Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-10-19

but the point at g issoo."
SALT PoNT, Feb. 10, 1867.
]. BILLINGS, ESQ.,:
am instructed by our ASSOCIATION
to inquire of you, and solicit reply,
if you could read discourse before
our lyceum this winter, and, If SO, at
what time, on what subject. and upon
what terms.
Most respectfully yours,
EZRA SMITH, Cor. Sec'ry.
PoKIpsY, Feb. II, 1867.
SMITH, MI DEAR:
This day, at 10 o'clock a. m, cum
in contact with your letter, and was
real glad tew hear from yu. How do
you like being Cor. Sex. ov Ly. As
soci? 1t is a light, pretty dizziness,
and don't require much capital.
Let me ask you if you are any re-
lashun to Jake Smith, the halter. If
you are, forgit it, for Jake is com.
mon cuss.
The Smiths are good family, and
prevail more permiskus than emmy
kind ov folks that l kno ov, but it
would be unnatural in the highest il
thare want sum, WHARF they was so
thick, that was wuss than the rest.
Did yu ever read history, Ezra? If
yu didn't yu will be serprised teu hear
that John Smith married Pokerhontas,
the daughter of Powhattan, the injun
boss.
The way this happened was SO:
Smith was about getting slowed, when
Pokerhontas went in, and fell flat on
him. Old Powhattan Civ it up, and
Pokerhontas had Smith, and Smith
settled down and went into the iDjun
Dizziness, in small way, on his own
hook.
This is the grist ov the story.
Tis one ov the most affektingest
transactions on file.
Yu ought teu read history, Ezra;
it will learn yu informashun, and give
yu a knolledge ov edukashun.
forgot tew state that John Smith
lived somewhere in pensylvany, at the
time his transakshun with Pokerhon-
tas took place, and if he amt dead
probably lives there now. Thare is
one fust rate thing about history; it
is alwuz true; if it amt true, it amt
history, so if you larn it onst, yu nev-
er have tew unharness.
But most poetri, and piktorials, and
novels he wuss than an cast wind
the fuller man gifts ov them over
night, the more room thar IL in him
the next day, for sum more.
John Smith, who had the transak-
shun with Pokerhontas, had an i'm
mense invoice of boys; tharc IL l3 ov
that name in our town this morning,
besides several who have either died
or gone to Denver City.
Did it ever strike yu, Ezra, that
death was one Nv the most remarka-
BILE things that could happen tew a
man?
A man may be ritch, and kno his
tory just like slapjacks for breakfast,
and be handsum, able to lift a ton
without thinking, but death beats awl
these just as easy as bitin crackers.
Death seems to be as far as man
can git; when a man acquires that
thoroughly, his ambishun seems to be
| satisfied.
One man may be ritcher, and lift
more than another, but he kant be any
more deader.
am glad thare is one thing in this
world, that is enuff for man.
Speaking Nv man, Ezra dew yu con-
slider him a suckcess yet or has he
got tew try again?
History has good deal tew say
about man, that don't allude tew his
suckcess.
| Adew, Ezra,
Yures, full ov oats,
JOSH BILLINGS.
p. Sill do it for seven dollars
and thirteen cents. J.B.
P. s.; P. S.; Time, Jany the onst
]. B.
P. S.; IS; s.; Subiec, The
Fleetiness Nv Things. J.B.
The BULL SNAKE.-Although il
abounds upon our western prairies, is
very little known to naturalists. Il
grows to length of about ten or IL
feet, is very thick in girth, and strong
and bold. 1t never attacks man, but
haunts the neighborhoods of the wild
outlying prairie farms, the poultry
kept on which in such abundance
seems to form an irresistible attrac
tion to this great snake, as, indeed
poultry generally does to all other
reptiles of its kind. 1t is terribly vo
racious, and, what is most rare in
snakes which are not venomous, will
kill and destroy for the mere sake oil
killing. A bull snake in large hen
roost will in a night do as much mis-
chief as will require three months
Matching to repair. Once, when dri-
wing out with a friend to visit sta.
tiop on the prairies a good deal west
of the Mississippi, l drove over one
of these snakes in the long tangled
prairie grass, which was then, more
than four feet high. The shock bis
bulk gave almost upset the light
buck board" on which we rode
We turned at once and saw a large
dark mass of bull snake writing bis
dirty black coils in the agony of q
mortal wound. He was evidently
quite helpless to escape or live, so w
| jumped down, and with the outs Of
our whips beat what little life remain
ed, ont of him. Yet till the last blow
!, he fought US with fierce hissings ant
!, attempts to bite, and would no doub
have made serious resistance had b,
!, not been SO injured to start WITH
His length was nearly eleven feet, ant
his jaws, or rather mouth, contained
, four rows of teeth, all small, but al
intensely sharp pointed, and crooked
! and curving backwards. None Of
! these, of course, were venomous; bu
the wound they would infict woul,
J be very severe from the multitude Of
small deep decorations. The jaw
were exceedingly powerful; but ther
| rms nofhsnn suhofounr n, A. .-ou