The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-11-28

insects vulgarly termed bed-bugs re-
quired his wakeful attention. They |
were apparently 80 numerous that, un-
less hasty and vigilant means were re-
sorted to, Jeremy felt he must be ami
Inflated. Thus he fought in co. d earnest.
All night long the siege lasted. The
slaughter was terrible. The number of
the slam amounted to about 9,070, ac-
cording to Jeremy's estimate. The CORY
sheets were sight TO behold.
Musing upon his conquest in the
morning, Jeremy concluded he had
we'll earned his nights lodging. So he
dressed himself, 'crept softly down the
stairway, whisked out the door, and
scampered down the street without
settling his bill.
About 10 o'clock, as he was sHunter.
ing up Arlington avenue, heavy hand
grasped his shoulder pair of handouts
were thrust on his wrists, and voice.
loud enough to arouse the seven
sleepers. exclaimed: You are my
prisoner"
prisoners must be scarce" replied
Jeremy, "since q simple country lad
like me cannot walk the streets without
being arrested"
perhaps it is more of an offense
than you think to leave hotel without
paying your bill" the officer replied,
marching Jeremy along to the lookup.
After reaching that vile abode, which
appeared to be filed with profane,
drunken wretches, poor Jeremy began
to think his fathers potato field was
more becoming place for him. But he
was compelled to remain there until the
next day, when ne was taken to the
Police Court. The case was the first on
the docket, and to Jeremys great
relief shortly disposed of. After lit
tie parley by the lawyers, the prisoner
was allowed to plead his own case, and
the following was the sum and sub
stance of his speech:
Gentlemen, suppose committed
a great mistake by not paying my bill
at the Porter House. But when l relate
the sufferings endured that night, and
you realize my hair-breadth escape, you
must admit l am the aggrieved party.
No soldier on the battlefield ever
fought for his life as fought for mine
between the hours of in the evening
and in the morning, utterly annihilat-
ing between nine and ten thousand of the
longest billed, ravenous insects, which
country people innocently call bed-bugs,
that / ever encountered. Oh, it was a
hard nights work. 1 would rather have
hoed potatoes three days Qaughter), and
thought earned my nights lodging,
and that the proprietor OF the hotel
1 Il an n
1 LETT the house as quietly as possible,
feeling had done my duty, hoping the
next weary traveller, who occupied No.
26, would not meet with so hearty re-
ception as fell to me. Gentlemen, the
affection those insects manifest for man
kind is indeed marvellous, and find in
my case that their demonstrations are
very exhausting to ones vitality"
Everyone in the courtroom was
convulsed with laughter as the pris"
oner now sat down, apparently from
sbeer WEAKNESS, wiping his eyes with
his coat sleeves. He was released by
paying 81 and cost, which took the last
penny he had.
In few hours he left the city, shak-
ing the dust from his No. IL bovine
hide boots, convinced that the
country was the place for him. The
following night he slept in a barn
twelve miles from the city, suffering
much from the cravings of hunger, and
was holly pursued the next morning
about daylight by the proprietress OF
the place, with an uplfted broom, and
the tiercest imprecations. She allowed
no tramps on her premises over night,
and the next time he came that way he
had better not call. Jeremy assured her
he would not.
! We think he would have been quite
disheartened at the continuance of i'll
} luck only that he was but few miles
from Farmer Smythe's, paradise he
hoped to reach, even in his enfeebled
| condition, at noon, and he was not
: disappointed in his calculations.
} At II precisely, that day, he dined
off luscious dish of ham and eggs
with the .Smythe family. To them he
related the story of his adventures in
the city, not even emitting the disagree
able details of his encounter at the
I Porter House, incarceration at the lock-
up, etc.
Heptalina was more affected and in
, terested at the recital than either of the
others, and wept and laughed alter
nately, her sympathies all with Jeremy
well, Jeremy, you have found a
good haven at last. will be glad to
have you with me as long as you can
content yourself. and will pay you for
helping me on the farm, my work being
little behindhand."
This Farmer Smythe said, patting his
young friend on the shoulder in q very
friendly way.
Jeremy said he would remain week
or two and then return home, as no
doubt his parents were anxious about
him.
At the end of month Jeremy started
homeward, with his great heart over
flowing with happiness. He and Hep
talina had made contract for life.
Just one month from then she would
become his bride.
He was not long walking the twenty
five miles, and as soon as he was in
sight of the old homestead his father
and mother both fastened to meet him,
and rain tears of love on his neck.
To~ox.x, ,x,oo 10 oooo,,x.