The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-02-10
LN Old STORY
IN a NEW pREs S

of farm life, and who had never been
known to have the least ill-feeling to-
wards each other since the time when
good old Parson Heriot had united
them in the holy bands Of wedlock,
twenty-five years before So we'll was
the fact Of their conjugal happiness
known, that they were spoken of, far
and near, as the happiest pair known
/ Now, the Devil (excuse the abrupt men
ton Of his name) had been trying for
twenty years to create what is common
| ly called ga fuss in the family, between
these old companions But much TO
/ his modification, he had not been able
to induce the old gentleman to grumble
once about breakfast being late, or the
| old lady to give a single curtain lecturel
| After repeated efforts, the Devil became
discouraged, and, had he not been a per
son Of great determination, he would
doubtless have given up the work in
despair. One day, as he walked along
in a very surly mood after another at.
tempt to get the old lady to quarrel
about the pigs getting into the yard, he
met an old woman, near neighbor of
the aged couple. As Mr.. Devil and the
neighbor we're very particular friends,
they must needs stop on the way to chat
a little
"Good morning, sir" said she; "and
pray, what on earth makes you look so
badly, this beautiful morning? Isn't
the controversy between the churches
| doing good service2"
eyes"
"Isn't Deacon W making plenty
Of bad whisky"
"Yes."
"Well, what is the matter, my highly
hOnored master?"
"Everything else is going on well
enough, " replied the Devil, "but," and
here he looked as sour as a monkey on
a crab-apple tree, told Blueford and his
wife, over here, are injwing the cause
terribly by their bad example, and, af.
ter trying for years to induce them to do
better 1 must say 1 consider them
hopeless"
The old hag stood for a moment in
deep thought. care you sure that you
have tried every way?"
"Every one can think Of"
care you certain
eyes" ."
"Wcll," replied she, eff you will
promise to make me a present of a new
pair Of shoes, in case l succeed, will
make the attempt myself, and see if l
can raise a quarrel between them"
To this reasonable request the Devil
| gladly consented The old hag went
her way to noighbor Blueford's house,
and found old Mrs. Blueford busily en-
gagged in getting things ready for her
husbands comfort on his return from
work After the usual compliments
had passed, the following dialogue took
place:
"Well, Mrs. B., you and Mr.. b
have lived long time together"
Give and twenty years, next Novem-
Der, " replied Mrs. b.
"And all this time you have never
had the least quarrel?"
"Not one
"I am truly glad to hear it," contin-
ued the hag. II consider it my duty to
warn you, that, though this is the case,
you must not expect it to be so always
Have you not observed of late that Mr.
B has grown peovish and sullen at
times?"
"a very little so, replied Mrs. Blue
ford.
"I know it, 5" continued the hag, "and
let me warn you in time to be on your
guard"
Mrs. B. did think she had better do
so, and asked advice as to how she
ought to manage the case.
"Have you notnOticed, said the bag,
"that your husband has bunch Of long,
coarse hair growing on a mole under
his chin, on the side of his throat?"
eyes"
"These arc the cause of the trouble,
and, as long as they remain, you had
better look out. Now, as a friend, /
would advise you to cut them off the
first time you get chance, and thus end
the trouble.
"If you say do so, will replied the
oredulOus old lady
Soon after this, the hag started for
home, and made it convenient to meet
Mr. B. on the way Much the same
talk, in relation to his domestic happi-
ness, passed between them, as did be-
tween her and the old woman.
"But, friend Blueford," said she, "I
think it my duty, as a Christian to
warn you to be on your guard, for i
tell you that your wife intends your
ruin"
Old Mr.. B. was very much astonish-
ed, yet he could not wholly disscredit
her words. When he reached home he
threw himself upon a bed in great per-
plexity, and, feiguiug sleep studied
over the matter in his own mind. His
wife, thinking this a good opportunity
for cutting off the obnoxious hair, took
her husbands razor, and orept softly to
his side, Now the old lady was very
much frightened at holding a razor so
close 10 her husbands neck, and her
hand was not so steady as it once was
so, between tho two, she went to work
very awkwardly and pulled the hairs
instead Of quitting them off, Mr.. b.
opened his eyes and there stood his wife
with a razor at his throat After what
had been told him, aud seeing this, he
could not doubt that she intended 20
murder him. He sprang from the bed
in horror and no ornlauntion ar aufraa-