The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-09-27

he's offered and made anuther being, you
can't make him enything but sarvant.
These fellers, like that white cravated
chap, who was jest here, and who employ
their time sendin' flannel shirts and tooth
picks to the wild niger in Afriky, don't
know nothin' more about niggers than
they do bout the interior of The arth.-
You might preserve all the brains they've
got in drop of brandy, and they would
have as much sea room, as tadpole in
Lake Superior"
"Wal," ses Linkin, ses he, "Majer,
let's drop the niger jest now, as | want
to ask you whether you think the rebils
kin take Washington p oval" ses I,
"KerneI, that depends upon strutegy agin.
Eff you keep Ginnerals in the field who
don't pay any attention to Zines Of retrete,'
afore you know it, Kernel, that Teller
with Stonewall in his name, will be
around on the North side of the White
House, aud I'm afeerd my Zine of retrete'
to Downingville will be cut off," "That's
so, Majer, and my retrete to Springfield
may be hard road to travel.' When
Linkin made this remark, he looked on
easy. / didn't know what to say, so [
did jest what alters did in that case, 1
whistled I! SEES Linkin, ses he, "Majer,
are you whistlin to keep your courage
up?' SEES I, "No. Kernel, amt afeerd
a mite, but" ses l, "Pm in what old Dea-
con Doolttle calls quandary." SEES he,
"what's your quandary? "Wal," SEES l,
II was thinkin what I would do eff the
rebils should take Washington"
The Kernel didn't say nothin for about
minute. He looked very serious, and
finally, ses he, "Majer, we're in a tight
place, an there is no use denyin it, but it
don't do any good to get into a fit of hys-
tericks about it." eyes," ses I, "Kerucl,
but it makes me feel solemn to see this
CRATE Old Ship of State knockin around,
an, may be, jest reddy to sink" "Wal,
Majer," ses the Kernel, "that remark re-
minds me of story. A good many years
ago, an old Teller, free an easy chap,
around steamboat on the Missippi river,
| an he was CRATE fiddler He had nothin
to do, an ginnerally went up an down the
river on the boat, spendin his time in fd-
din, an tellin stories One day the boat
struck a snag, an was fast film with water.
The old Teller was in the cabin sawin
away on his fiddle when the boat struck,
but he paid no attenshin to it, but kept
rite on fddlin. Finally, one of the pas
sengers came in an told him that the Cap
tain warn't tryin to save the boat as he
ought, an that she would be lost in ten
minutes. WAL ses the old Teller, she's
been losing concarn for FIVE years. and
he kept on 6ddlin. Pretty soon another
rushed in, and screamed out, She's settlin
very fast 4 wish she'd settle with me
before she goes down, an still he kept on
fddlin. The next that was seen of him
lie was swimmin ashore, with his fiddle
under his arm an the bow in his
mouth. Now, Majer, if they take Wash
ington, and the ship sinks, aoe'H scins
.ashore!i !"
/ dyes ses I, "Kernel, and / suppose
you will take the niger with you, jest as
that old Teller did the fiddle, for the mig
| ger has been the fiddle your party has
played on p
| The Kernel didn't seem to like this APP
plication Of his story, but he didn't say a.
word. I feltvery solemn, for | couldn't
help feelin eenamost like cryin when 1
thought how this crate mashin might all
be shipwrecked afore we know it, by a set
of fellers who have been SO taken up with
the nigger as to let the country go to de-
struction.
i Iwentt to bed that mite with heavy hart,
and he'd a terribul aGwck Of bilyusness,
which had to take nigh onto a gallon Of
!. elder bark tea to cure. Sence then, I've
/ been better, an if God spares my life I'll
keep you posted about cur nashinal affairs
as long as there is nashin.
I; % Yours till deth,
Il WA z eS MAYER JACK DOWNING.