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

ting q table, laid thereon our supper, Of
bacon, eggs, and Aapjacks, to which we did
summary justice; and when we had finish
ed, filed our pipes and sat under the porch
in the warm evening, where we were very
soon Joined BY the host and hostess, both
as we'll provided with tobacco as onrsel-
| yes.
An odd couple truly! The man, half
wasted form, with yellow, shaggy beard
and an irregular Suez canal running
through his sandy hair; tho woman trim,
neat body, aud soft voice.
| I'VE were much surprised to find any one
living up here,' remarked Fosco, by way of
beginning conversation.
so am l, when wake up in the morn
ing growled out Compasses.
NOW, Silas, don't say that remonstra-
ted his wife. yer hadn't orter be discon-
tented here; we live well enough, and have
no troubles. Yer hadn't sr;er do it,
'Waal, my life has been chock full Of
hadn't orters any way; and sometimes |
have broken them and sometimes not, and
it don't seem to make no difference
1t arn't never no good to buck agin'
things, Slas. Providence is unsartin in
his dispensatories, know; and livin' is al
ways game OF perhaps, and when we're
young, is the perbapsest part of il, but l
guess the Bibles true, and it'll all come out
right
'Waal, for my part, think Providence is
little mixed, It's no use talking to me.
| | had brother once as would ha' made a
good sheep-man down in Texas, but he got
religion, and played the big fiddle in the
church at first-which called il the viol
O wrath-and the way he used to squeak
! the wrath ont O that fiddle was caution
TO the frogs in the sluice. Then Enos took
to preachin | went for to say,
but somehow its abou. the same thing, for
them pious cusses they gets up and peaches
on their friends, and tells the Lord all their
short-comes. And if as how we are all sin
ners, them fellers must kinder turn states
evidence. And after Enos got to preachin,'
he tried to convert me, but | didn't convert
| as much as l might. You needn't try it on
again, Cleps. Each Of US does accordin' to
his lights, and some Of rs have to sweat
like q niger under oath, but the most of
US is-bilks.
lash-graceful and curling at trst,-and
endlnS III quick snap.
well, Silas, l won't dispute the pint be-
fore company
Have you lived here long?' inquired
| Barkham.
Nigh on six years, now answered Aunt
| Clepsydra.
I'VE came on from Texas arter that dry
YEAR added Compasses. There were
many Of us left that country in them days;
| times were hard, and we was a seekln'
better country, but It's about as hard and
dronghty here as anywhere else
'But do you have much company herc?'
'Travel ain't overdone, but we gets
share. You must 'scuse me, gentlemen;
! I've got to lock arer the stock, answered
| Compasses, and he knocked the ashes from
his pipe and vanished around the corner.
you mustn't mind what he says apollo
gized his wife; he has had many disnp,
pointments. That there man has been rich
and prosperous, and since he has lost his
money, he has been unhappy. Disappoint
ment hurts everybody. Out formally he
NAV be the same, but his innards is struck
Have you no children living with you?'
we never had only two and one Of them
lies in New Mexico, with his toes pinting
TO the wild flowers. The Other one left US
long time age. His father was ha sh to
him, and he run away, and he went to
Roosha | hev hecrd as he's been be-
knighted for building railroad there, but
don't allow much upon it. There amt
no one but me and Silas left now, and !
hope we'll go together We've been like
the Syenite twias, almost, and hadn't orter
be separated. Aud Silas has been good
husband to me there's good leads in him,
though the outcroppins rough and bad
like; and be don't mean half he says. Do
pou mean to stay with us long,?
I'VE have not quite decided. Is there
anything to shoot around hereY
Not much; folks usually do their shoot
ing among themselves. You might find
deer or two ifyou was lucky
At this point the hos. returned, and pro-
posed game Of "pi,ch seven-up," to which
all assented but myself, and we're soon
engaged around rickety table, deep in the
mysteries Of "sinchcs' aud "pots.'
MY man is very fond Of that ere game,
remarked the old lady, 'but l don't like
cards in'rally. Cards and drinkin' go to-
gether, and many young man is broken
with them. | hev known young men to be
bull drivers, and risin in the world, fetched
clear down BY pison. And it seems to run
in families. There was Mary Flint, in our
town, had rattle Of seven sons, and one
arter another took to drinking, and died.
think that if the men as makes laws would
license drinkin' places and gamblin places,
and make people do them openly, there
would not be SO many drunkards, eos folks
L.. ,i,ot -;
den to git. Are ye all from San Francis
COZ
'All but one of US, who is from China
'Yo don't say from China! ! wonder if
he has ever met my son there; amt China
contagious to Roosha?'
Not very; great many miles between
them
'Sinchcd, by Moses here interrupted the
old man. Look-a-here, Cieps, don't never
say no more to me about luck This yer
| gen 'leman has had two clatters Of four,
without takin breath. do believe as how
that recording angel of yours has never
scratched nothing but sinches ngin my
name. I've had enough Of this game
Compasses rose from the table, and refill
ed his pipe, and seemed TO be trying to re-
1CV0 MS Ullnu pl SICiouS Puuo.
"Gen'lemen, ever since God bcrned me,
everything has petered out. First, ! was
cleaned out by the drough, in Texas. Then
was captain Of a dug-out ferry, upon
Snake.eye river, and was don' well, when
the chaps put up a job OF me as bust the
rifle. Them cusses used to keep span OF
| clothes on each side of the river, and pick
| up big rock in their arms TO hold 'em
down and wade across. That let me out
in navigation. And sence I've been here,
my stock is alters running away, and my
rcks burning down, till I'm cen a most
worn out" :,
"You must have been rather tried by all
these things" vcn,ured Fosco.
"You may say that boldly, sir Tried is
rood word. I've been for years IN the
irving pan, and I'm only ski'hmin 81
Don't yor remember S'las, OF that story
of Job, which was the uniortunatest man
III the SCRIPTURE p :,
ayes. does; and am very much like
Jobs off OK. Well, it's gattln' nigh on to
bed time, and I'll say good night.
We were not 10th to retire, and soon
we're rolled up in our blankets; and we
thought Compasses must have been IN bet,
Ter spirits, for ere we fell asleep. we heard
n voice singing the well-known ditty =
"Jean Baptist pour quoi
Jean Baptiste, pour quoi;