The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-07-31
A PLEASURE EXERTION.
BY JOSIAH ALIENS WIFE.

They have been havin' pleasure exer-
tions all summer here to Jonesville.
Every week Almost they would go off on
Il exertion after pleasure, and Josiah
was all up III end to go too.
That man Is a we'll principled man as
/ ever see, but if he had his head he
would be worse than any young man |
ever see TO foller up picnics, and 4th of
Julys, ana camp-meetins, and all pleas
uro exertions. But / don't encourage
him in it. have said so him time and
agin, "There is a time fOG everything,
Josiah Allen, and after anybody has
lost all their teeth, and every mite OF
hair on the top of their heal, it is time
for EN- to stop goin' TO pleasure exer-
TONS"
But, good land l might Jest as well
talk to the wind If that man should
get to be as cid as Mr.. Methusler, and
be a goin' on thousand years old, he
would prick up his ears If he should
hear of an exertion. All summer long
that man has beset me to go to 'em, for
he wouldn't go without me. Old Bunker
Hill himself hain't any sounder in prin-
ciple chan Josiah Allen, and have had
TO work head work to make excuses.
and quell him down. But last week
the old folks was goin' to have one out
on the hike, on an island, and that man
sot his foot down that go he would.
We was to the breakfast table talk
in it over, and says L, 81 shan't go, for
ana afraid of big water any way"
Says JOSIAH, g" You are Jest as liable
to be killed in one place as another"
Says I, with almost frigid air, as 1
passed him him his coffee, " Mebby
shall be drowned on dry land, Josiah
Alien but don't believe it. T."
Says he IN a complainin' tone, az
can't get you started onto a exertion for
pleasure any way"
Says III a almost eloquent way,
81 don't believe in maxim such exer-
tions after pleasure. l don't believe in
chasiu' OF her up. Says /, Z" Let her
come of her own free will" Says L.
"you can't catch her by chasin of her
up, no more than you can fetch a
shower up in drewth, by goin' out of
doors, and running after "a cloud up in
the heavens above you. Sit down and
be patient, and when it gets ready the
refreshin' rain-drops will begin to fall
without none of your help. And it is
Jest 40 with pleasure, Josiah Allen YOU
may chase her up over all OCEANS and
big mountains of the earth, and she will
keep ahead of you all the time but set
down, and not fatigue yourself think
in about her, and like as not she will
come right into your house unbeknown
to you.
" Wall, says he, CT guess I'll have
another griddle-cake, Samantha" And
aa he took it, he added gently, but
firmly. Il shall 20, Samantha, to this
exertion. and should be glad to have
Won present at it, because it seems jest
to me as if ] should fall overheard dur
in the day"
Men are deep. Now that man knew
that no amount Of religious preachin'
could stir me up like that one speech.
For though l haint no hand to COO
and dun't encourage him III bein'
spoony at all, he knows that / am wrap
ped almost completely up III him. l
went.
We had got to start about the middle
of the night, for the lake was 10 miles
from Jonesville, and the old mare bein'
so slow, we had got TO start a hour or 2
ahead of the rest. ! told Josiah in the
first out, that had jest as lives set up
all night, as to be routed out at 2
o'clock. But he was so animated and
happy at the idee Of goin', that he looked
on the bright side OF everything, and he
said that we would go TO bed before
dark, and get as much sleep as We
commonly did So We went 20 bed the
sun aH hour high. But we hadn't
moren got settled down into the bed
when we heard buggy and a single
wagon stop to the gate, and / cot up
and peeked through the window. and /
see it was visitors come to spend the
evenin'. Elder Wesley Minkley and his