The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1862-12-19
EEoENEzs's LETTERING. 9.
BEAR Cow, WISE Co., Va,
Dec. 18th. 1862.

BEAR Cove, WISE Co., VA,
Dec. 10Th, 1862.
Mr.. Coaze f. Barr-I felt a little mad and
little sorry both, about as much one as tother
and more too, when | got two OF your papers al
ter I sent you MY first letter, and didn't ind 1t
in either OH 'em. ] wish you had printed it as
soon as you got it, for I've great work to do,
and not much time to do it in, and it wont do
me no good to stand up at the last day and say
it wasn't my fault, for ought to begun long
ago, and then my letters would bin printed be-
fore now. But you did print the letter at last.
and I'm surprised to hear that some people got
riled at it, and wanted to bet fifty dollars that
one of you rit it. 1 don't know whether that was
a compliment to you or me, but / think [ can rite
my own letters without akin you or anybody else
to help me. don't know what right anybody
had to git mad and bite himself for | didn't
name nobody, but one or two fellers thought the
cap would fit 'em, and put it on without bein
axed to. One Teller sed he didn't take it to his
self at all, but it ment somebody, and was a
scandal. I'm glad he felt it, it he does think it
didn't mean him. and it reminds me of what old
DR.. Blunderbuss used to say about saIts-it
won't do no good unless it makes rumpus in
the nards, and gives feller the whcngleaeppers.
l don't exactly understand the meanin of that
word, for its Latin or Irish, don't know which,
but it expresses my lneanin whether understand
or not So if the letter didn't mean that Teller,
it gin him the whanglefappers, and that's all /.
wanted.
Well, after my adventure in the cellar and the
Government Office, knocked round good deal,
to see how things was Workn on your side CINE
rally. went into a store, where a man had q
cZ,aw of tobacker in his mouth about as big
hen egg, and ses to him, ses |, what have you
goe to SELF Not much of nothin, SEES he, wall
lupin the tobaekeg round in his mouth like
iumplin bilin in a pot, but I've got little SIGH
as it is. What do you ak for that calico with q
red stripe in it, ses l? dollar and a half a
yard, ses he. Why, ses I, it looks old and rusty,
as if you mout a had it before the war, when
'sich goods sold for a ninepence. What if did,
ses he, is that any reason why / shouldn't have
the rise Of the market? In course it is, ses |,
unless you're prepared to argy that extortion is
right. I.1on't call that extortion, SEES he. but =
fair and honest way of dealin. The article is
worth what / AK because it is scaee, and can't
be replaced for three or four times what it cost
me before the war. That reasonin won't do at
all, ses /, unless it's right. for to ok all he
can git under any circumstances. You're akin
me more than a thousand per cent. for what
you'd bin glad to sell at fifty per cent. year
OF two ago, and if that amt e1tortion, don't un
derstand the Bible and old Lincoln Amt YAM
kee, that's all. He wolluped the tobacker round
on tother side of his countenance, put his hands
in his britehes pockets and walked off whistlin
Hail Columby, and started ont beleivin that it
was as trne as preachin what the man with the
dirty face and spectickles told me, that [ hadn't
seen the worst extortioners by ajugfui.
I next went up some steps where they had
books, and paper, and blum, and combs, and
pins, and so FORTH to sell. There was a nifty
sharp-set lookin little Teller there, that didn't
have much to say, but like the Dutchman's owl,
he seemed to be bissy thinkin, and walkin about
and lookin at his feet, as if he didn't know whe
ther they was feet or two twin toads that had
hoped into the house. See here, SEES |, what
do you AK Tor blum? A dollar a ounce, ses he.
And what do ak for them louise traps SEES |? A
dollar and half a piece, ses he, lookin sorter
sour to be questioned. See here, my little man,
SEES /, have yon got any heart in you or is it oil
gizzard? He straitened up, and looked sorter
sideways at me Ike turkey lookin at snake,
and ses he if you don't like the price you needn't
buy the indigo nor the comb nuther. If you
don't keep 'ern to sell, SEES |, why in the devil
don't you take your sign down, and then nobody
won't be fooled? Jist then in come a man with |
black clothes on like apreacher, with spectickles
on the eand of his nose and crooked cane in his
hand, and flew round Like a kitten after its tail.
[ soon seed that he was boss Of that shop, and
taought I'd sec what he was made of. See here,
Mister |, cant you sell feller louise trap
for less than dollar and half? No, SEES he, it's
nifty high, know, but they cost me high, and
I'm obeeged to sell EN- high, to make both cends
meet. You mout do that, and ak heap less
than dollar and half, SEES /. But can't ses
he, and If gentlemen don't like the price, they
amt obleeged to buy. But they are, ses |, for
I've bin here till Pm gittin lousy. and nobody
else amt got no traps. That Amt my fault, ses
he, and if you can't stand my price, you'll have
to take your craWlin cattle home with you and
cross the breed | wasn't goin to be insulted that
way, and SO ses l to him. SEES /, if everybody was
like you and that feller down the street with five
or six chaws of tobacker in his mouth, the Yam
KEGS would whipped us long ago, and we'd now
be subjuggled people. He walked off singin,
That mercy to others show
Is plenty good for me,
and scooted out with my hand on my pocket |
book.
Well, after these troubles, got out Gineral
jackson, and thought I'D take turn among the
country people, to see IL couldn't find some lin
sey heard that Mrs. Skinfnt had heap. So !
i went to her house, and after sayin howdy and
talkin a little, ses I.Mrs. Skinhint, what do you
think of the times awful, isn't they? Nifty hard,
SEES she, people is akin SIGH normous prices for
things don't know what you think, Mr. Hor-
ner, but it's my notion the bad place amt half
big anuf for the people that'i have to 60 there,
and sometimes think the bad man will have to
git up a revival before heap Of people will be
fit to go there, for they're wuss than he wants