The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-11-22
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
sANoC0IPr BNTERTAlNs THE
e4-t RA8TO4 r4e

rom the C1nclnu8tl Enquirer.
sANoc0IPr BNTERTAlNs THE
sf RAsTOH.
Here's . co. muttered John San
script under his breath last Saturday
~ he poked up the fire in the parlor
grate@here's . 60 sure as shootin'.
The OF woman has gone and invited
her minister to dinner, and I'm to en-
tertsin him when he Gomez while she
dishes up the hash. May Old Nick fly
atsy with Ill the preachere.'
And Sanscript kicked the cat thro'
the doorway with such force that the
poor creature dislocated two Of its
teeth by concussion with the vain.
scoting on the opposite side of the
hallway. Puss skunk away licking
her bleeding chops and wondering
whether the house had fallen on any
body else, while Sanscript banged the
chairs into position and continued his
soIiloquy:
"'Now, amt used to preachers, and
no doubt I'll make muss of it. I'd
sooner trim the corns on the hind feet
of Q mule, or comb the name Of Uncle
John Robinson's boss lion than enter
tain minister. What will the old
duder want to talk about, wonder?
If he slings any Bible conundrums at
me I'm lost. never took much stock
in the Bible. 1 don't hold very full
hand in religious learning. and preach
ers have such . knack of setting up
the deck that they deal themselves a
full hand every time. Wonder, now,
If couldn't stand pat and bluff the
old snoozer on ace high. Since l come
to think of it, Pm not so Internally ig-
norant, after all. It's been a long
while ago since l went to Sunday
school, but 1 recollect some of the
prize-stories we learned there. Let's
Sec
And Sanscript sat down to think.
So intent was his mind rummasing
around through his brain for the dusty
1are of his Sunday school days that he
never noted the fact that he had sat
upon his wife's twenty-dollar fall bon
net, which she had carelessly left ly-
ing upon the sofa
. 'Let's see, now,' mused John, tap
ping his forehead. There was some
thing about Daniel going to the Zoo
LOGICAL Garden and falling into the
bear.pit, or getting bit by camel.
forget just exactly the nature of Dams
accident Then, what was the tough
yarn about some little Jew boys who
were thrown into the furnace of q
rolling mill, and came out without
even sineelng their eyebrows. Oh,
yes, wasn't it Goliath who licked
twenty million Indians with the jaw
bone of q mule, and then sat down
and bawled because there wasn't any
more left? Never mind! I'll give
the old Hoodlum pretty good tussle,
i reckon, and if don't raise him right
out Of the pot ON the first deal 1t will
not be because lack gall. 1t becomes
me to be agreeable 10 the old dead
beat anyhow, becauge Mis-. Sanscript
said IL 1 made q good impression on
him she Wouldn't insist on . new seal
skin sacque this winter, and seal skin
sacques don't grow on trees. There
goes the bell. I'll bet ten red ones
that's him.
Sanscript coaxed his ruffied hair
. few strokes from his hsnda, cleared
his throat, pulled down his vest, walk
ed out into the hall, and opened the
door. A pale, cadaverous-lOoking
young man, with long hair, watering
eyes, high cheek bones, large mouth,
Roman nose, and clad in suit OF
shiny black, bowed and smiled al the
master of the house most benignly.
Under his arm he carried large book
which Sanscript thought of course
was . Bible, or some work on theolo-
gy. iGrasping the visitor by the hand
John yanked him into the hallway
with cordial intent, and continuing to
shake and squeeze. said:
my dear sir, this is indeed pleas
ure we've been expecting you; come
right into the parlor.'
With bewilderment written all over
his face the young man tacitly follow
sHave the chair by the fire. Give
me yonr hat. Mrs. Sanscript is dish
ing mp the Cruel now smell it, don't
youY
The young man sniiTed the air and
his faco lighted up with an expression
OF q hungry and expectant stomach.
'That most prominent odor-the
one nearest you-is the stuffln' for the
duck. You like stuffed ducks, don't
your
I'm very fond of duck, ventured
the young man, as he drew his coat
sleeve across his watering mouth.
That's bully. thought you liked
duck. Thems what the children OF
Israel fed on when they went down
into Turkey, ifI recollect rishtly.'
Sanscript reconnoitered from the
corner OF his off eye for the effect OF
his fret theological shot. You see he
wasn't quite sure that be had hit the
bulls eye. But the young man smiled
and nodded, which added confidence
to the hosts assurance.
Had we better not transact little
business before dinner, Mr.. Sanscript?
fOh-ah-certainly,t to be sure. How
stupid in me now. l never thought
about it that you always have prayers
first. Shall call in Mrs. Sanscript,
or can't you and me do it alone? The
old woman can't hardly leave of her
cooking, and if she should get tangled
I'm that lono nray or nf hern avery thing