The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1878-11-28
For the BrOokhaveR Ledger.l
TIMOTHY BARKIN6.
An American Romance.

IL Wbb very udIh uiBut.
The darkness of Egypt, on the men
orable occasion spoken of by the Bible
was brilliant illumination compare
with the night OF which we are writ
ing.
The snow lay in great heaps on th
outside of Timothy Barkins' residence
and Timothy Barkins lay in q grea
heap on the lounge on the inside of hi
residence.
The winds walled without. his chill
dren walled within. and his wife, Mar
Jane Barkins, walled too-she whale
the children.
But Timothy needed not the vail
ing.
For he was buried ten miles deep II
cotton market reports. quotations, etc.
and smile Of great satisfaction ant
deep inward content wreathed itself up
on his lips, and crawled all the wa.
round to the back Of his neck, as h
read that -four had advanced to fou
dollar' per barrel.
Timothy was -four merchant and h
saw profit in the distance.
And the winds howled, and the chill
dren howled, and the dog howled ant
the cat tried to howl, but the effor
was disgraoeful failure.
But still Timothy read on and moved
not.
Then she, Mary Jane Barkins, great
ugly, red headed woman that she was
envied Timothy, his peace and content.
ment, and rising up, spoke unto him
these cruel words:
"Come along. now, Timothy. while
you are not busy, and assist me- il
hanging those pictures in the parlor.
"Oh, hang the pictures!' said Tim
othy, his honest soul breaking ont ii
Indignation at this cruel outrage.
That's just what Uish you to do
my dear -" hang the pictures,'
said she, as she tenderly seized his left
year and escorted hun into the parlor
Timothy Barkins had always been g
loving and obedient husband. His
father before him had been beaten to
death by q woman, and his grandfather
committed suicide because his wife had
contracted the habit of caressing him
over the head With the rolling-rin.
The first blow that Timothy struck
toward the hanging Of those picturas
missed its mark aud bursted large
hole in the Wallpaper. Whereat Tins
othy made use Of some expressions
which they forgot to insert in the Bible.
Then Mrs. Barkins lectured him for
half an hour on the awful wiokedness
OF swearing. and on the most approved
and latest discovered method of hang
ing pictures; all OF which Timothy
bore like the martyr he was.
The second blow that Timothy
struck that nail, didn't strike the nail
but struck his thumb instead, crushing
that important member of the Barkins
anatomy into jelly. Then Timothy
danced around the room to the tune OF
Hold the Fort" and made use of a
:sw more expressions noted more fol
emphasis than elegance. Whereupon
Mrs. Barkins boxed his ears, pulled his
hair and gently reminded him that he,
his father, and grandfather were al
fools, and that he was the most de-
graded fool OF the lot.
Timothy replied not a word, but
gazing in pity for a moment upon the
angelic features OF Mrs. Barking open
ed the door and left his home.
And 80 Timothy Barkias, age twenty
eight, left his home and went ont intt
the cold, cold world. with picture
frame in one hand, and.a q crushed thumb
and q tack-hammer in the other.
And the SNOW fell and the Wind
howled and moaned, and the childre,
moaned and howled and Mrs. Barkini
spanked the children. took ont her fals'
teeth, let down..::her hair and went t'
bed.
The family dog crept nearer to th'
wall to prevent the cold from freezing
OF his tail.
And still darker darkness darkenet
the previous darkness.
CHAPTER. II.
We left our friend Timothy strug
Cling in the snow, and it's sno,o cas-.
matter 10 make your way through
storm, when the wind is trying to max
a first-class balloon out of You. ant
the ground beneath your feet as slip
perry as q poverty stricken debtor.
Timothy was more than once inclin
ed to enter his house and finish hang
ging those pictures.
But the iron had entered his sou
and he struggled on.
While Timothy was struggling alons
ON idea struck hint struck him Will
such foroe that it knocked him down
and it was only after considerable diff
Guilty that he regained his feet.
This was the idea: He would be
come pirate! He would plough tn
raging seas and dwell where pictnre
and tack hammers we're unknown, AM
where q wife was q luxury that oould no
be had at any pricel Following thl
brilliant idea, he proceeded to tn
wharf. boarded an outward bound yes
sci, and BY twelve O'Clock the next da,
was many miles away from Mrs. Bar
kins and his native land. By nv
o'clock that evening he had killed tn
captain and half the crew and had com
plete control Of the ship.
Some Of my readers may object &
the above exploit as being to extrAor
binary for beliof, but it mnst be born
D~-I;~o -os a