New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-08-16
HOW PEEBLEs ASKED THE OLD
MAN.

PEBBLES had just asked Mr. MeTriweather's
daughter If she would give HIM lift out OF
bachelordom, and she bad said yes 1t
therefore became absolutely necessary to
get the old mans permission, so, as PEBBLES
said, that arrangements nigh. be made tor
hopDing the conjugal twig.
PEBBLES SAID he'd rather pop the inter
rogatory to all of old Merriweather's
daue hters, and his sisters, and bis female
cousin, and his aunt Hannah in the country,
and the whole of his female relations, than
ask old Merr weather. But it had to be
done, and so he sat down and studied out
speech which he was to disgorge TO old
Merriweather the very first chance he got
to shy it at him. So PEBBLES dropped in on
him one Sunday evening, when all the
family had meandered to class meeting,
and found him doing a sum III beer meas
ure, trying to calculate the exact number
of quarts his interior would hold without
blowing the head of OF him.
How are you, Peeb ?" said old Merri.
weather as PEBBLES walked in as white as
piece OF chalk and trembling a. if he had
swallowed condensed earthquake. Pee
bles was afraid to answer because he
wasn't sure about that speech. He knew
he had to keep his grip on it while be had
it there or it would slip away from him
quicker than an oiled eel through an anger
hole. So he blUrted right out:
Mr.. Merriweather cir. Perhaps it may
not be unknown to you. cir, that during an
extended period OF some Eve years have
been busily engaged in the prosecution Of
a commercial enterprise
'Is that so, and keeping il secret all the
time, while l thought you was tending
store. Well, by George, you're one of 'em
nov, amt ye
PEBBLES had to begin all over again to
get the run Of il.
"Mr. MerriweatheT, sir. Perhaps it may
not be unknown to you that during an eI-
tended period Of come five years,I have been
engaged in the prosecution of a commercial
enterprise, with a determination TO procure
a sufficient maintenance y
"Sit down, Peeb, and help yourself to
beer. Don't stand there holding your hat
like a blind beggar With the paralysis.
What's the matter With you any way /
l never see you behave yourself so IN all
my born days"
PEBBLES was Knocked out again and had
to wander back for fresh start.
Mr.. Merri Gather, sir 1t may not be
unknown to you that during an extended
period of some Eve years l have been en-
gagged 10 the prosecution of a comm -rcial
enterpri-e, with a determination to pro-
cure a maintenance"
"a whichance p asked the old Merri-
weather; but PEBBLES held on to the last
word, as if it was his only chance, and
went on
In the hope that some day might enter
wedlOck, and bestow my earthly posses
sions upon one whom | could call my own.
have been lonely man, sir, aud have felt
it Is not good for man to be alone there
fore"
Neither Is it, PEBBLES and TN all
fired glad you dropped in. How's the old
man ~
"Mr. Merriweather, sir,' said PEBBLES,
in despaiFing confusion, raising his voice
to yell, lit may be unknown to you
that during an extended period of lonely
man have been engaged to enter we'd
lock, and bestow all my commercial enter.
prise on one whom could procure de-
termination to be good for sufficient
pOssessIon-no, l mean, that is-thdt Mr.
Merriweather, sir, it may not be I'M
known
"Aud then again 1t may. Look here
PEBBLES. you'd better lay down and take
something warm; you Amt we'll"
PEBBLES, sweating like four-year old
coalt, went in again
"Mr. MerriWeaher sir; ii may not be
lonely for you to prosecute me, whom you
call a friend, for commercial maintenances
but-but-oh, dang it-Mr. MerriweAther;
sir, it,"
"Oh, PEBBLES, you talk as wildly as &
jaekGss. l never saw q more first-olas'
idiot in the whole course ofmy life. What;
the matter with you, anyhow"
"Mr. Merriweather, sir," said PEBBLES il
agony Of bewilderment sit may not be un
known to you that you perseeute {
lonely man who is mot good for a CONNER
cial period OF wedlock Tor some five years
but"
"See here. Mr.. PEBBLES, you're drunk
and If you don't behave better than tina
you'd better leave. If you don't III
chuck yon ont, OF I'm Dutchman."
''Mr. Merrlweather, SIR" said PEBBLES
| frantic with despair, sit may be unknown
that my earthly possessions are engaged Il
enter wedlUck Eve years with sufficiently
lonely man who is not good for cOmmercia
maiutennuce-"
''The bloody duece he isn't NOW yog
just git up md git, old boss, or I'll knocl
what little brains out of yoa that you "
got left."
With that old Merriweather took Pee
blss by the collar and shut him into thi
st eet as If be had just run against loco
motive going at the rate Of forty miles al
hour. Before old M-rriWeaiber had q
chance to shut the front door, PEBBLE
eollected hls legs aud one thing aud an
other that were living around on the nave