The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-07-27

fingered about the cool places of tn
woods, or shimmered over the swee
clover blossoms where the field-lark
piped and the ladened bees rose heavil,
to seek their homes. BY this time
, was known by everybody that MI
Golding would soon bring on stock O
} "dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes,
and set up store" in the old corne
brick but Big Medicine knew NOR
than any of his neighbors, for he ant
Golding had formed partnership.
This Abner Golding had lately been {
prominent retail merchant in Cincinnati
but had failed, saving only the meres
remnant of his goods and few hundred
dollars. Thus he came to Jimtown t,
begin life and business anew.
The week had been long one t,
David Cook big Medicine): why, i
would not be easy to tell. He was Otter
standing out before the corner bricl
gazing up at one of the vacant windows
where pieces of the broken lattice were
swaying in the wind; and occasionally
he muttered to himself,
"Ther's where fust seed the gal"
Four big wagons Qoaded with boxes,
three of them containing the store goods
and one the scanty household furniture
OF Mr.. Golding and his daughter Carrie
came rumbling into Jimtown. Big
Medicine was on hand, perfect Her
cules at unloading and unpacking. Mr.
Golding was sadly pleasant, Carrie was
roguishly observant, but womanly and
quiet.
In due time the goods were all placed
on the shelves, and Mr. Golding's house
hold furniture was carried into the upper
rooms, where he purposed living, Carrie
keeping house.
On the first evening after things had
been put to rights, Mr.. Golding said to
Big Medicine:
"I suppose we ought to advertise"
"Do bowT
Advertise"
Sartinly," said Big Medicine, though
he had not the faintest notion of what
was meant.
"Who can we get to do our fence-ad-
vertising?"
A CLEAN of intelligence shot into the
eyes of Big Medicine. 40, know what
ye mean now! I'll find some feller
what'll do the thing" he said then,
after musing few seconds, he added,
with start and a curious grin, "The
moon shines tonight, don't it 2"
"Yes why 2"
"Tll do the paintin' to night. llfixit.
So the thing was settled, and Big
Medicine was gone all night.
The next day was one sluice of rain.
1t poured necessarily from daylight till
dark. Big Medicine sat on the counter
and chuckled. His thoughts were evil
IDENTIFY very pleasant to himself. Mr..
Golding was busy marking goods, and
Carrie was helping him. The great
gray eyes of Big Medicine followed the
winsome girl all the time. When night
came, and she went up stairs, he said to
Golding:
THAT gal of yourn is a poorly little
thing"
"Yes, she's all 1 have left" replied
Mr.. Golding in sad tone.
Big Medicine stroke his brown beard,
whistled few notes of a jig tune, and,
jumping down from the counter, went
out into the drizzly night. A few rods
from the house he turned and looked up
at the window. A little form was Just
vanishing from it.
"Ther's wher fust seed the gal" he
muttered, then sighed and went his way.
1t is quite probable that no fence ad-
vertisements ever paid as we'll or stirred
up greater "muss" than those painted
that night by Big Medicine. If space
permitted 1 would copy them all for
your benefit, but must be content with
a few random specimens, taken from
memory, with an eye to brevity. On
Deacon Jones's fence was scrawled the
following: "Dern yer ole gizzard, eff
ye want cheep coffy, go to Goldin' an
Cooks new store" John Butler, a nice |
old Quaker, had the following daubed |
on his gate: eye thievin' duck-legged, |
va and ma ole cuss, eff the sperit moves
ye, go get broad-rim hat at Goldin' an |
Cooks great stand at Jimtown." The
side of William Smiths pig-pen bore
this: "Bill, ye ornery sucker, come and
traid with Goldin' an Cook, corner
brick" Old Peter Gurley found writing
of the following import on his new
"Ef yer dry or anything,
yell find virtooous kag of rye Ticker in
the back room at Goldin' an Cooks"
On large plank, nailed to tree at
Canaan's Crossroads, all passers-by saw
the following: "Git up an brindle
Here's yer old and faithful mule Come
IN, gals, an get yer do-funny tricks and
ixins, hats, bonnets, parrysols, silk petty
,oat-sleeves, and other inducements
Rip in, we're on it! Call at Goldin' an
Cooks great corner brick"
Some people swore, some threatened
% prosecute, but finally everybody
aughed, and went to the corner brick
% trade. Jimtown became famous on
account of the corner brick.
The sun rose beyond the quagmires
If Jimtown, and set past the ponds and
md maple swamps to the west. The
Winds blew, the weather was fine or
'ad, the herons flew over, the blue-birds
wittered and flew away, the pee-wees
vent and came, till whole year had
oiled round, and now the brick store
lourished, and there was a talk of a
abroad through Jimtown.
During this How of time Big Medicine
lad feasted his eyes on the bright curls
nd brighter eyes of Carrie Golding till
is heart had become tender and happy
s child's. They rarely conversed
lore than for him to say, " Miss Garry,
ook there" or for her to cry out.
Please, Mr.. Cook, hand me down that
olt of muslin" But Big Medicine was
ontent. .- .. /,
1t was June again, about 10 O'Clock.