Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-05-20


and on three sides of the paper there ain't
any partickler connection its boots and
shoes, lard and lumber, hardware and dry
goods, and all mixed. A good many char.
ickters in that ere play, | says to my wife,
But then, woman's got more savey in
them things than man, which is supposed
to work all the time
Wont you 60 out shooting with us this
morning 2 asked the colonel.
4 rather guess not. l hain't been much
on the shoot O late. When / was younger,
| was reckoned the best shot in our town
but them days is fled and gone forever.
Ye'd better bear to the right, after ye git up
the canon, where it splits
And we left him watching US as we rode
away.
Over the brown, bare hills, guiltless Of
shrub or grass, rolling away to the north in
resstless waves. Crisp and brittle the turf
under our horses hoofs, the l;ttle puffs Of
dust rising at every step. Into their holes
tumbled .the nimble squirrels, throwing
quick glances over their shoulders. Now a
startled rabbit leaps out into sight, and
bowls away, unhurt by the sharp ping Of
the bullet. Warm pour down the rays of
the sun, burning and parching the earth,
and checking the haste Of our horses.
Lo! deer is seen in hollow, raising
his lead in air, and shifting at the intru-
ders. Just one stroke of the spurs and
away we skurry in quick pursuit. A young
one, scarcely showing horns, but he bounds
proudly on. Closer and closer we come, till
the painting animcl turns. Crack goes the
colonel's rifle, and, with bound, the tired
creature falls, with bullet i'll his shoulder.
Then the knite-and his life has fled.
Only one did we rise that day, and to-
ward nightfall, were only too glad to retrace
our steps p the house and sup on venison
steaks.
'Not much luck, to-day said Compasscs.
'One deer is little among so many
But the skill Of your wife makes US for
get the scarcity
We'll, gentlemen, that az wife is the only
comfort | ever had Clepsy is master
hand at fxins. There's some as has the
doin's, and hasn't the know-howin's and
many rich man can't set good table ;
but if your woman has the know-howin's, a
very little doin's is enough. Which words
is found in the tenth 'pistlc to the Calilor-
mans, or, howsomever oughter be-
whats that, Silas 2 interrupted the wife,
catching the last word. you quoting scrip.
tur', I'm eenamost astonshed, but likewise
pleased
Il didn't 60 fur 10 let you hear it; but no
harms done
wont you say il again, old man?'
It's no use TO sell your cabbages twice,
says |, and never repeats
Like Shakespeare inserted Fosco.
Hardly was the reply, followed by All
explanation.
'Waal,' continued Compasses, 'as I amt
no scholar, you must pardin me fur not TAX
in
"A man must have la.nin' to take them
things said Aunt Clepsy, as she took up a
dropped stitch in her prospective stocking.
Not everybody can get an eddication, and
there's some as don't profit by it. A boy
might read and spell like steam-engine,
without KNOWN how to milk and I've oft
en- thought as how eddication was like tun-
neling for blind lead ye don't knew how
much it's going to help ye. And if every
boy has trade, he's got somethin what no
drought can kill, and no flood wash away,
but is his'n eternally.'
Yer right there, Clepsy,' followed Com
passes. If had thousand and one boys,
Id give the odd one an eddicaton, and
give some trade to the others then they
wouldn't rise up agin me at the last day.
With his health and good trade, teller
can fight his way along, partickly in a
country like this
we sat in conversation some hours, and,
on breaking up the circle, announced to
our hosts our intended departure the next
morning.
'We're sorry 10 have ye 60, said Aunt
Clepsy, for we don't git many visitors now.
Its seldom where all the people is
But we may come to see you again, some
day answered.
There's nothing sure but death and the
taxes bu. we'll be glad to see you, if you
come
A long, sweet sleep after a latiguing day,
such as is enjoyed on the hills, in the invig-
Grating air, is a boon which we thoroughly
appreciated that night, and at early morn
ing were ready to start; and having parta
ken of hearty breakfast, bade adieu to the
old couple, and proceeded homeward, Won
dering much about the waves of circum-
stances that had thrown together two such
singular waits, and borne them TO that dis
tant spot.
1t was in the summer OF '553 that my law
practice took me again into that district !;
and, as ] sat in the hotel of the county seat, J,
! glanced carelessly at an old newspaper
that lay on the table My eye fell upon the
following item:
.SulclpE.-Luke Grant, formerly of Tex
as and proprietor Of the Mud Springs hotel,
committed suicide yesterday, at s o'clock a.
M, By shooting himself through the head.
He died instantly.
The paper was month old. could but
feel bad Cor Compasses and for his poor
wife, and, after the term Of court was finish
ed, rode over to this place. The old house
stood as of old; the garden bloomed still
and the brook babblcd as cheerfully as
when | first beheld it. Leaving my horse
at the fence, | knocked at the door and
Aunt Clcpsy met pc-but oh how chang
ed. Sorrow had plowed deep furrows in
the once smooth brow, and beneath her
pure white cap could see many a silver
line. She did not know me at first, but
when | recalled to her our former visit,
greeted me warmly, though her hand was
full of trembling.
You know he's gone, then; gone, and
left me behind, which never did leave him
for a single day. In The sun, and in the
storm, when tho wheels run well, and when
we was mired, we was always together, and
never once did we have a harsh word. We
never soured on each other onst.'
The poor woman's sobs choked her ut.
terance.
I've sarched the Scriptur, and tried to
git comiorted, but it don't come, she con
tinued. 'Foller me, and Iii show you where
we laid him.
Out in the garden, among the fragrant
flowers, was Compasses' graye-a simple
mound. A row of vole,s bordercd the
swelling earth, and the brook still sang its
song.
Not that | blame him much he was
tirel-trcd Of fghtin. Some mems lives
is continooal fight, and they has TO be
strong not to git underneath. But l loved
him.
When the heart broken woman somewhat
recovered, led tic way to the house and
rs we sat at dinner, she told me all how he
had left her, as usual how she had heard
the shot and found him dead. A short, sac
storv
Shall YOU continue to live here?' ask
ed, as | shook her hand, forced to hurr,