The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-12-15
QUAsQUEToN, Dec. 4, 1859.
MEssRs. Rich a. JORDAN:

1t is Sabbath evening. All nature
seems hushed in the stiffness Of repose !;
not a leaf r~ustles, not a zephyr breathes
from the west, not a sigh disturbs the
quietness and beauty of this hour seem
ingly a fit time for the poet to draw con
tr;butions from the rich store house Of
his imagination.
The sea birds have gone to their rest.
The ground squirrels have laid down in their
nest.
While the rabbit has searched out his lair
And ensconced in ii, found a she-hare.
Pshaw ! | will stop my expectations
are not realized. The rhyme | consider
fair, but the metre is imperfect-too
much like jim Goodale, who invariably
commenced his poetical illusions with
these two lines: ri
Last night the wind blew down our well sweep
This morning dad and | put it up again, sheep.
Leaving my thoughts to pursue their
wonted course, they start off with more
serious reflections, in the use of language
more prosaic. That passage OF Holy
Writ least thy bread upon the waters,
and after many days it shall return to
thee again." is continually revolving in
my mind. And why should it not I? For
the very next morning after surrender
ing up to you all my right, title and in
terest in and to that last greasy one dol
lar bill, | was startled from my SAUNDERS
by a loud rap. With a palpitating heart
| hastily arranged my over-alls. and with
trembling solicitude opened the door
expecting to greet a creditor instead Of a
debtor. Judge of my surprise on seeing
an old friend who had been on my books
a debtor TO the amount Of three dollars
and ifty-six cents for the last eighteen
months. His first inquiry after saluting
me with chow dye do?" was, "did
you write that ar in the Guardian last
week ?" With a loud voice-for he is
quite deaf replied Eyes, uncle
Jake" at that instant he espied my
black-eyed boy sitting by the stove, and
at once he glanced at his feet. Then such
a frightful, God forsaken, pinch-beck
counlenance as he put on, was never seen
outside of Harper's Ferry. Extending
both arms heavenward, with tears stream
ing from his eyes, forming a perfect con-
sisteacy by the aid Of his nose, he ex-
claimed 20 higeidy pigeldy mortif-
cation has set in" He supposed they
had been frozen. Said |, smiling, he
has not performed the morning additions
yet" Its no use," said he, '.perform
with as many solutions as you have a
mind to twill do no good" Anxious
TO relieve the old mans fears, | shouted
with "a loud voice 1T is dirt, uncle"
With a significant shake Of the head, he
replied NO, no, it's no carbuncle-
carbuncles are red." Hardly able to re-
strain laughter. l resolved on making
one more effort to set him right. Plac-
ing my mouth to his ear, | screamed at
the top of my voice "tle boy can wash
them all white" "Yes. yes. o yes"
said he, !" the boy can watch them all
night and day too, but what good will
come of all that. | tell We that ar is
notification" pointing at his feet
In despair | took a pencil and wrote
What is your business 2" Said he,
II have come to pay youup; will give
you one dollar in money and ti"e gallons
OF sorghum molasses to square accounts"
Thought l, if this is not a God-send,
what is? accepted the offer-my wife
clapped her hands forjoy. / shouted and
sung a psalm tune. the liltle half-starved
children stuck their fingers into a knot
hole, and drawing them through their
mouths, called it their molasses Jug
Well, in less than half an hour Uncle
Jake l~cappearcd with the molasses keg,
knocked out the bung, and began to pour
-then-O then. how it would have fill
ed your never-dying soul with gratitude,
could you have seen the tears ofjoy flow
down The little checks, forming a tribu-
AIRY to the stream OF saliva oozing from
- IN 49,, H..
forth very much after the similitude Of
sweet milk. My wife sung, to the tune
Of odd Windham," Pay the printer
and the Lord will provide" and 0 we
were wading into bread and treacle at a
rate commonly called prodigious.
Yours. with prospects Frightening.
K.
iy We are indebted TO O. Fl. p.