The Portland daily press., 1870-01-25
An Eccentric Yankee.

Grace Greenwood tells story o. uost ovoen+
ticut Yankee who was meyer as a royolnt;ofp,
when stirring about about lincoln m@ Jn' barmleSs
soyodlpnatured, storytelling old fellow, whom
every body was glad to see:
Though usually idle and vagabondish in his
habits, he was man of wonderful energy and
perseverance when once his spirit was up.
On one occasion, when he had extended a
ramble to the vicinity of Hartford, he found
himself at the ferry, opposite the city, without
a shilling in his pocket. He proposed to the
ferry nan to allow him a free passage, promis-
ing topay on his next visit. But the Yankee
Charon refused, with a churlish mo, mister !;
don't take you, nor no other old tramp for
nothin'. So down with your lhino, or clear
out"
WAL, them" exclaimed the old soldier,
you go to thunder with your old skoew! L
won't be beholden to you, or nybody of your
sort; for I'll just go round yer darnd old riv-
sr-see If l don'tr'
The ferryman laughed at what he took for
an idle threat; but some weeks later he was
accosted at the city landing by the same red
checked, rough-clad old soldier, who triumph
antly exclaimed
WAL, | have been reound your old river;
and here am in spite OF yeou, old skin-fint y
1t proved that he had actually performed
the exploit of following the Connecticut River
to its head-of going round it, in fact-with
no other incentive than the desire to show
himself independent of the ferryman.
On another occasion he applied for the loan
OF scythe, at the house OF neighbor, who
was bridge-builder.
"Pm rally sorry, Mr.. Lincoln" said the wife
Of the mechanic, THAT l can't accommodate
ye; but my husband amt to hum, ye see, and
he says to me, jest before he went away, Bet
sey,' says he, don't yeou lend nothin' Of mine
to nobody, not on no account while l am
gone So, Mr.. Lincoln, We see can't let that
scythe go, not even to yeou."
"Why, whereabouts is your husband,
marm?"
''Oh, he's way down in Pennsylvany, build
in bridge"
"Waal, / guess, if go deown, to where he's
to work, and get his consent, yell lend me
that are scythe."
"Sartin, Mr.. Lincoln. But, man alive, what
on airth du ye mean? l tell ye he's way
deown In Pennsylvany."
The old soldier laughed In his droll, know
1ng way, then questioned her as to the exact
locality of her husbands bridge-buiding oper-
ations, and took his leave.
That very afternoon he departed on one of
bis grand towers" with only a change of
linen, tied in a blue-checked handkerchief,
hsngng from stick over bis shoulder and
whistling cheerily as he left the dull of town
behind him.
About ten days Or a fortnight later he APP
peared before the astonished mechanic, ex-
claiming:
"Hullo, Billins will you lend me your
scythe for spell? That are wife of yourn
won't let it go without you say SO. Got her
pretty well under your thumb, hain't ye?
Or, mebbe she's afeared to cut friendship
tween her and me by lendin' an edged
tool"
Ten days later, Mrs. Billings was astonish-
ed TO see her eccentric neighbor appear, all
dusty and travel-worn, at her door, and to
hear him say quietly: "Yes, ma'am, yer man
says may take that are scythe; and it's high
time that little medder of mine was moved"