White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-04-14

Virginia table, fried chicken-or, indeed,
of chickens in any shape; there being
not SO much as wing or q claw on the
table. This omission producing a gentle
interrogatory. somewhat in the tone Of
expostulation from one of the Mississip-
plans, who, as well as all other travellers,
It is proper to remark, was not playing
the part of very modest, we'll behaved
young gentleman, mine host very whiting
~ gave us to understand ''it was our own
fault, seeing that the diabolical noise we
had made while approaching the house,
had scared all the fowls into the noun
tains." This, the Mississippian declared,
reminded him of Capt. Dobbins' chick
ems, in Kentucky, which, he had the cap
tain's own word for it, no sooner caught
sight of traveller approaching, than
they Immediately took to their heels-be-
ing well aware, from long experience, as
Capt. Dobbins said, that the visit of a
stranger was certain death to them.
Before we had finished supper, thir-
teenth guest made his appearance-a tall,
raw bOned, Yankee peddler, it seemed,
who drove up his wagon through show
er that had begun to fail, and presently
entered the supper room, bearing a pair
of saddle bags, which he laid beside him
with great care, as if afraid the contents
would be injured if placed out of his
protection. He had very meek, solemn,
unpresuming. solitary look, and rather
sneaked into, than took a chair at the
foot of the table, where he waited very
submissively for the emp of coffee which
my landlady deigned, after sundry con-
temptous looks, and FIVE minutes delay,
to send him.
Upon the whole, he did not seem to
produce any more favorable impression
upon his fellow travellers, who left him
to consume his chickenless supper by
himself, while they proceeded to the bar
room, to resolve doubt which had en-
tered the head of the Mississippian, Capt.
Dobbins' friend : to-wit whether the
thunder of our approach had not killed
all the mint plants. and SO deprived them
of their juleps. This was fortunately
proved not to be the case. The young gen.
tlemen concocted their sleeping draughts.
smoked their cigars, settled the affairs of
the nation, and then, having received a
hint that such was the will and pleasure
of the landlord, assembled to the travellers
room to seek their beds.
This travellers room was the garnet, or
half thereof, the other moiety being par
titioncd of, and applied to some other
purpose and. as it was neither ceiled nor
plastered, it presented no very striking
look of luxury and comfort, but exhibited
the rare and captivating spectacle of a
dozen different beds, in which each man
was to possess the happiness of sleeping
without a bed-fellow. The beds were,
moreover. all single ones, only one ex-
cepted. which was neither single nor don
BILE, and, indeed, was q mere plank
stretched between two stools, with a
feather bed hung over il, pannier wise;
and so far it appeared to us, that our
landlord, in this out of-the-way nook,
must have been visited with some ink
lings of civilization, but upon further
consideration, it was agreed that we owed
the size as we'll as the number of the
couches to the necessity of the case, the
garnet being of such figure as to stow
a dozen truckle beds much more commo
diously than half that number of double
ones.
Nevertheless, we were all well pleased
with the arrangements ; nor did any diff
iculty present itself until the braying
gentleman, RECALLING us at first with a
moderate burst of his music, by way of
calling attention, demanded, "Who the
nation is to sleep with the Yankee pa
question which no one answered until he
had first popped into the cot, and SO Sc
cured its possession after which. each
swore, with an oath as terrible as any in
Flanders, the Yankee should not sleep
with him. Upon this point the determi-
nation was quite unanimous. l might,
indeed, except myself, having made no
rash vows on the occasion-which was
the more unnecessary, as l had, partly by
choice, fallen heir to the narrow bed of
plank spoken of before, in which there
was no fear of my being troubled with q
bed-fellow.
We had scarcely arranged this impor-1
tant matter, when the supernumerary guest
and extra lodger, who had, perhaps, been
detained securing his property for the
night, came up stairs, bearing his saddle
bags and q candle. and, with hesitating
steps, and modest countenance, stole
through the room, looking for an empty
bed, but, of course, without finding one.
Perhaps, gentlemen" said he, with
an extremely solemn, wo'begone voice of
inquiry, "Some of you can tell me where
] am to sleep tonight %
"In Paradise, 1 suppose" said the
braying gentleman ''for I'll be hanged
if there is any room for you here. You
see the beds are all full"
al do" replied the stranger, looking
all around, sand they are shocking narrow
enes, too. Bot I rather calculate the
landlord meant me to have half Of one
somewhere or other smong you"
"Well. that seems but reasonable. " said
he'Mississippian "and l should bevery
willing to let you have part Of mine, on
ly-" Here he turned over in the bed
clothes, and displayed huge bowie knife
lying on one side Of him, and pistol on
the other-''only that never slept with
out my arms, and they are somewhat dan
gerous when 1 dream at night, as / al