The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-04-14

1
vlded with tobacco as ourselves
An odd couple, truly! The man, a half
wasted form, with yellow, shaggy beard
and an irregular Suez Canal running
through his sandy hair the woman, a
trim, neat body, and soft voice.
1--WE were much surprised TO find anv-
one living up here" remarked Fosco, by
way OF beginning conversation
80 am |, when wake up in the morn
ing growled out Compasses
Now, Silas, don't say that" rcmon-
strated his wife, "Yer hadn't orter he
discontented here; we live well enough.
and have no troubles. Yer hadn't ortcr
do it."
"Waal, my life has been cbock-full of
hadn't orters, anyway; and sometimes
I've broken 'ern, and sometimes not, and
1t don't seem to make no difference"
:" 1t amt never no good to buck agin'
things, Silas. Providence is unsartin in
his dispensatories, l know and livin' is
always game of p'rhaps, and when we're
young, is the p'rhapscSt part of it, but |
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 of it
to me. l he'd a brother once, as 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 it
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 '-preachin', | 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
r H. IL. Il
we're 0It Sinners them fellers must kinder
turn States evidence. And after 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 acc0rdin' to his light, and some
of us has to sweat Ike niger under oath,
but the most of us is - bilks."
The last sentence came out like a whip
lash-graceful and curling at first, and
ending in quick snap.
"Well, Silas, l won't dispute the pint be-
fore company"
"iIave you lived here long2" inquired
Barkham.
Nigh on six years now," answered
Aunt Clepsy.
we come on from Texas, after that
dry year." added COmpasscs. "There
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 as anywhere
else?"
but DO you have much company
herc?'
"Travel amt overdonc, but we gifts
share. You must 'scuse me, gentlemen;
Eve got to look artcr the stock" answered
COmpasscs, 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
disappOintments That there man has
been rich and prosperous; and since he
lost his money he has been unhappy
appointment hurts everybody. Outer
nallv lie many be the same, but his in
nards is struck"
"Havc 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 bcknighted for building railroad
there, but | don't allow much upon it.
There amt no one but me and Silas left
now, and | hopes We'll go together.
We've been like the Sycnite twins, almost,
and hadn't oughtcr be separated. And
Silas has been n good husband TO me
there's good leads in him, though the out
croppin's is rough and badlkc; and he
don't mean half he says. Do yc mean to
stay with us long,"
"We have not quite decided. Is there
anything To shoot around herc?'
"Not much; folks usually does their
shooting among themselves. Yc might
find deer or two, if yc was lucky"
At this point the host returned, and
proposed game of pitch-seven-up," to
which all assentcd but myself, and were
soon engaged around Il rickcty table, deep
in the mysteries of sinchcs" and "pots."
My man is very fond of that ere
game, remarked the old lady; "but |
don't like cards ginrally. Cards and
drinkin' go together, and many q young
man is broken with them. hev known
young men To he 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 a rattle
of seven boys, and one arter another took
to dlinkin,' and died | think that if the
men as makes laws would license drinkin'
places and gGmblin' places, and make pco-
pie do them openly, there wouldn't be so
many lrunkards COS folks always hank
ers artcr what they're forbidden To get
Are We all from San Francisco?"
"All but one of us, who is f.Om China"
Ye don't say from China | wonder
if he has ever met my son there; aln't
China contagious to Roosha?"
"Not very a great many miles between
them"
"Sinched, Gy Moses :" here Interrupted
the old man. "LOok here, Clcps, don't
never say no more to me about luck. This
yer gen Imam has had two clattcrs of four,
/ without lakin' breath / do believe as
+ how that Recording Angel of yours lr,s
never scratched ,nothing but sinches
agin' my name. I've had enough OF this
! game"
Compasses rose from the table, and re-
/ filed his pipe, and seemed to he trying to
/ relieve his mind by vicious pulls at it,
"Gen'lmen, ever since God borned me,
F everything has petered out. Fust | was
/ cleaned out by the drought in Texas.
/ Then was captain OF dug-out ferry up
T ON Snake eye river, and was dom well,
\ when the chaps put up job on me as
bust the rifle again. Them cusscs used to
I keen a span of clothes on each side of the
river, and pick up big rock in their
arms to hold 'em down, and wade across.
I That let me out in navigation. And sencc
/ 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" vcntured Fosco.
You may say that boldly, sir. Tried IS
a good word. I've been Tor years in the
frying pan, an I'm only .skimmin's."
Don't you remember, Silas, of that
story OF job, which was the unfOrtunatest
man in the Scripture"
Yes, does; and I'm very much like
Jobs ofiox- Well, it's gettin' nigh on to
bed d-tme, and III say good night"
We were not 10th to retire. and soon
were rolled up il. our blankets; and we
I fhpnnhf (fnp1 no cCpQ must houo -.