Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-05-27
Miseella,,eoms.
THE ADVENTURES OF A CIRCUIr.RIDER.
coNTINUEED FROM YEsrERpAY.l


"Wal,' said the judge" you see old
Bit he was the agent for the Iowa Land
Company. and he had to 20 travelling,
through these parts, and then 90 East to
meet the Company and settle up his ac-
counts. One night Old Bit he turned up
at the squire's, dead tired out. Put me
IN bed, says he, or I'll die ?
Amt got no bed.' said the squire
five agents of the Minnesota Land Pur-
chasing Company just arrived, and Eve
gwen them my room
Cant help it, says Bit; Il tell you
III die it you don't let me have some
sleeps they've gone out; put me in there
till they come home.'
so the squire gave him some supper,
and Bit turned in The old fellow no
sooner got in that room with them rival
Minnesoty fellows duds lyin, all around,
then he began to barricade the door.
First he brought the bureau and stood it
against the door; then he hauled around
the bed, and wedged the washstand and
trunks IN so as to make one strong brace
out OF the furniture clear across the room
After this he turned in and went sound
to sleep. About ten o'clock the Minneso-
ty chaps came back and tried their door,
but cou.dn' get in.
What in the dickens is up now p said
Colonel Dodge. Who's in our room?
Then the squire came round and
begged Old Bit to get out.
Cant do it, roared Bit.
"'You must, said the colonel.
"No, won't bawled Crooks. You
must get some other place now; I'm most
dead.
- I'll break every pannel through with
my bowie knife, shouted the colonel.
VERY well,' said Bit; the moment
your bowie-knife comes through I'll let
fire my seven-barrelled revolver
"'Oh, don't, don't, gentlemen said the
squire; 4 cant have a murder here for
Heavens sake, stop this, or you'll ruin
my house. Here, colonel. turn into the
parlor'
So the Colonel gave it up, and they
slept in the parlor that night, and Bit
Crooks snored away until eight O'Clock.
The next morning they all turned up at
breakfast. Bit had squeaky voice, and
there was no Disgusting himself.
so You are the individual who was
going TO blow my brains out last night
with Your seven-barrelled revolver? said
The colonel, addressing the t'other agent
AS he was dissecting his beefsteak,
And you are the fellow who was go
ing to open the pannels with your bowie
knife, are you?' said Bit.
Yes said the colonel, 'and how did
you feel then?"
"'Neyer was so scared in my life'
said Bit. Il was shaking all over, for you
see | hadn't the ghost of pistol!
Well laughed the colonel. you
couldn't have been more frightened than
| was, for hadn't the sign of bowie
knife ="
Twenty five miles more of lonely rid
ing that day brought the young circuit
rider to his final destination in the sprawl
ing little town Of, on fork of the
Cedar River. 1t was Friday afternoon,
about six O'Clock, when the missionary
establishment stopped before the swing
ing sgn-board of the Mitchell County
Mansion House" How different these
conlortless American hotels from "the
commercial travellers inns, the "Green
Dragon" of Chester. or the George and
Fountain of Canterbury, old England!
But perhaps these same cosy English ho-
the Danes, when Hepgist and Horsa did
our Western pioneers have done for us in
ing beginning.
Sam went around to the stable with
that blessed equine composure which re-
joces in the fact of hay and oats, and is
regardless of minor surroundings.
Friar William presented the landlord
with letter from the old patriarch JAM
beau, and. after pulling violently at the
stump-end of vile cigar which smelt as
rank as the wrapper portion of the tobac-
co whose primary use is the preservation
of wooen clothing from moths, the "gen-
tlemanly proprietor" remarked:
80 you're the missionary, are you"
The patient crcuit-rider owned the ap-
pellation, and then asked for room.
"Mary Jane !" shouted the host, "show
this here feller upstairs to the room over
the bar"
SO Mary Jane, with her sleeves rolled up
and a frowsy head of Canandaigua hair
(this is a Mrs. Jarley's waxwork Joke, and
means something beyond Auburn') took
the "lellern upstairs, and, having Slam
med to the door, departed. Hereupon
Frar Williams surveyed his quarters, and,
with a raging headache and an empty
stomach, began TO take in the situation.
First. there was bedstead which was
much too large for the bed. A wide space
OF borderland, showing the gridiron like
Stats underneath, bounded the mattress on
all the four sides of the parallelogram.
Then there We're one chair and chest
of drawers covered with candle-grease,
the remains of some tooth-comb, matches,
and a tablecloth formed of the Iowa DEM
ocrat, which tore with noise like muslin
After these, he observed small, black
wash stand. with the conventional OPEN
ing in it for the basin, but with no basin
whatever. There were two windows,
which were shielded by green shades.
with monstrous yellow tassels, and pro-
fuse display of yellow flowers stamped
upon them. Under the stovepipe hole in
the wall was mystical chart Of masonic
meaning, with an all-seeing eye looking
down upon trowels and compasses, and
ladder, with General Washington, begir.
with an apron, spreading out his hands at
its base. Over the bed was print OF
General Harrison, with yellow pantaloons
and blue coat, at the battle Of Tippeca-
noe. An orderly row of infantry. moving