Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-04-21

06m CuIlStCucu bucLu-SeIOvc W CiAuO VIC
rudder. but were pushed of by the gold.
laced hirelings. How do these scriptural
prints get into such queer placess A half
dozen well whitfield chairs, and two
benches, that SHE'D up against the wall,
completed the furniture.
| We had hardly completed survey Of
our surroundings when We heard the
blast of horn, and close upon 1t, voice
shouting, "S-i-l-a-s! 6-i-l-asw
In answer thereto, there soon appeared
at the door the lord of the manor, sur
named Compaases. He had IN unmistak-
hTm attachment 70 his body, like limb
| TO the trunk of Q troe-and the boot on
his foot had al the close fitting symmetry
of the skin Of . baked apple upon the pulp
thereof The man, after gazing st IA,
somewhat in surprise, pivOted into the
room, entered the bar, and said, "Wel-
come, gentlemen. Take drink"
Though we were toleYably well &C
quainted with the spirits Of the frontier,
none Of us were fully prepared for the
pungency of the tipple, and had hardly re-
covered our breath when the lady reap
peared, and hastily setting . table, laid
thereon our supper, Of bacon, eggs, and
hapjacks, to which We did summary jus
tice and, when we had finished, 6lled our
pipes, and sat under the porch, in the
warm evening, where we were soon joined
by the host and hostess, both - well pro-
vided with tobacco - ourselves.
An odd couple, trulyi The man, . half
wasted form, with yellow, shaggy beard,
and An irregular 6uex Canal running
through his sandy hair; the woman, .
trim, neat body, and soft voice.
ave were much surprised 70 and any.
one living up here" remarked F0sc0, by
way Of beginning conversation.
$50 am ], when wake up In the morn
ing" growled out CompasseA
"Now, 6ilas, don't say that" remon-
strated his wife. "Yer hadn't orter be
discontented here; we live well enough,
and have no troubles. Yer hadn't orter
do It,"
"Waal, my life has been chock full of
hadn't orters, anyway; and sometimes
I've broken EN-, and sometimes not, and
II don't seem to make no difference"
ut amt never no good to buck agin'
things, Silas. Providence is unsartin in
his dispensatories, know and livin' lie
always q game Of p'rhaps, and when we're
young, il the p'rhapsest part of it, but
guess the Bibles true, and it'll all come
out right"
WAL, for my part, think Providence
Ii little mixed. It's no use talking of 1t
To me. I he'd brother once, a. would ha'
made good sheep-man down In Texas,
but he got religion, and played on the big
fiddle in church at first-which called II
the vol o. wrath-and the way he used to
squeak the wrath out o. that fiddle was
caution 10 frogs in the sluicc. Then Enos
took TO peachin'-preachin', went for
TO say, but somehow it's about the same
thing, for them pieus cusscs they gifts up
and peaches on their friends, and tells the
Lord all their shortcomes. Andif 40 how
we're all sinners, them fellers must kinder
turn States evidence. And after Enos
got to preschin', he tried to convert me,
but didn't convert 20 much a. might.
You needn't try 1t on again, Cleps. Each
of us does accordin' TO his light, and some
of us has TO sweat like niger under oath,
but the most of US is - bilks."
The last sentence came out like whip
lash-graceful and curling at first, and
ending in quick snap.
"Well. Silas, | won't dispute the pint be-
fore company"
"Have you lived here long'" inquired
Barkham.
"Nigh on six years now" answered
Aunt Clepsy.
I'VE come on from Texas, after that
dry year," added COmpasses. "Therc
was many of us as left that country in
them days; times was hard, and we was
seekin' better country, but it's about as
hard and droughty here a. anywhere
elsei"
But do you have much company
here ?"
"Trsvel amt overdone, but we gifts q
share. You must 'scuse me, gentlemen !;
I've got 70 look arter livestock, !" answered
Compasses, as he knocked the ashes from
his pipe and vanished around the corner.
"YOu mustn't mind what he says"
apolOgised the wife; che has had many
Disappointment. That there man has
been rich and prosperous; and since he
lost his money he has been unhappy.
disappointment hurts everybody. Outer
nally be many be the same, but his in
nards ID struck"
Shave you no children living with
youi"
1--WE never had only two, and one of
them lies in New Mexico, with his toes
pointing to the wild flowers. The other
one left us long time ago. His father
was ha 'sh to him, and he run away, and
went to Roosha. / hev heerd as how he's
been beknighted for building railroad
there, but I don't allow much upon it.
There amt no one but me and Sifas left
now, and I hopes we'll 60 together.
We've been like the 6yenite twins, almost,
and hadn't 6ughter be separated. And
6ilas has been good husband to me |;
there's good leads Ia him, though the out
croppin's is rough and badlike; and he
don'f mean half he saya Do ye mean to
stay with US longs"s
1--WE have not quite decided. II there
anything to shoot around herei"
mot much; folks usually does their
shooting among theirselves. Ye might
find deer or two, II we was lucky"
Atthigs point the host returned, and
proposed game Of "pitch- s6Yen-dp," TO
which all assented but myself, and were
soon engaged around rfckety table, deep
in the mysteries of sinches" and "potA"
any man 10 very fond OF that ere
game remarked the old lady; "but
don't like cards ginr'ally. Cards and
drinkin' 60 together, and many young
man il broken with them. / hev known
young men to be bull.drivers, and risin'
In tho world, fetched clean down by pison.