The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1860-05-30
Barney O'BaIcnIine and tlic Devil.
BY SAM SLICK, ESQ.

Well, there lived an old woman some years
had large fortin and an only darter. She was
very good and very cross, as many riteous peo'
pie are, and had a loose tongue and tight pus
Of her own. All the men that looked to her
darter, she thot had an eye to money and she
warn't far out Of the way mother, for it seems
as II beauty and money was too much to 60 to-
gether in general way. Rich gals and hand
some gals are seldom good for nothin else but
their cash or their looks. Pears and peaches
are not often found on the same tree, tell you.
She lived all alone the most, with nobody but
her darter and her in the house, and some old
niger slaves in hut near by; and She seed no
company she could help. The only place they
went ia general way, was meetin end Jeru-
she never missed that, for it was the only
chance she had sometimes Of getting out alone.
z Barney had most beautiful voice, and al
ways went there, too, to sing alone with the
gals; and Barney, hearin of the fortin of Miss
Elles made up to her as fierce as possible, and
sang so sweet, and talked so sweet, and kissed
so sweet, that he soon stood number one with
the heiress. But he didn't often get chance
to walk home with her, and when he did. she
darsn't let him come in for fear Of the old wo-
man. But Barney warn't to be put off that way
long. When a gals in one pastur and lovers
in another, it's high fence that they can't get
over, that's a fact.
Tell you, what" says Barney, "you set up
alone in the keepin' room, Jerusha, dear, arter
and I'll slide down on the rope from the trap
door on the roof. Tell her you are exercised in
your mind, and want to mediate alone, as the
words you have heard this day have reached
your heart"
Jerusha was frightened to death almost; but
what won't a woman do when lover is in the
way? SO that very night she told the old wo
man she was exercised in the mind, anu would
wrestIe with the spirit. ...... ...
"Do, DEAR" says the mother, land you won't
think OF the vanities ofdress, and idle company
no more. You see how have given them all
up since I made profession, and never SO much
as talks of 'em now, or even thinks of 'em."
r q y 4
! Strange, Squire, amt it? But it's much
easier to cheat ourselves than to cheat the devil.
That old hag was too stingy to buy dress, but
persuaded herself it was bein' too good to wear
it. .a.sH
Well, the house was fiat roo fed house, and
had q trap-dD in the ceilin' over the keepin'
room, and there was a crane on the roof, with
q rope TO pull up things to spread all out, and
Barney thought the old woman was asleep he
crawls out Of the house, opens the trap-door
and lets himsel down by the rope, and he and
Jerusha sat down on the hearth in the chin.
ney corner courtin,' or, as they call it in
them diggins, 'sniffin ashes.' When daylight
began to show, he went up the rope hand over
hand, hauled it up after him, and closed to the
trap door, and made himself scarce. Well, all
this went on as slick as could be Tor awhile but
the old woman seed that her darter looked
pale, as if she hadn't sleep enough, and there
was no gettin' her up in the mornn', and when