Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-10-15
g boarding ArOnnd.v

years ago, Whcn l nlgntcu NJ INC uOOI
of Mr.. Philip Clarkson's farmhouse, and
the wagon and the friend who took me
there drove away. was a young man,
aged 49, who was driven by circumstances,
| and by want Of cash, 10 teach n district
/ school. The directors In the town Of Su.
gar Loaf had hirtd me at $25 month and
my board, IN lieu Of which l agreed TO
continue teaching their school for four
months. Tint wps what took me TO MIR.
| Clark sons lie Mas the director who had
| hired nc / was TO board at his house
| first, and then circumnavigato the district
I propose now 10 narrate my experience
while making this grand tour.
Mr. Chrkson owned a farm, Mr. Clark
sons wife owned her husband, and Mr..
and Mrs. Clnrksons two children owned
Mr. and Mrs Clarkson. Mr.. and Mrs.
Olarkson's two children were, therefore,
the owners of the entire. establishment.
The first thing was asked TO do after en-
tcring the house wis TO kiss the eldest,
mn Obstreperous little tormagant aged 3. ]
survived the operation, and thought had
performed my whole duty 30 Sally, Jr.--
she was called after her mother or her
mother after her | don't know which
but discovered my mistake when Mrs.
Clarkson gently insinuntcd that her first
UOIn WIS UNllNHiillff ullAt h0hA'i NV ~ 4 hii
not think go. OF course, thought so,
pro tona., for if had any doubts upon the
subject, and / rather think ] had, they
were hidden in the mysterious rccesses Of
my bosom. / wanted 20 bc popular, and
was fully prepared 10 agree with every
body on everything. Sally, Jr., was placed
in my arms TO nurse, while her mother
was getting supper aud her father doing
the chores. found had my hands full.
She may have been very handsome, but
certainly she was equally troublesome, ii
not more So
Her beauty did not compensate for her
badness by any means. | was doing my
best to preserve The peace of the family
by dandling Sally, Jr., on my knee, and
making faces at her, when cry from the
cradle showed that the sleeping partner
of the firm had awakened At the request
of Mrs Clarkson | undertook to rock the
cradle with my feet, retaining the precious
Sally, Jr., in my arms all { @ time. My
hands and feet were both full. Sally, Jr.,
had thicyish propcnsties wonderfully de-
vclopcd for one of her age, and in flt of
abstraction she stole n cigar out of my
vest pocket, and, mstaking II for stick
of candy, began 10 suck il with all her
might. While my attention was engrosscd
by little TOMMY, who, by the'way accord
ing 10 his mother was tho dead image of
her husband the beauty in my arms bit
off the end of the cigar, and, rs it was
never seen aftcrwHrd | have always been
under the impression that she swallowed
IT, She was ono Of the youngest clcwcrs
of tobacco / ever was acquainted with.
Whatever was the cause of it,, the young
lady took sick forthwith. Then trouble
began. She grew pale with remarkable
mpidity. | timidly suggested to Mrs.
Clhrkson that Sally looked as if she were
thirsty, and recommended the application
of water internally. by this time Sally
looked very bad indeed. l got alarmed.
Tommy began to yell, for ceased rocking.
| thought Sally was fast approaching the
condition of corpse.
Believing that l. would he more salts
factory to both parties, and to myself, that
she should die in her mothers arms, told
Mrs. Clarkson that If she took Sally,
would look after the ham she was frying
In the kitchen She must have thought
up to this time that was joking about the
water, and Sally being thirsty, for Sally
attracted no attention She was weak
and sick, and awlully quiet. Poor little
thing, pitiod her. Had she died would
never have forgiven myscl Anyway,
Mrs. Clarkson responded to my second in
vltation and came into the parlor. She took
one glance at Sally. Her maternal in
stinCts were at once aroused. She snatched
her from my arms. In tone of alarm
she asked me what was tho matter.
plead ignorance. She proceeded to make
n diagnosis. One symptom which in my
confusion had escaped my eye attracted
her notice. Sally clenched the remains of
the cigar in her chubby fingers, Mrs.
Clarkson immediately informed me that
was villain, almost began to believe
it, She accused me of attempting to poi
son her darling, did not bolieyo that, She
said was no nurse. | fully believed that.
informed her that | understood was en-
ploycd as u school teacher. Also, that my
experience as housemaid and nurse was
very limited for one of my years. This
dialogue was over in far less time than it
can be told. All this timo the ham sizzled,
slzzled, szzled, and Tommy bawled
bawlcd, bawled Mrs. Olarkson rushed to
the door and yelled for Tom, which meant
her husband She told him to come quick,
that Sally was dying. lie rushed in cx-
cited, with n horscwhip in his muscular
hand did not like that There was
something ominous in the appearance OF
the whip. A whip in the hands of fond
father, under such circumstances, was, to
say the least, alarming. Not that had
any fear of n tagelation. oh no, not n
bit. ! was brave, though little timid. |
got as near the door rs possible. | had u
presentimcnt that II was the safest place.
| was not a hit afraid 1Aough.l Oh no, not
morscl. My hand .went mechanically
towards the door knob and turned 1t. |
thought little cool air would be good for
Sally, All this whilel was not bic afraid
The whip had no tcrrors for me. These
tritljng occurrences took place in the
twinkling of y star My retreat open, |
took up position by the stove in the kitch
en-. The sizzling at the ham was music to
my ears. In the meantime Mrs Clarkson be-
gan to weep and intcrpolated between her
sobs words which when arranged closely
and consccutiyely informed Tom, Sr., that
had poisoned Sally, that had made her
chew tobacco and her peroration consisted
OF n command to her husband to casiigate
me, and he need not spare the whip, MS
she was willing 70 sacrifice II to punish
me Her mNgnanimity and reckless OK
travagance astonished me- However,
Tom needed no encouragement or incite.
mont to induce him To chastisc me- He
was raging had no fear all this time,
oh no, not hit was glad, though, the
NNnI was open, lOm ralScU lnC Wnln
and rushed towards me. Even at this
demonstration | was not bit afraid. I
picked up the frying-pan, because |
thought the ham was nearly done, and
made for the door. The whip came after
! me and Tom hard Ri(er IT, lust outside
the door dropped the frying pan. The
handle was too hot to hold any longer,
This manuauvre stepped TOMS progress
| for a moment and uaVp mo TINA In clear
the fence. Away down the road ms fast
as legs could travel went, and Tom after
me. was not a bit afraid though. Not.
withstanding, | kept running until Tom
| gave up the chase.
Tom went back with doctor to Sally.
| got lodging in ncighboring house.
The next morning Tom was at tho school
and 80 was the whip, The story travelled
all over the district Tom said il I ever
entered that school II would be over his
body and the whip, Twas not u bit afraid,
hut still never went near the school, |
lost the job, l left in disgust, fully con.
II VIII hat 60