Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-04-15

wasted form, with yellow, shaggy beard
and an irregular SueE Canal running
through his sandy hair the woman,
trim, neat body, AMI soft voice.
I'VE were much surprised 10 find any
one living up here" remarked Fosco, by
way of beginning conversation, "a
SO am L when wake up in the morn
ing" grcwled out Oompasses.
"Now, Silas, don't say that" remon
strated his wife. "Yer hadn't orter bt
discontented here; we live we'll enough
and have no troubles. Yer hadn't orlei
do it,"
"Waal, my life has been chock.ruil d
hadn't orters, anyways and sometimes
I've broken 'ein, and sometimes not, and
1t don't seem to make no difference"
1t amt never no good to buck agin
things, Silas. Providence is unsartn in
his dispensatories, know, and livln Is
always a game of p'rhaps, and when we're
young, is the pfhapsest part of It, but |
guess the Bibles true, and it'll all come
out right"
WAL, for my part, think Providence
is little mixed. It's no use talking of il
TO me. l he'd brother once, as would ha'
made good eheep.man down in Texas
but he got religion, and played on the big
the viol O. wrath-and the way he used to
squeak the wrath out O. that fiddle was
caution to frogs In the sluice. Then Enos
took to peachin'-predchin' | went for
to say, but somehow it's about the same
thing, for them pious cusses they gifts up
and peaches on their friends, and tells the
Lord all their shortcomes. And if as how
we're dIL sinners, them fellers must kinder
turn States evidence. And alter Enos
got to preachin', he tried to convert me,
but didn't convert so much as | might.
You needn't try it 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-
fose company
Have you lived here longS" inquired
Barkham.
Nigh on six years now," answered
Aunt Clepsy.
"We come on from Texas, after that
dry year." added Oompasses. "There
was many of US as lett that country in
them days; times was hard, and we was
seekin' a better country, but it's about as
hard and droughty here al anywhere
else2"
but do you have much company
hereS"
"TraYel amt overdone, but we gifts a
share. You must 'scuse me, gentlemen !;
I've got to look arter the stock, 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; "he has had many
disappointments. That there man has
been rich and prosperous; and since he
lost his money he has been unhappy.
Disappointment hurts everybody. Outer
nally he many be the same, but. his in
nards is struck"
"Hsve you no children living with
your"
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 q long time ago. His father
was hash to him, and he run away, and
went to Roosha. hev heerd as how he's
been beknighted for building a railroad
there, but l don't allow much upon it.
There amt no one but me and Silas left
now, and l hopes we'll go together.
We've been like the Syenite twins, almost,
and hadn't oughter De separated. And
Silas has been a good husband to me !;
there's good leads in him, though the out
croppin's is rough and badlike; and he
don't mean half he says. Do ye mean to
Stay with us long?"
ave have not quite decided Is there
anything to shoot around here ?"
"Not much folks usually does their
shooting among themselves. Ye might
find deer or two, if ye was lucky"
At this point the host returned, and
proposed game of "pitch-seven-up," to
which all assented but myself, and were
in the mysteries of "sinches" and "pots."
"My man is very fond of that ere
game" remarked the old lady; "but
don't like cards ginr'ally. Cards and
drinkin' go together, and many young
man is broken with them. hev known
young men to be bull drivers, and risin'
in the world, fetched clean down by pison.
And it seems to run in families. There
was Mary Flint, in our town, had rattle
of seven boys, and one arter another took
TO drinkin,' and died. think that if the
men as makes laws would license drinkin'
places and gamblin' places, and make peo-
pie do them openly, there wouldn't be so
many drunkards; cos folks always hank
ers arter what they're forbidden to get
Are ye all from San Francisco?"
All but one of US, who Is from China" "
Ye don't say from China l wonder
if he has ever met my son there; amt
China contagious to Rooshap"
"Not very; great many miles between
them"
"Sinched, by Moses !" here interrupted
the old man. "Look a-here, Cleps, don't
never say no more TO me about luck. This
yer gen'lman has had two clatters of four,
without takin' breath. | do believe as
how that Recording Angel of yours has
never scratched nothing but sinches
agin' my name. I've had enough of this
game"
Compasses rose from the table, and re-
filled his pipe, and seemed to be trying tc
relieve his mind by vicious pulls at it.
Gen'lmen, ever since God borned me-
everything has petered out. Fust, was
cleaned out by the drought in Texas
Then was captain of dug out ferry up
on Snake-eye river, and was doin' well
when the chaps put up job on me as
bust the rifle again. Them cusses used tC
keep span of clothes on each side of the
river, and pick up a big rock in theiI
arms to hold 'em down, and wade across
That let me out in navigation. And senSt
I've been here, my stock is alters running
away, and my ricks burning down, till I'm
cen Almost worn out"
"You must have been rather tried by
all these things" ventured Fosco.
"You may say that boldly, sir. Tried IL
a good word. I've been for years in the
frying pan, an I'm only skimmin's."
"Dont you remember, Silas, of tha
story of Job, which was the unfortunates
man in the Scripture"
"Yes, does and I'm very much lik,
Jobs off'ox. Well, it's gettin' nigh on Il
bedtime, and I'll say goodnight"
We were not 10th to retire, and sool
were rolled up in our blankets; and W,
thought Compasses must have been II
better spirits, for, ere we fell asleep w
hearI a voice singing the well-knowl
ditty:
"Jean Baptiste, pour quol,
jean Baptiste, pour quol,
Oh, Jean Baptiste, pour quoi, pour quoi,
You trod on my little dogs tail, by gar"
When morning dawned, however, ou
host was as moIose as ever, and to our in
quiries as to the night-melody, CAV
answer:
"lt's that cussed Canadian of a felle,