Litchfield enquirer., 1870-08-04
than an old file; folks said that he'd starv-
 ed himself till the moon d shine through

than an old file; folks said that he'd starv- ed himself till the moon d shine through him.
 'Old Black Hoss was awfully grouty about Miry's reft,sin' Tom Beacon, cause there was his houses and lots of land in Boston. A drefful worldly old crittul Black Hoss John was; he was like the rich fool in the Gospel. Wal, he's dead ard gone now, poor crittur, and what good has it all done him? It's as the Scriptur' says He heapeth mp riches, and knoweth not who shall gather.them.'
 Miry had pretty hard row to hoe with oll Black Hoss John. She was up early and down late, and kep' every thing go- in.' She made the cheese and made the butter, and between spells she braided handsome straw hats and fixed up hel clothes; and somehow she worked it SC when she sold herbutter and cheese thai there was somethin' for ribbins and flow CTS; you know the Scriptur' says, Can z maid forget her ornaments? Wal, Mlry did n't. I remember I used to lead the singin' in them days, and Miry she used te sing counter. so we sot pretty near to- gether in the singers seats; and used tc think Sunday mornin' s when she come to meetin' in her white dress and her rec cheeks and her bonnet all tipped off with laylock, that twas for all the world just like June sunrise to have her come into the singers seats. Them was the days that I did n't improve my privileges, boys, said Sam,a signing deeply. 'There was times that eff I'd spoke, there's no know. in what might Tt a happened, cause you see, boys, I was better lookin' in them days than be now. Now you mind. boys when you grow up, eff you get to waitin on 8 nice gal, and you're most mind tc speak up to her, don't you go and put il off, cause eff you do, you may live to re- pent it.
 Wal. you see from the time that Bill Elderkin come and took the academy, could see plain enough that it was time fol me to hang up my fiddle. Bill he used tc set in the singers seats, too, and he would have it that he sung tenor. He no more sung tenor than skunk blackbird, but he made b'lieve he did, jest to git next to Miry in the singers seats, and then they used to be writin' backward and forward to each other till they tore out all the leaves of the hymn-books, and the singln books besides Wal, I never thought that the house of the Lord was jest the place to be courtin' in, and I used to get con sid able shocked at the way things went on atween lem. Why, they'd be writin' al sermon time; and I've seen him lookin at-her all through the long prayer in way that wa'n't right, congiderin' they wal both professors of religion. But then, the fact was, old Black Hoss John was te blame for it, cause he never let 'em have no 0Ilo fn Va a11 Hoss he was sot ag'n Elderkin cause he was poor. You see his mother, the ole Widdah Elderkin, she was jest about tho burne. and went out tct days works, ant Bill EIderkin he was .ell for books an6 larnin,' and old Black Hoss John ht thought it was just shiftlessness; but Mi ry she thought he was genius, and sht got it sot in her mind that he was goin' tG be President O the United States, or some sich.
 Wal, old Black Hoss he want none too polite to Miry's beau in gineral, but whe1 Elderkin used to come and see her he Wal snarlier than a saw; he hadn't a gooc word for him no ways; and he'd rake ul the fire right before his face and eyes, anc rattle about fastening up the windows, anG
 
 ber-stairs to Miry to go to bed, and wa' sort O aggravatin' every way.
 Wal. eff folks wants to get gal set or havin' man, that ares the way to go te work. Miry had consid able stiff will O her own, and eff she did n't care abou Tom Beacon before, she hated him now and so she took to goin' to the Wednesday evening lectures, and the Friday evening prayer-meetin, and the singing school jes as regular as clock, and so did he; anG afterwards they alters walked home the longest way. Fathers may jest as we'll lei their gals be courted in the house, peacea ble, cause if they can't be courted there they'll find places where they can be: it's jest human natur'.
 Wal, come fall, Elderkin he went tc college up to Brunswick; and then I used to see the letters as regular up to the store every week, comin' in from Brunswick and old Black Hoss John he see 'em too and got way of droppin' on 'em in his coat-pocket, when he come up to the store, and folks used to say that the letters that went into his coat-pocket did n't get to Miry. Anyhow, Miry she says to me one day. says she, 'Sam, you're up round the post office a good deal,' says she. T wish if you see any letters for me, you'd jest bring lem along I see right into it. and l told her to be. sure would; and so us. ed to have the carryin' of great thick let, ters every week. Wal, I was waitin' on Hepsy along about them times, and so Mi. ry and kind O sympathized. Hepsy was a pretty gal, and thought it was all best as t was; any way, knew I-could n't gel Miry, and could get Hepsy, and that made all the difference in the world.
 Wal, that next winter old Black Hoss was taken down with rheumatism. and tell you if Miry did mt have time ont He wa n't noways sweet tempered when he was well; but come to be crooked up with the rheumatis and kep' awake nights, it seemed as if he was determined there should nt nobody have no peace so long as he could n't.
 He'd get Miry up and down with him night after night maxim her heat fan. nels and vinegar, and then he'd jaw and scold so that she was eeny most beat out. He would n't have nobody set up with him, though there was offers made. No, he said Miry was his daughter, and t was her bisness to take care on him.
 Miry was clear worked down; folks kind O pitied her. She was strong gal, but there's things that wears out the strongest. The worst on t was it hung on so. Old Black Hess had most amazin' sight O con- stitution. He'd go all down fo death s door, and seem hardly to have the breath O life in him, and then up he d come ao'in1 Thasa 'ere old folks that nohodv