The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-02
How PEBBLES asked the Old Man.
EY JOHN QUILL.

lift ont of bachelordom, and she had said
eyes" 1t therefore became absolutely
necessary to get the old mans permission,
so, as PEBBLES said, that arrangements
night be made for hopping the conjugal
twig.
PEBBLES said he'd rather pop the inter
rogatory to all Of old Mcrriweather's
daughters, and his sisters, and his female
cousin, and his aunt Hannah in the coun-
try, and the whole Of his female relations,
than ask old Mcrriwcathcr. But it had to
be done, and so he sat down and studied
out speech which he was going to dis
gorge to old Merriwcathcr the very first
chance be got to shy it at him. SO Pee
blcs dropped in on him one Sunday eve
ming, when ali the family had meandered
around to class meeting, and found him do
ing sum in beer measure, trying to cal
culate the exact number of quarts his in
terror could hold without blowing the head
off cf him.
GLOW are you, Pccb ?" said old Mcrri-
weather, as PEBBLES walllc1in As white as
a chunk of chalk, and trembling as if he
he'd swallowed condensed earthquake.
PEBBLES was afraid to answer, because he
wasn't sure about that speech. He knew
he had to keep his grip on it while he had
it there, or it would slip away from him
quicker than an oiled eel through an anger
hole. So he b'urted right out
"Mr. Merriwcather Sir, perhaps it may
not be unknown to you, sir, that during an
extended period of some five years l have
been busily engaged in the prosecution OF
q commercial ENTERPRISE -'
"Is that SO and keepn' it a secret al
the time, while thought you was tcndin'
store? Well, by George, you're one OF
cm, now amt you?"
PEBBLES had 10 begin all over again to
get the run of It.
Mr.. Mcrriwcather: Sir, perhaps it may
not be unknown TO you that during an cX-
tended period of some five years | have
been engaged in the prosecution Of COM
mercial enterprise with determination
rs procure sufficient maintenance --'
"Sit down, Pceb, and help yourself to
beer. Don't stand there holding your hat
like a blind beggar with the paralysis
What's the matter with yon, anyway! I
never see YOU behave yourself 50 in all my
born days
PEBBLES was knocked out Of time again,
and had 10 wander back and take fresh
start.
"Mr. Mcrriwcather Sir, it may not be
unknown to YOU that during an extended
perjod Of some five years | have been
engaged i'll the prosecution OF L CONNER
cial enterprise, with the determination to
procure a sufficient maintenance -
ga which aucc? ~ asked old Mcrci-
weather; but PEBBLES held on to the last
word like it was his only chance, and
went on.
"In the hope that some day might en-,
ter wcdlock, and bestow my earthly pos.
! sessions upon one whom | could call my
own. | have been lonely man, sir, and
have felt that it is not good for man to be
alone: therefore -"
"Neither is it, PEBBLES, and I'm al
fred glad you dropped in. How's the OLD
man ?"
"Mr. Mcrriweathcr, sir" said PEBBLES
in despairing confusion, raising his voice tc
veil, ait may not be unknown to you
that during an extended period Of lonely
man | have been engaged to enter wed,
lock, and bestow all my commercial enter.
Prise upon one whom | could procure tC
be determination to be good for sutli
cient possessions-no, | mean-that is
that-Mr. Merriweather, sir, it may not bt
unknown -"
And then again it may. Look here
PEBBLES, you'd better lay down and take
something warm, you amt we'll"
PEBBLES, sweating like a four-year OLD
colt, went in again.
"Mr. Merriwcathcr: Sir, it may not bt
lonely for you 10 prosecute me whom yor
can call friend for commercial maintc
nance, but-but-oh, dang it-Mr. Merrl
weather; sir-it-"
"Oh, PEBBLES, you talk as wild as jack
ass. / never see Il more trSt-class lido
in the whole course Of my life. WHAT
the matter with you, anyhow ?"
"Mr. Mcrriwcathcr, sir" said PEBBLES
in an agony Of bewIderment, " it may no
be unknown that you prosecuted a lonely
man who is not good for a commercial pc
riod of wedlVck felt Tor some five years
but"
"Sec here, Mr.. PEBBLES, you're drunk
and if YOU can't behave better than that
you'd better leave. If you don't, pl
chuck You out, or Pm Dutchman."
"Mr. Merriwcather, sir" said PEBBLES
frantic with despair, cit may not be IN
known to you that my earthly possessions
are engaged TO enter wedlOCk live years
with sufficiently lonely man, who Is no
good for q commercial maintcnancc-'
"The bloody deuce lie isn't. Now yor
lust Git up and git, old boss, or I'll kuocl
what little brains out of you you've go
left"
With that old Mcrriwe&ther took Pee
bles bv the shirt collar and the part OF hi:
pants that wears out first il lie sits dowr
| much, ard shot him into the street, as /
he had lust run against a locomotive going
at forty miles al hour. Before old Merri
weather had chance to shut the from
door. PEBBLES collected his legs and one
thing and another that were lying around
on the pavement, and arranged himself il
vertical position and yelled out:
"Mr. Merriwea,her: Sir, it may not be
unknown TO YOU - which made IN,
old man SO wrctchCd mad that he wen
ont and set . hull,tcrrirr on PEBBLES be
fore he had chance to lift a br0gan, and
there was u scientific dog fight, with odd:
in favor OF the dog, until they got 70 the
fence. and even then PEBBLES would have
carried bull-tcrr;er home, griped like
clamp on to bis leg, If it Aadn't been tina
the meat was 100 tender, and the dog, feel
ing certain that something or other mus
eventually give way, held on until he go
his chop Oh of PEBBLES calf, and Feeble!
went home halt pound lighter, while
Merriweathar asserts 10 this day that the!
had 10 draw al the dogs teeth 10 get Tie
flesh out Of his mouth, "for nc had an a".
ful hold for such small animal"
OF course Merriweather's daughter
heard aOont it, ard She was 50 mad that
she never navc the OLD man shy peace un.