughs about the old scrape, and
says it was the best thing that ever happened
him and that he would now he among the frs
to oppose the establishment of grocery in the
vicinity of Crackers Neck.