The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-09-17

and would 90 wrong, III spltc OF nlllls
His fences were continually falling to
pieces; his COW would either 20 astray,
or get among the cabbages; weeds were
sure to grow quicker in his fields than
anywhere else; the rain always made n
point of setting in just as he had some
out door work to do; 80 that though his
matrimonial estate Lad dwindled away
under his management, acre by acre,
until there was little more left than u
mere patch of Indian corn aud potatoes,
vet it was the worst conditioned farm in
the neighborhood.
His children, too, were as ragged and
wild as if they belonged to nobody.
His son Rip, an urchin begotten in his
own likeness, promised to inherit the
habits, with the old clothes of his hthcr.
He was generally seen rooping like a
colt at his mothers heels, equipped in q
pair of his fathers cast-Of galliqlskins,
which he had much ado 10 hold up with
one hand, as fine lady does her train in
bad weather.
Rip Van Wrinkle, however, was one of
those happy mortals, of foolish, we'll
oiled dispositions, who take the world
easy, eat white bread or brown, which
ever can be got with least thought or
trouble, and would rather starve on n
penny than work fora pound If left to
himself he would have whistled life
away in perfect contentment; but his
wife kept continually dinning in his
ears about his idleness, his carelessness,
and the ruin he was bringing on his
family Morning, noon, and night, her
tongue was necessarily going, and every
thing he said or did was sure to produce
torrent of household eloquence. Rip
had but one way of replying to all lee
lures of the kind, and that, by frequent
use, had grown into habit He shrug-
ged his shoulders, shook his head, cast
up his eyes, but said nothing. This,
however, always provoked fresh vOlley
from his wife; so that he was fain to
draw off his forces, and take to the out
side of the house-thc only side which,
in truth, belongs To n hen-peCkcd hus-
band.
Rips sole domestic adhcrent was his
dog WOLF who was as much hen-pccked
us his master; for Dame Van Winklo re-
garded them as companions in idleness,
and even looked upon Wolf with an
evil eve, as the cause of his masters GO
ing so often astray. True it is, in all
points Of spirit behtting an honorable
| dog, he was as courageous IN animal as
ever secured the w0ods-but what cOur-
age can Withstand the cycr-durng and
all-bcsctting terrors Of IL woman's tongue?
The moment Wolf entered the house,
his crest fell, his tail dropped to the
ground, or curled between his legs, he
sneakCd about with q gallows air casting
many II sidelong glance at Dame Van
Winkle, and at the least flourish Of Il
brOomstick or ladlc, he would fly to the
door with yelping precipitation.
Times grew worse and worse with
| Rip Van Winkle rs years Of matrimony
rolled on; Il tart temper never mellows
with age, and sharp tongue is the only
edged tool that grows keener with con-
slant use. For long while he used to
console himself, when driven from home
by irequenting kind of perpetual club
of the sages, philosophers, and other
idle pcrsonages of the village, which
held ITS sessions on q bench before n
small inn, designated by . rubcund pOr-
trait Of His Majesty George the Third.
Here they used to sit in the shade
through a long lazy summers day, talk
ing listlessly over village gossip, or tell
ing endless sleepy stories about nothing.
But it would have been worth any states
mans money to have heard the profound
| discussions that sometimes took place,
when by chance an old newspaper fell
| into their hands from some passing
traveller. How solemnly they would
listen to the contents, rs drawled out by
Derrick Van Bummel, the schoOlmastcr,
dapDcr learned little man, who was
not TO be dauntCd by the most gigantic
word in the dictionary; and how sagely
they would deliberate upon public events
some months after they had taken place.
The opinions Of this junto were COM
pletely controlled by Nicholas VCdder, a
patriarch or the village, and landlord of
the inn, at the door of which he took his
seat from morning till night, Just NOV
ing sufficiently to avoid the sun, and
keep in the shade of large tree; 30 that
the neighbours could tell the hour by his
movements as accurately as by sundial.
lt'is true he was rarely heard to speak,
but smoked his pipe necessarily. His
adherents, however (for every great man
has his adhefeRts), perfectly understood
him, and knew how to gather his opin-
ions. When anything that was read or
related displeased him, he was observed
to smoke his pipe vehemently, and to
send forth short, frequent and angry
pufis, but when pleased he would inhale
the smoke slowly and TRANQUILITY, and
emit it in light and placid clouds; and
sometimes, taking the pipe from his
mouth, and letting the fragrant yapour
curl about his nose, would grayely nod
his head in token Of perfect approba-
ton.
From even this stronghold the unlucky
Rip was at length routed by his terma-
CANT wife, who would suddenly break in
upon the tranquility of the assemblage
and call the members all to naught; nor
was that august parsonage, Nicholas We'd
der himself, sacred from the daring
tongue of this terrible virago, who
charged him outright with encouraging
her husband in habits of idleness.
Poor Rip was ut last reduced almost to
despair; and his only alternative to es-
cape from the labOur Of the farm and the
Glamour of his wife, was to take gun in
hand and stroll away into the woods.
Here he would sometimes seat himself
at the foot of tree, and share the con-
tents of his wallet with Wolf, with whom
he sympathized az a fellowsuferer in per-
secution. "POor Wolf" he would say,
"thy mistress leads thee n dogs life of Il;
but never mind, my lad, whilst live.
thou shalt never want friend to stand
by thee" Wolf would wag his tail, look
wistfully in his masters face, and if dogs
can feel pity, verify believe he recipro-
Gated the sentiment with all his heart.
In long ramble of the kind on fine
autumnal day, Rip had unconsciously
scrambled to one Of the highest parts of
the Kaatskill mountains. He was after
his favourite sport Of squirrel-shooting,
and the still solitude $ had echoed and re-
Il .,~s4l. hn .F L..