The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-04-19
THE SETTLERS TALE.

Ilk6 "a JAuSI0 Oh COCOd-uDI6S- LlS
picked away too, now and then, the
tiowery big ash that had fallen az
he smoked, as though he petted his
manly adornment or aimed strongly
at wearing a patriarchal guise. "YoU
don't believe 1t, then?" he said.
"Travellers see strange things,
said thin man sitting opposite tc
him; and he INDUCED IN a low, sneer-
ing snigger, a despicable kind oi
c4chination that would be insulting
to the hearty, mirlhful, joy-begotteH
shake of tide and shoulders, and ex-
tending of facial muscles, to call
laugh.
6What is it?' [ said, for [ had at
that moment entered the room.
"Why." sniggered the thin man,
"he wants TO make me believe
"No, no, moi" chorussed several
voices. "Let him tell it himself, sec
ond hand stories are poor. Tell il
out for the company, sir"
But the owner of the beard looked
very dignifed, and kept on smoking
till he sat like a Jupiter among his
clouds. Then he referred to the am
brosia brought to him by the white
neck-clothed Ganymade of the hotel,
set down his brandy and water, and
looked like reticent.
'It's oil true enough, said an Aus
tralian captain who sat near the thin
man, and had evidently heard what
had previously been said. Give Of
ten seen them take flying leaps that
looked tremendous, and such as ]
should have doubted if I had not
seen; while, as to the tale our friend
here has Just told about kangaroos
carrying their young in pouch, and
also about their being able to destroy
a dog with kick, why, they are facts
that almost any national schoolboy
Will endorse. l mean no insult to cur
sceptical friend here, but I'm afraid
he studied politics more than natu-
raj history -
"Good things, too" said the thin
man yiciously; and he looked
round him for the applause he did
not get.
sYou see, said the old captain,
not taking any notice of the inter
ruption, ''there are some people like
the sailors mother-more ready to
believe in Pharoah's chariot wheel
on the anchor fue than in flying fish.
Australy's q curious place, can tell
you, and if you saw some of the bones
of the great Moa, they would make
you scratch your head, and think of
the ostriches seven feet high as so
msny chickens, .
Ha, ha, ha, ha, hal" laughed the
thin man, in a perfect crescendo.
eco on, sir; don't be afraid. Wen
listen, and then believe as much as
we like"
"And we've got little animals there
gentlemen" said the old captain,
''that swim about in the water with
their fat webbed feet, and they've
got bill like a duck, and lay eggs.
$50 on, sir; go on sir, " laughed
the thin man, and he bestowed the
wink OF wisdom upon all the compa,
ny present.
eyes, yes; I seel Wink away,
said the captain; ''but I no rom an.
Ger gentlemen. 1 only said what ]
did to support my friend here. There
are some people who will not believe
the truth when it is told them"
"Why don't you tell it2' said tho
thin man.
'I always do, sir" said the cap,
tain simply, and with some dignity
GAS I have said before, Australia's a
place that would startle some peo
pie here with it's ways. What would
our friend over the way there say tc
five thousand sheep being boiled o.
rather steamed down, In one day
Just for. the sake of their tallow?'
cha, ha, hal' laughed the THU
man. BETTER still" and then see
ing that no one else laughed ht
snorted, and looked defiant at every
one in turn from out pair of twink
ling dark eyes, the more starkins
from being unshaded by lashes
while his eyebrows had evidentl,
disappeared at the samo season wheI
his countenance had been scanned
and pitted with smallpox.
But few people noticed him, for i
was evident that, after retiring il
displeasure within himself for a few
minutes, the owner of the beard WA
once more coming out. He smokeC
furiously for a few minutes longer IL
utter silence, till his cigar and wa
so short that it singed the grea
beard, when he threw it away, drew
out case, carefully selected another
rolled it upon his tongue. and thel
sat balancing it upon his finger.
"Our friend here is right, gentle
men," he said, "that there are som
people who doubt almost everything
you say; but, for my part, 1 thin.
that the traveller who plays upon th
credulity of the untrayelled friend
is a creature beneath contempt.
can vouch tor the truth of all m
sea-faring friend here has said, fo
I have seen the things, and man
more, too, quite as wonderful; and
think that you, gentlemen, who s
from years end to years end /
your shops, might acknowledge tbs
men who make journeys four an
twenty thousand miles long must, /
the foreign parts they pass throug
! see some strange things. l don
want to infict any of my stories Q
anybody"
|Go on, sir; go on!" from two {
three; but the thin man was total
unabashed, and snorted before teliin
his neighbors, in an undertone, th'
Won couldn't "do" him.
''I wasn't talking abouG waIlabie
gentlemen, which arc only q sma
lind Of KANGAROO. bnt of what v