The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-01-21
MisrrnanM
First and Best Chapter of the wild
Ow BedOtt Papers"

Wv DCStOUG opCios
He was a powerful ha I'd to moralize,
husband was. specially after he began to
enjoy poor health. He made an obser
vati0n once when he vas in one Of his
poor turns, that never shall forget the
longest day live He says to me one
winter evening IA we was a si,tin by the
fire. / was knittin' I was always won |
der'ul great knilte, and he was a smo-
kin (he was ma ter hand to smoke,
the doctor used to tell him he'd
he better off 10 let tobacker alone; when
he was we'll he used to take his pipe and
smoke spell after he'd got tfc chores
done up, and when he wasn't we'll he'd
smoke The biggest part of the time. I'll
Well, he took his pipe out OF his mouth
and turned toward me, and knowed
somethin' was comm, for he had per-
likkeler way OF lookin' round when he
was gwine to say anything uncommon
Well, he says to me, says he, "Slily,"
{ nv name was Prissillv naturally, but he
giuerally called me "Silly," cause twas
handler you know. Well, he says to
me, says he, "Silly." and he looked pref
" sollem, tell you, he had sollem
cnuntenauce naterally-and after be got
to be deacon twas more so, but since
he'd lost his health he looked sollemer
than ever, and certingly you wouldn't
wonder at il if you knowed how much he
underwent He was troubled with won
derful pain 10 bis chest, and amazin
weakness in the spine Of his back, be
sides the pIeurisv in his side, and havin'
the ager considerable part OF the lime,
and ben' bioke of his rests O. Ligats
cause he was so put tot for breath when
he laid down s Why it's an onaccounta
BILE fact that when that man died
he hadent seen we'll day in fifteen
year, though when he was married and
for FIVE or six year after shouldn't de
sire to see ruggeder man than what he
was. But the time I'm speakin' of he'd
been out O. health nigh upon ten year,
and o dear sakes how he had altered
since the first tine l ever see him! That
was to qliltin' to Squire Smiths q
spell afore Sally was married. I'd no
idee that Sal Smith was gwine TO be
married to Sam Pendergrass Shed ben
keepin' company with Nose Hewitt for
better'n a year, and every body said that
was settled thing, aud 10 and behold !!
all of sudding she up and took Sam
Peudergrass Well, that was the 6rst
time I ever see my husband, and il any
body d told me then that should ever
marry him, l should said-but lawful
sakes! | most forgot, was gw!ne to
tel yon what he said To me that evenin' ,
and when body begins to tell thing,
l believe in fnishin' on it some time or
other. Some folks have way OF talkin
round and round and round for ever
more, and never comm to the point -
Now there's Miss Jinkins, she that was
Poll Bingham afore she was married, she
is the teejusest indivdooal to tell story
that ever see in all my horn days But
I was a g~ine to tell you what husband
said He SAYS to me, says he, SILLY.
saws I, What ?" dident say "Wbat
Hezekier p for dident like his name
The first time ever heerd it near kill
ed myself laffin' "Hrzekier Btdott.
says l, 'well l would give up if Ihad sict
name, but then YOU kno " had no more
idee O marvin the feller than you have
this minint O marvin the governor
s'pose you thinks it's Gurus we should
a named our oldest son Hezekier -
Well, we done it to please father and
mother Bedott,. it's father Bedotts name
and he and mother Bedott both used tc
think that names ought to go down from
gineraiion to gineration. But we alway!
called him Kier you know Speakin' o
,Kier, he IS a h!essin', amt he ? and ain
the only one that thinks so, gness.-
Now don't you never tell nobody that
said so, but between you and me l rathe
guess that if K"zier Winkle thinks tha
she is gwine to ketch Ker Bedott sh
is leetle out of her reckonin'. But
was going to tell what husband said :
He says to me, says he, Silly l says
saws l, sWhatp II ddent say what
when he said Silly he'd kept on say
1 ing Silly from time TO eternity H
always did, because. you know, he wan,
ed me to paw pertikkeler attention, an
] ginerally did; no woman was eve
more attentive to her husband than WIS
was Well, he SAYS to me, says ht
Silly Says 1, 'Whati' though I'd n
!, idee what he was gwine to say, Older
know hut what twas something abol
}. his sufferings, though he wasn't apt
!. .. complain, but he frequently used to n
mark that he wouldent wish his wor
enemy to suffer one minnit as he did q
. the time; but that can't he called grun
y blin'-think it can2 Whv, I've see
: him in situations when you'd thoug
e no mortal coulda helped erumhlin', b
y he dident He and me went once in u
!, dead o. winter in one hoss slay out
Boonvi,le to see a sister O. hisen. 7
L know the snow is amazin' deep in th
I'd section O. the kentry Well, the ho
'p 90, stuck in one O them are fsmberg'
- ted snow hanks. land there we got, Onat
~ to stir, and to cap all, while we was a e
i lin there husband was took with DIRE
e' full crick in his hack Now that was vi
a. ] cali perdickerment, don't ,you2 NJ
men would a swore, hut husband dide
ho He only said, says he, &C ,nsarn it H
w did we get out, did you ask3 WHY
ID might heen sit'in' there to this day
all / know, if there hadent a happen
TO come along mess o men in o dou
q team and thew hystei US out But
was gwine to tell you that observation
at. hisen.. Says he to me, says he, 'Sil
u, l could see by the light o the fire. tn
e, dident happen to be. no candle burn
I'VE if I don't disremember, though my me
Ia ory is sometimes ruther forgitful, but
his know we want APT TO. burn candles
of ceptin' when we had company co
2 see by the light O. the fire that his m
~; was oncommon solemnized Saws be
wn me saws he, Silly l says to him, s
m l. what ii? He SAYS to me, says
,ho { We're all poor crittersP .f....
nat
ed Cotton pads prove to be as valuable
eet life preservers TO women ae Testame