The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1879-09-10
Rura..,.,, III ui,h a xossuI Q.

day night We al went 70 NuuAN
at Musquash and heard Mr.. Hopper
preach, a pleasure that al Burlington
will envy US. Mr.. II. was down there
helping the rest of US enjoy ourselves,
and the Baptists of Musquash just
pressed him into their service LOT one
day. Well. had been trout fishing All
the day before and had waded down the
river few miles, and Saturday night l
poured bushel and half OF oats INTO
each of my boots, and all the bright
sunny Sabbath day they set out IN the
sun and basked, while / lounged around
loosely shod in slippers and extremely
happy. went to church in the evening,
and you can't imagine how easy ana
comfortable were my slippered feet: l
thrust them out before me and admired
them. In moment or TWO n mosquito
came sailing along. humming the refrain
of hymn the congregation had Jus'
ceased singing. This startled me III
tie, but not very much, because always
believed the st. John mosquitoes could
sing if they would. Well, this fellow
sailed on past me, then he turned and
came back, and | observed that he had
rather a wicked look in his eyes, al
though, reasoned, that was no more
than one might expect of a mosquito
that flew around on the Sabbath. Pres
emily, still humming BROAD is the
Road that Leads to Death" the bird
made few circles and lighted on my
slippered foot, making his landing about
an inch above the slipper.
"Now, son." l said, "this is a little
too much. / admire check, but you
fairly gorge my admiration. am sorry
for you, because l know your harmless
ness and your stupidity. But your inn
pudence is more detestable than your
imbecility is touching, and l am com
PEELED to mash YOU
l lifted my other foot to crush him,
and hope l may live thousand years
if that mosquito didn't get the drop on
me.
l haven't felt anything like it since
seven years ago, when l tried to mend
the family washboiler, and poured a
tablespoonful of Sizing, glowing, bub-
bling solder down inside my shoe.
AS l am truthful man, when fell
the shot l looked down, and that mos
quito had his hind legs bent under him
his front legs stretched out and bracet
against my foot, while the venomoui
wretch, holding his mouth full of cpl
dermis and stocking, leaned back, pulled
and without ever breaking his hold
Just before | kicked him he let go anC
sailed around behind my head, while h
Joined the congregation in singing:
Brethren, while we sojourn hero,
Fight we must, but need not fear"
| sat in silent, enduring agony, won
dering what manner of bird the Mus
J quash, mosquito was, when suddenl.
another one came behind me, caught m
by the heel, and thought in my soul
would pull the leg off me before l coult
} shake and kick it loose. And then
lodged about my ears, swapping Mt then
as it went by, and humming with a grea
affectation of feeling, Il Would No
: Live Away" | was glad that it fel
that way about it. 1t lived long enoug
! to satisfy me all the same. All throug
the service this inhupan banquet wen
3 on. The mos1 uitoes that came lat
5 didn't stand on ceremony, but DIRE,
right up and helped themselves. "CU
u little closer to the bone" the old one
n would say to the new corners, you
= find the meat sweeter." And closer t
the bone it was. | kept up regula
y tattoo with my feet. until the senior de,
0 con came over and Whispered to me tn;
the Dominion churches had not adopte
the New York custom of applauding I'll
good points in sermon. Then | hel
n my feet off the floor and kicked thel
It straight out every time new musquit
got the drop on me and made bull
n eye, until II man sitting in front of n
q turned around and sternly assured N
. that if | didn't quit kicking his wife an
+ children he'd throw me out of the viii
n dow. | had wondered several times,
~ an distracted sort of way, what the chi
lie dren were crying for. Once, in my su
e fering, got my feet up on the pew al
n tried to sit on them, but the maneuv
O. seemed to afford the young ladies in tn
g. vicinity so much amusement that | h'
IS to give it up. l got hold of a windo
N stick and tried spearing the mosquito
with it, like cells, but it attracted t.
y much attention, and owing to my ner
BUSINESS was a failure anyhow. At las
c. either because they had enough, or b
OF cause it was all gone, or because the sc
10 vice was concluded, the mosquitoes gu
&c and the last | heard of them, us tn
started of toward the other side of t
e. room to swarm on n bald-headed m
49, before he could get his hat on, they we
singing with the congregation, Hap
We day; happy day!" Musquash is one
n. the pleasantest places in the world, a
| think it must import its mosquitoes.
OF am now quite content with the st. 10
ar variety. -Bwlingt0n HaOkeye.
to
DIR. d. b. Foote'S HegAs Monthly av'
that cit is now possible to reprodt
! a. i -