Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-01-18
Local Correspondence.
PATcHENyILLE, Jan. u, 1871

/
Mr. EDITOR Winter has fairly set in
the shedding is excellent, and our lumber
men are swinging in the timber rapidly, al
ready the river bank is well filled and plent,
more to come out of the woods yet.
Meantime at leisure intervals our youns
folks are enjoying themselves getting uI
surprise parties, ETC.
Il becomes my painful duty to announce
a division In the hitherto united ranks o.
astonishment dealers This much to be
regretted event happened one night last
week. party was organized with the
grim determination of astounding quiet
family residing near Cherrytree. They sail
ed happily up the river together. No one
who gazed upon their shining evening face:
dreamed that ere another sun had cast
streams of golden light through the green
pines, that little band would be arrayed
against each other in deadly warfare. But
such, alas was the case: 1t came about in
this way: One of the Burnside feller was
conducting that very interesting play called
gallant murmured something about foul
play. He said somebody was gittin' all the
girls, and somebody else wasn't having any.
So he proposed that the party should play
| charades, and suggested as subject Stay
ing month after schools over" e. OBJ
jected to this, saying that 1t would take an
acre of house room TO work the charade
out. well then we'll peel the willow"
said Patchenvile. II won't peel the will
low, bnt [ Il peel somebody's ostril if this
thing ain settled pretty quick, murmured
the doctor. We tried to compromise but in
vain, the breach grew wider, and finally the
down river party whirled their team up to
the door and called all passengers to be ready
in five minutes. The Patchenville party
seeing their late friends were bent on leav-
ing thought they would honor them with
musical surprise. In view of this they col
lected all the tinware around the pramises
and commenced a performance compared to
which the boiler shops in Altoona on busy
day is calm and serene. My, oh my, but
didn't they rattle. Of course [ was riled,
for was with the retreating party. l stood
up in the sled and attempted to speak, but
In vain, the noise was SO great that L could
not hear my own voice. Finally they stop
ped a moment to get wind, and then l ad
dressed some of Poe's fine poetry to the
good natured young lady leader, hoping thus
to pacify her:
ION desperate seas long want to roam,
Thy hyacinth hair. thy classic face,
Thy naiaa airs have brousht me homo
To the glory that was Greece,
And the grandeur that was Rome "
just then the doctor, totally exasperated,
struck the horses with the whip and they
bounded forward while | rebounded back
ward. My centre of gravity struck the
centre of the road with tremendous force.
[ never studied astronomy or | would have
taken some notes, for stars innumerable, es-
corted by long tailed comets, sailed across
my disordered vision. | held the two bow
ers and ace and OF course played it alone.
Now twilight lets her curtain down
And pins il with q STAR
Happening in Burnside yesterday found
invitation cards in circulation. Procuring
one send you copy:
Com pliments of the two Pats of the
Short Division Surprisers, to Mr.. and lady,
solicits their company at surprise party to
be given at MIR. Line of demarka.ion at
saw mill run, none 'a1ed' south OF that
nett S meady at p. m. Singing on the
way down, "Old Rodgers of Amsterdam,
the tinker man" by the company. ''Sher-
mans march over Beaver Run, by Guss
and Jim Connen. ''Soap suds over the
fence by Mrs. Maloney, the authoress,
who will accompany the party"
Appended to the invitation cards is the
following note of warning:
''La verbuttum enos kum swampo metra
Forbus Hydra Kun Robus up scondis Flo
ris Ladies McCladis up Kun packety Bug
erty Shank"
| presumed from all could understand of
the above language that the party were de
pending on ShaDk's mare for conveyance,
but knew they couldn't get her, for Shank
swore he would lend her nor the calf either,
but properly translated it reads thus:
''As the course of the party lies directly
in the route of our new railroad, the direc,
tors s'woud suggest that driver halt their
teams every five minutes for the purpose of
looking out for the locomotive when the
bell rings for at the rate our energetic rail-
road men are pushing things, locomotive
with President, Port and Lumber JIM
aboard, may come bounding along at any
moment and run over the party"
Committee
We had a grand Ethiopian entertainment
in Burnside 'tother night, given by Cuff
Kinkey, ''cullud pusson'' of some note.
Mr.. Kink is conjuror, and announced that
any person, so disposed, might have shot
at him with rifle, distace 10 PAGES. Most
of our citizens took shot, of which | will
give you full particulars hereafter. Mean
time We readers of the JOURNAL should
prepare their digestive organs for sonnet hing
tough. Regardfully,
LUCKY OLD Ben.