Morris tribune., 1880-09-30
NICODEMUS DODGE.

When was boy in printing Office
in Missouri, a loose -jointed, long legged,
tow-headed, jeans clad, countrlfied cub
of about sixteen lounged in one day, and
without removing his hands from the
depths OF his trousers pockets, or taking
| off his faded ruin of slouch hat, whose
broken rim hung limp and ragged about
his ears like bug eaten cabbage leaf,
stared indifferently around, then leaning
his hip against the editors table, crossed
his mighty brogans, aimed at a distant
fly from crevice in his teeth, laid him
low, and said with composure:
"Whar's the boss2"
81 am the boss" said the editor, fol-
lowing this curious bit of architecture
wonderingly along up to its clock-tace
with his eye.
Don't want anybody fur to learn the
business, faint likely?"
'"Well, don't know. Would you like
to learn it9"
"Pr'ap's so; pa he can't run me no
mo- so want to get show sommers if
kin, 'talnt no difference what-I'm
strong and hearty, and don't turn my
back on no kind oi work, hard nor SOFT
Do you think you would like to learn
the printing businessG'
We'll, I don't rely k'yer durn what
l do learn, SOS get chance fur to
make my way. I'd jist as soon learn
print'n's anything
'Can you reada'
'Yes-mlddl1ng.' "a.
Writer
well seed people could lay over me
thar
sCipher9'
Not good enough to keep store, don't
recken, but up as far as 12-times-12 I
amt no slouch. 'Tother side O. that Is
what gifts me-
Where is your homer
I'm f'm old Shelby
What is your fathers religious de-
nomination.
'HimT o, he's blacksmith
NO, mol don't mean his trade. What
Is his religious denomination2'
%, I didn't understand you bef'o-he's
! Free Mason
NO, no-you don't get my meaning
yet. What I mean is, does he belong to
any church9"
SHOW you're talkin'. Couldn't make
out what you were tryin' to glt through
yo' head no way. B'long to a church.
Why, boss, he's ben the biznest kind OF
Free-will Baptis' for 40 years. they
ain t no bizner omen he Is. Mighty good
man. pap is. Every body says that. IF
they said anything different they would
not say it where | wuz-not much they
wouldn't
What is your own religionl
| Well, boss, you've kind o. got me
thar--and yit you hain't got me so NIGH
ty much nuther. I thinkt if feller
helps another when he's in trouble, and
don't cuss, and don't do no mean things.
nor nuth'n n he amt no business to do,
and don't spell the Saviours name with
a little g, he amt running no resks-
he's as shaft as if he b'longed to church.
But suppose he did spell it with lit
tie g-what thena'
well, if he done it purpose I reckon
he wouldn't stand no chance, ANYHOW,
am most rotten sure bout that
What is your name9''
'Nicodemus Dodge
i think maybe you'll do, Nicodemus.
Wen give you trial. anyway
1 AulSuG.
When would you like to begiug'
Now
So, within ten minutes after we had
first glimpsed this pondescript, he was
one OF US, with his coat off and hard at
1t.
Beyond that end of our establishment
which was furthest from the street was
deserted garden. uathless and thicklv
grown with bloomy and villainous .jimp-
som weed, and its common friend, the
sun flower. In the midst of this mourn
full spot was decayed and aged little
frame" house with but one room, one
window, and no ceiling-it had been q
smoke-house generation before. Nico-
demus was givcn this lonely and ghostly
den as bed-chamber.
The village smarties recognized treas.
ure in Nicodemus right away---a butt to
| play jokes on. It was easy to see that he
was inconceivably green and confding