The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1869-03-29
TIE DOWN AsTER AND THE
''1'-''. f'' Bull. -s'N"'i f-'-t re
u. u -l;i m ~
A TEuE si0EY. y

s!,ry, ORA funny story; butl am Keen
~ swear that it is a true story.
What am about to ,relatc happened
in Aluscatine county, Iowa. midway be-
tween Iowa City !, the capitol Of til, Stale,
aul MuscatIuc Uity,u Furnishing town On
the NlississippitRNtr in Section 81 the
country called the Wnpsinoehock Settle
molit, from Ia crrekl bearingIlhut. nn!he,
shich runs through the settlement.
l. wassiu i52, laud that pa,.,ot Iowa
was then thinly -etsled) that ! found NY
self ut the Eagle llytel." in West ,LiEef-
ty.ia village Of some iye,iliuuses, about a
mile east Of Wapsinoepock Greek CIrapa
white; Noe --carti., noc-rcreek: literal
ly. white; enrth creek ,aul situated on u
beautiful prairie hollow, ."
SONG half dozen travellers and villagers
were l6hnging in front Of the ample irs-
place in the bar room; for though the
settlers hid oilya few days since finished
thcir9mrvest, the evenings were isu,ne-.
what cool, and u smull fire was necessary
to perfect comtort-,alking OF the pros
poets aud whether there was likely 10 be a
large emigration pass through to 0alifdr.
nia in'ths spring toibuy their!surplus feed
and'otkcr produce, when d now character
burst upon,the stage. Asthe door was
Auug open, oil eyes were fixed 'wtl.a
stare ofnstonishmept and wonder upun
tue new conner
The stranger was a tall, r9y.boned.
lan,ern;jawed individual, will aaxen
locks struggling about his shoulders. His
long, spindle legs were encase,l in blue
jeans, and he wore coatof the '.s.eel
pen cut" and in color what he would have
'lenoainated ''blue nut" vii, an OIL
cloth gap drawn 50 tightlXdown upon his
head',hatdt had the appearance ofbaylng
been pasted on. y 7ol - ~ :.
Then, what appeared most strange and
understandable was, that he was wrDging.
dripping wet Ills whi.eish. yellow ear
locks were parted downto his checks, and
rtreaks Of dirt marked divers miniature
wltercourses across his forehead and down
his'nose; water drirpcd from the chw
hammer tails of bis coat aud from the
wristbands Of tic same. YOn'his back he
carried an oil-eloth carpct-bag, securely
f,stehed by stout leather straps which
crossed upon his breast. - 1>f,s1 Z "a
Marching into ihe middle of tie ROOM
: with au immense clatter Of cow-l,ide boots,
llc.halted and east an iuqniring glance
arolinl the circle occupying behebcs 10
front Of the ire. Baglcy. The, landlord
of the Eagle arose, nodded and said !:
Good eve lin, sur" tia >'f's
Glow dye dcw?, Be yeou the land
lord O. this ere liouse?' 9" s''t" ?"
"Yes.r."aaii 40 Is llag.'i H5N
"Want t know! Reckon YOU couldn't
keep feIicr here, nor give him bite o
no,I,in' for supper, con!d yer!''
""Ycsr." f.5e ID - = - Y
Yer mean ter say .ye ken bed and
breakfast INC p .ili.sa.z s555t,, J
."Ycs.r." y ,@s
A"Gol darn glad to hear on't-an' il
yeou ken only just mix Teller little
suthin' hot au' strong, with good deal
Of rum int un'-but little water, it'll do
ME muzing site o good"
"Yes.r."
Strong, mind good deal o ticker,
You've got rum?'
s"Yes.r." ~ aIt at3 gf,lal Ittlt
"a good deal O rum in but little va.
tqr-s,itf. as the old deacon used to say,
stiff, Mr.. landlord" AZ
"Yes-r." ,.. .,,, !,
While the landlord was preparing his
rum, .tto.s,ranger stood in trout Of tile
tbar. with his pack still upon his back ],
evidently bent on seeing that tie correct
thing was done in the rum end water
minsling. Then having imbibei .'reg-,
ular snorter," he asked the landlord to
assist him to remove bis pack. l,l ,aa
This being done, he was about hand
ing bis carpct-bag over to the landlord to
put behind the bar, when he caught sight
II an immense rent in it. and tbercfrom
protruding the corners Of articles of cloth
ing in it. Az soon, us he made The dis
covery the bag fell front his hand, his
jaw dropped, aud a few seconds he stood
the very ilnage of despair. Atlength lie
reused himself, and striking his clenched
fist ugninst his forehead, lie exclaimed in
: avoice ofhcart.rcuding agony: -; ~ ~
"Ruincd, ruined, ruined Te.lotally
ruined, busted to smash! One hundred
and sixty acres Of the best land tina. ever
lay out doors, ripped dll to flinders Q,
Sarcr Ann, little knowest thou that We
are ruined, busted family Little ycou
thinkest thon art u begsa. o, Jerusa-
lem How shall | ever meet you siocp
this have been wrougll.ed. Artcr AL
our skrimpill' an screwin', an pinchin',
an turnin' and twistin'; arter sellin' the
two year old hefer an the nine shotes
and arter thou. o, Sarer Ann, goilI' to
church in cnliker. we're busted family
.. Jerusalem All, all, lost, gone III n
minnit 0, hcow little Jed an' Sarer
Ann, kin meet you"
This outburst from the tall Ynnkce
took us all by surprise We could not
imagine what had happened 10 cause him
SO much alarm and grief, for tie poor man
was absolutely beside himself with terror
md despair, aud tears were flowing plen.
tifully down lila brown wca,bnr .h.a,om