The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-02-21

s,andin one day upon the banks of the
inlun river, wouderin in my mind who
would come next to gladden. our hearts,
when | saw the shadder Of an ohiek a
darknin the sun lit bank. 1t wer not
load Of hay nor an elefant, but shore enuf
It wer my frend Big John, moviu slow
ly, but surely, to the dug out landing on
the opposite side. Ills big round face
assoomed more latitood when he saw me;
and Without waitiu for remarks he sung
out in voice some two slaves deeper
than the Southern Harmony--
"There came to the beech poor exile Of
Erin"
"Make him .Jd!," said J, "and vou'I
fl the bill" Prouder to see him than
a monkey show, padded the dug out
over in double quick aud bid him welcurn
in the name f the e.ernal city aud it,
humble Inhabitants. soon got him
adoat in the little canou, and before | was
aware Of il the water w's clo,hiug over
the gunneIs a. every wabble. Lay
down, my freud," sed I, and lie laid.
which WAS all ,hst saved us from watty
grave, ard the nAb,orin farms from in
undation. When safely landel | found
him wedged in so tight that he confident
Use, go relieved him by ap'j>. with the
eend Of the paddle. As his foot touched
the sakrel soi! he gently separated biz
couuleaauce and sung with iee,in neIo.
d..
"uome agsin-home az sin-f ON isrrin
shore.
The Yanks may cum and the devil too, but
I'll hot run any IN ore"
Recoieclin some skrars Of blank verse
myself, | said With much sksent. "reil
me thou swift Of foot-ihou modern
AsatsI-O Oh tell me- where is Thy chariot
and steer Where didst thou 90 when
did see the driving like Jehu ss We did
flee for life"
"'il tell you Sll'--sed be II want my
trends 10 know It. I'm now a man Of
war, Bill, aud I'm glad Of it. I've done
the state some ssfvis aud shs knows it.
I've handled guns guns, weepins Of
deIh. I've slept on my arms since seed
you-niga, after night hav slept on my
arms, with hundreds Of deadly weepirs
al around me. All Bill, Patriotism i, n
bis thing. When YOU once treaks tho
ice, grea, sluices of glory as big as your
arm will jest spring up like mushrooms
in your buzzum, and make you feel Ike
throwin yourself clean away for your
country. Let me set down and Ill tell
you all know, Bill, bat "a the teller
said in the theatre, "~hen YOU in your
letters 6ese unIucky deeds relate speak
Of me as am-no,hing expatiale nor Sc,
down hot in malice"
Jest 60" sed I. "exAaktly-eyaakly
50. "ProseeI, my hero"
"Well you see night n!!er you passed
me, my steer got away. Hang the dc
seevin beast! hunted smar;ly for him
the next morning, but I hunted more
forerds than backwards. Leavih my wag.
in with a wider woman, took it afoot
across the country by asetlcmert road
they called the "cul off" Devil Of cut
of it was TO ms. ! broke down iu sigh,
Of little log cabin, and never novel
foot further that day. The old man bad
chuGk Of nag that worked in u slide.
| psrswaded him TO haul me TO the eend
OF tho cut off, aud know he done il for
fear I'd eat up bis smoke house. Every
now aud then he'd look at the old oman,
and she'd look ut the smoke house aud
| then look at me. But that sIidin bisness
were the most orfullest irayeIin that
ever hsv had. Every time the pony'd
.ook back he'd stop, and when bed start
again he Glib such jerk tLat roy confetti,
were in danger. Ny hol, broke on one
okka,hun, goin down hill full Of gul.
lies. rolled some twenty fee, into the
edge Of the woods, aud cotch up agin an
old pine stump that was fall ofyaller
jackets. Three ofthe dinsd things stung
me before could rise, but got Though
the cut off, and fell in with soma empty
wagins that was stampedin my way.