Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-11-14

and he was 10 cum that mite 10 the gate with
at o'clock, The time she comcnly went TO bed
Then he kissed her hand and oif he shot on bubble
quick.
Well, | kalkerlntcd over the matter awhile 10
know how ! Good rcciprocate that trick, and at
last II struck me as forcibly as brick wood hit
a nigger's he'd. | rckerlccted dads words nt part
in "Mind Jake, you swing for II yet" and jet
kalkorlatod wood make that protest cum true,
eny how. So jist slips out and bends down
branch Of cherry tree under Bets windcr, and
fastcns it with notched peg and moose, and put
slip knot list over to the winder, 30 Jake Good
ent git there without tumblin inter It,
WELL jist as the clock struck nine, scz !, Betsy
hold this here hank ov yarn mint, want 10 git
IL wound of for the womens aid society to maik
into stockens for the solgers that's dear critter
SO she sets down her kandc, and kommcnccd
to wind and wind ever 20 slow and drops the ball
every now and then to keep her down stairs.
Jonathan" scz she, 81 do believe you won't
wind that yarn off tonight | vow | can't stay
any longer I'm nearly dead asleep"
"Hark," sez I, "what's that I'm sure herd
sumthng in the cherry tree, didn't you %
81 herd the geese there, that's ALL" sez she /;
"tbey cum under the winder at nte," But she
looked skeered enough, and seq she, 81 vow Pm
tired holden out my arms this way, and won't do
it no longer" and she throwd the hank of yarn on
the floor. "Well," scz I,"stop mint, till | send
old Pompey out to see if any body IS these"
Old Pompey went out, tho Bets sed it was no
use, but soon cum runnn in with his wool standin
on end and mis- eyes as big as the rim of soop
plate, "Oh, Cor Ormity !" sez Pompey, "Oh,
massa oh, Miss Betsyr' sez he. "What on
airth is the matter of you ~ SEE Betsy. "Oh,
Cor Ormty, massa, Jake Kelly he hang heself on
the cherry tree under Miss Betsy's winder."
That shot was a settler il struck poor Betsy
like thunder wood talk popler. She Civ one
lurch ahead and fell rite down IN another fainten
fit
"Well, | thot dad wood n tainted too, he was
struck oil ov a heep, aud kompletely dumfungled
81 foretold it," sed he, "the last time seed him
but didn't think it wood cum so soon told hin
he wood swing for it yit."
Well, dad took old Bunker and took the Ian
tern, anu ouJ We NcHt, hllu tncTc was Juhc, SURF
enuff, snaired like rabbit, hung up by one leg
and his head hangin down, kickin like mad.
"Cut me down, Jonathan" sez he, "all the blu,
in my body has swoshed into my head cut mt
down quick, for heaven sake"
"The Lord be praised, "sed dad, he had jst beel
readn his bible and felt pious) "the poor sinner i
yet alive. Why. as Pm alive, if he aint shared
too. Well, now, Jonathan, this is sum of you
doins. Its a clever trick, but little speck dan
gerous"
"Cut me down cut me down ~ sed Jake
"don't stand taren and jawen all night, for I'm
chicken with blud."
Dad kinder pitied the raskel, and givin the rop'
; a kip with old Bunker, let him down in jf-
Jake looked nifty streaked, you may depend H'
coodent walk bit, and he swore one leg was 81,
inches longer than the other. He begged fo
heavens sake it might be KEEP secret he Sc,
he wood volunteer and march rite off into Mssu
ry if ever it got wind he was sure he cooGen
stand it.
at will be one while, guess" sed dad, "afor
you'll either march or stand, but if you'll gi
u over your evil ways, will keep it secret, and 20
shall be welcum to my house once more.
Well, Jake promised it was all settled an
things calmed down as quiet as goose pond on
July evenin, and the next Sunday Jake joine
" church, and on Thursday foerin was married
" sister Betsy.
Nothin was ever sed about the snare nnlil aftt
- y, the wcdin. When the minister had finished ask
:" the bessin, dad goes up to Jake, and given him
20 rousin slap on the shoulder, sez he, cake Ke
you've got the snare now round your neck, N
Q boy the cherry tree branch has been father
you may you be the father of many branches.
Yours forever,
!. JONATHAN @. SMITH.