Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-04-17

In the early days OF Missouri, when
book vendors were rare curiosities
and rural Intelligence somewhat linn
tied, there was a certain old man re-
siding over in Galloway, among the
ILLS ana bluffs Of that region, who
had become notorious for his peculiar
tiles and eccentricity.
He was one Of those lazy, indolent,
ignorant old-souls of the barefoot
ashcake PERIOD" and was decidedly
of the hard shell Baptist-ah persua-
sion.
His domestic liabilities consisted OF
a wife and a brute of canine extrac-
ton.
Cares were intolerable, and things,
even of the most disastrous nature,
failed in the slightest degree of per-
turbation.
He was q very indulgent creature,
and was known to have suffered the
incessant CAB of n single man for an
entire day without showing the least
signs Of impotence; hence he was
generally conceded fatal to book
agents.
There had been but three of these
unfortunatcs 10 test his power of en-
durance. The result was most gricv-
Gus indeed. The first lost his life on
the spot. The second expired imme-
diately after the interview from the
effect Of contracted muscles and lock-
jaw. Tie third survived the shock,
but came near losing his reason in the
interim. He fingered in a state OF
distracted lethargy for a .ong period,
and having, by some applicable freak
of misfortune, been subject to the nm
pleasant sensation OF Il brief sojourn
in that uncivil region during the early
days OF his con%alesence, | resolved,
thro Ugh curiosity, to visit tue distress
ed man and ascertain, if possible, the
real cause of his mental arrangement.
When ! entered his room lie at first
seemed to be and excited
and altogether averse to my company,
but when he learned my sympathetic
motives he became calm and easy,
and | was able to command the fol-
lowing story:
II am a book agent by occupation,
and vas travelling through this coLn-
try in quest of ar honest livelihood
when | had the misfortune to meet
with this stupid old wretch.
1 went in on HIM about four O'Clock
in the evening, l think, and proceed
ed at once to develop the literary
features of my book. He seemed to
be inclined to listen to me, and |
thought it very kind of him, so / con-
timed with renewed courage.
The clock struck five, then six, and
1 felt that L had made an impression,
but / found it impossible to elicit q
single word from him. Not a com
ment, question or. objection did he
advance; neither did he expostulate,
protest or condemn. The clock con.
tinued to chime the weary hours until
the dead hour of midnight. and yet
my victory was incomplete.
The work went on. For ten NOR.
tai hours did l engineer the weary
and exhausted mind and grind out
verbal grist to the grim and hoary
couple who sat, and nodded, and lis.
tened"
Here he grasped and clutched his
hair violently as if racked by a dis,
torted brain. / Gained his feeling.
and he continued:
"The clock four, the cocks crowed
the old lady snored and old hard
shell-ah WINGED and said nothing
He seemed proof against conviction
l gradually became conscious of thu
awful insignifcance of my efforts
Nv brain hecoma haatad aud n,nr,o
sive. My pulse beat quick and vic.
lent, and my vital system seemed
frightfully agitated. Hope prevailed
however, and / made one more des-
Eperatc assault. / had omitted an OBJ
yious and paramount feature of Til,
work, and upon the thread Of its i'm
portance hung the ucces of my la
bors. He was an autoerat in til,
community and l knew that i'll failes