The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-01-02
Josiah's Pleasure "Exertion, "


Josiah was oil up In end to go too.
That man is we'll ll-principled man as
ever see but If he had his head he
would be worse than any young man
ever see to follor up picnics, and 4th of
Julys, and camp mcetin's, and all pleas
ure exertions. But / don't encourage
him in it. l have said to him, time and
agin, "There is time for everything,
Josiah Allen, and after anybody had lost
all their teeth, and every mite of hair
on the top of their head, it is time for
'em to stop goin' to pleasure exertions."
But good landl / might jest as well
talk to the wind. If that man should
get to be as old as Mr., Methusler, and
he goin thousand years old he would
prick up his ears il 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 him
self hain't any sounderin principle than
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 lake,
on an island, and that man sot his foot
down that 20 he would.
We was TO the breakfast-table talkin'
it over, and says 1, 81 shan't go, for 1
am afraid of big water any way
Says Josiah, &C You are jest as liable to
he killed in one place as another"
Says l, with a almost frigid air, as
passed him his coffee, Mebby 1 shall
he drowned on dry land, Josiah Allen;
but don t believe it."
Says he, in a complainin tone, "
can't get you started onto exertion for
pleasure any way"
Says l, in a almost eloquent way, 81
don't believe in maxim such eXertions
after pleasure. don't believe, in chasin'
of her up Says 1, " Let her come of
her own free will.' Says I, You can't
catcls her by chasin' of her up, no more
than you can fetch a shower up, in a
drewth, by goin out doors, and run
ming 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
uone of your help. And it is jest so
with pleasure, Josiah Allen; you may
chase her up over all the ocians and big
mountains of the earth, and she will
keep ahead of you all the time; but set
down and don't fatigue yourself think
in about her, and like as not she will
come right into your house, unbeknown
10 you"
"Wal," says he, guess I'll have
another griddle-cake, Samantha. And
as he took it, and poured the maple
syrup over it, he added, gently but
firmly, 6 shall go, Samantha, to this
exertion, and should be glad to have
you present at it, because it seems jest,
to me, as if l should fall overheard
durin 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 hain't no hand to coo, and
don't encourage him in bein' spoony at
all, he knows that 1 am wrapped almost
completely upin him. 1 went.
We had got to start about the middle
of the night, for the lake was fifteen miles
from Jonesville, and the old horse bein
so slow, we had got to start hour or
two ahead of the rest. l told Josiah
that / had jest as lives set up all night,
as to be routed out at two 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 he would go to bed before dark, and
get as much sleep as we commonly did
So we went to bed the sun an hour high.
into bed, when we heard buggy and a
single wagon stop at the gate, and got
up and peeked through the window, and
/ see it was visitors come to spend the
evenin Elder Wesley Minkly and his
family and Deacon Dobbins' folks. JOSH
ah vowed that he wouldn't stir one step
out of that bed that night. But argued
with him pretty sharp, while was
throwin' on my clothes, and finally got
him started up. l hain't deceitful, but
thought, if got my clothes all on be-
fore they came in, ! wouldn't tell 'em
that had been TO bed that time of day.
And did get all dressed up, even to my
handkerchief pin. And L guess they
had been there as much as ten minutes
before / thought that hadn't took my
night-cap off They looked dretful Curl
one nj ma and felt awftif meachin, -