Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1863-06-04

where our Yankee was standing.
"Oh, no, no; holy Jerewsaem eli twas
nothin' else but that Oh, murder, MURDER
1 dasen't hardly think on'tl There's poor.
poor, Sarer Ann, feelin' so proud, and talkln
to little Jed about our fine new home on the
prairies. Just like me and her uste often do,
an here o, Jewdas is hull quarter section
of the neatest land in Iowa gone to everlaSt-
ing smash !"
The poor fellows feelings now completely
mastered him, and he hid his face IN MS
hands and sobbed like child. His last
words, however, gave me clue to the mys-
terry, and taking his carpet bag. | comme"c-
ed hauling out shirts, vests, and handker-
shiefs all throughly water soaked. till at the
bottom found carefully rolled bundle.
Mr.. Yankee had now controlled his grief,
and stood near by. with his hands on his
knees, bending over me in breathess suspense.
Unrolling a hickory shirt, found within
large brown paper parcel, and within that
a handkerchief carefully pinned, and within
it package done up in newspaper. On
opening the newspaper, found what had
expected at fr,t-a land warrant for 1G0
acres government land, all snug and dry.
1t is almost useless to attempt to describe
the extravagant joy of the Yankee. The
moment that this land warrant was safe and
sound, he gave a perfect howl of delight, and
snatching it from my hand, he pressed 1t to
his bosom, as he mi sht have done Sarer Ann,
had she been present, and with tremendous
strides commenced pacing back and forth
across the room. 1t seemed impossible Tor
him to he still an instant.
"Goiy to God!" cried he-"glory to the
most Highest Sarer Ann, all our scrimpin'
and savin' amt in vain ! Go on with yeour
talk-plan and kalkerlate! Take little jed
on yeour knee and sing In the evenln
when yeou 90 out to milk, look to'rd where
the sun is. and think-that I've happy
home Your Peleg's there he'll hev the
land and we'll be happy yit The steers is
saved the shoats is all right! the heffer amt
gone in, and old Barney is bound to count !!
O felefs! yeou see in yeour midst the happy
head of er family-you witness joyful hu-
"If you will excuse my interrupting you,
sir, and it is fair question:" said |, chow
did you come to get into this sorry pickle 2
Excuse the question? Sarting, sar:ins,
sir! Tell yer all the partike!ara-a full ac-
count! Jewdas what narrer escape that
question did hev!'
"Well, but let's have the story"
"Yaas, sarting, sarting. Wal, gents, my
name is Peleg Snodgrass, son Of Deacon Elc-
azer Snodgrass, from down in Maine, on"
"Never mind that. Tell US how you got
SO wet"
"Yaas, sartingl Well you see back hnr
bout a mile beyant the Nookvernoseof
Creek. was wakin' along as happy as
lark, lookin' abeout over the prairers thinkin'
how beautiful the great All Bein' had made
TIE world, and what awful taters this sile
would raise, when ] see a big drove o cattle
list one side l wur admirin' as heow fat
aud slick they wur. an lookin' at their good
pints when an almighty great brindle bull
jumped up out'n the tall grass and begin tew
shake ,.,s alfred great curly head an better
an switch his tail an paw the sile over his
back. concluded it wur best tew let on
likes eff | want afeared aud SO begin to
whistle "Rake er deown SAL" and other good
chunes, thinkin' as heow I'd slip past the
blasted ole cuss; bu: jist as | got oppersite
he gin snort, an begin tew walk tor'd me,
stoppin onct in while to fetch rake in
the sile with his fore feet l put in few
quick stops 'beout then, but was afeared to
run. CO. knowed cf did he'd feel encouraged
Putty soon he begin to come on the trot, and
then I let out in kinder canter Then he
rise to lope, an seein' it wur no use a waitin
for him to quit, / loosened these ere legs o
mine an come down to my best time.
l looked about for suthin' to climb, but
there wur, in the cussed prairers an not
pea-stck tew be seen higher than mile a
head, heow did want to stop right there an
cuss the blasted prairers. l gin glance
over my shoulder end see the everiastin' cuss
with his nose deown an his tail up, comm
list Oh the dead lay down, and let my legs
count another notch The chase wur nip
and tuck till | got near the creek, when
see that the bull wur maxim little grain
the best time-te wur only 'beout a hundred
yards behind me. Lord, Jehossy fat !! but
felt queerish when / wur starting he wur
gaining, it Civ me sich skeer that my heart
'peared to dissolve in dishwater and n y legs
kinder lost their feelin' SO couldn't rum
But could see lot uf trees ahead a little
ways, an eff 1 could hold eout three mnits
longer I'd be in 'em. looked back and,
the sufferin' Moses ef tie bull want in twen-
ty feet o me, his eyes all green and his nos
trils locked like l mite put my head IN
'em-an' as red as a belt Of new flannin.
got almost to the creek, when l found the
timber wur all on the oppersite bank from
me, an the bull SO close could almost ieel
his breath on my back. ! thought OF my
f.,..-I,, &, that offal t;ma oes T-sFareWell,