Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-04-23

winder into snow-bank, and KEEP him
there till he liked to "a got his death.
Then he up and merried old Cap'n Jere-
miah Rodick's darter, Seliny. That
looked middlin' smart in him, for Cap'n
Jeremiah was rich; but then they did
say that Saliny done the courtin'. The
gals was all mighty took with him, be-
cause he was as handsome as figger-
head pink and white Completed, and
with lightish, crinkly hair. He went by
the name of Sissy Battles amongst the
boys, but the gals they all sot by him.
Women is drctful short-sighted crcturs,
and p'r'rps it's just as well for most of
us men folks that they be.
He never done nothin', Sam Bat.
ties didn't, after he merried Seliny but
TO write poetry and take on because he
want in his proper spere. Cap'n Jer-
emiah he supported 'em. There was
two children born, Jonas and Elviry,
and then he died of consumption. Sc
liny she thought q terrible sight of him,
and she never seemed to spunk up agin
artcr he died. 1t want much more'n
q year before she was buried along side
of him, and Jonas and Elviry they was
orphans.
"Old Mis- Rodick, their grandmoth-
or, she fetched 'em up and Elviry was
rs smart as a steel trap, clear Rodick,
but Jonas-there was terrible sight Of
father to him. He looked as near like
him as two peas, and he took to book
learnin' and writin' poetry as a duck
takes to water. lie was kinder slim
and sickly, but Cap'n Jeremiah was sot
on maxim sailor on him. He'd quit fol-
lerin' the sea himself, but he owned
consid able in two or three large YES
sells, and he sent Jonas to sea aboard of
one of 'em. Elviry she took on and
SAID he wouldn't live through
it, but he come home q sight
smarter and rugg5der'n he went. His
grandfather was tickled to death, and
folks begun to think mebbe there was
some Rodick to him arter all. And he
KEEP on goin' till bimeby he got to be
mate. And he seemed to IA got over
writin' poetry. But the last v'yge he
went, from Boston to Chiny, the cap'n's
darter was aboard, and Jonas he got to
courtin' of her. He courted of her
pooty consid able strong, and finally she
gave him her promise. He come home
here with sails all set and colors lynn.
Nothin' would do but the old house
must be fixed up from suller to garrit
for the wife that he was gOin' to bring
home. Sich kerrying on as there was
in that house want never seen on Bar
berry Island before nor since. There
was furnitoor from Boston and lowered
carpets and pianner all on account of
Jonas's new wife. You see the Cap'n
bo ,,,as oil onJ childish onJ b;s hoo ,.t
was sot on Jonas. Before the fxin's
was done there come n letter to Jonas
from the gal sayin' she hadn't never had
no serous thoughts of hevin' on him;
she was only iokin'; and she'd gone off
to furrip parts with her uncle.
"Jonas he jest kinder wilted right
down under it. He had fever and
was out of his head consid able spell,
and when he come to and begun to git
well he was lacliin'; and he was alwus
dretful lackin' from that time forrud
" He run of an idee that he was agoin'
to merry the gal as soon as she come
home. He thought she was acomin' to
Rockland and he was agoin' to meet
her there and fetch her home. He was
alwus gettin' slicked up to 90 to Rock
land, and he hurried up the fixin' and
furnishin' harder'n ever, for fear things
wouldn't be ship shape agin she come.
"And for twenty years he never
done nothin' of no account; he was
alwus tinkerin' up round gettin' things
fit for Kate Then, by spells, he'd
think he was merried to her, and he'd
talk to her as ef she was settin' right
there, Elviry said. And he'd imagine
that he had two or three children there
was little gal that favored her mother
Katie, he'd call her-and two little
boys that was awful smart. Elviry
said she declared for it she felt some
times as If Kate and them children was
really there to hear him talk to 'em and
about 'em. But that was only by spells
when he was queer'n usual. Ginerally
he was only awaitin' for and eXpectin'
of her.
"And he want really crazy, nor ex-
actly fool neither! Old Cap'n Jere-
mah was dretful took down; some
thought that it had come upon him be-
cause he'd been temptin' of Proyi-
dence, hevin' his heart sot on worldly
prosperity; but want never one that
was so free and easy with the Lord as
to know jest what he done things for,
"He'd arger the pint with Jonas, old
Cap'n jeremiah would, and try to shame
him into showin' some spunk and sperit
about a gal that had gin him the mitten.
But la! Jonas would only jest say to
Elviry that the old man was gettin' silly
and childish.
"The old folks they didn't last long.
They died within a month or two of one
another, and Jonas and Elviry went on
livin' there Jest the same. There was a
good many wanted to keep company
with Elviry, for she was smart and
kinder clipper, and good and whole
some lookin' though there want no fig
ger-head to her; but she wouldn't leave
Jonas. She couldn't "a sot more by
him ef he'd been the sensiblest man on
airth. The way she'd set and listen to
HIM and talk to him about Kate by
the hour was a caution. And she never
crossed him in nothin'. Every once in
a while they'd hev such clearin' up
and settin' to rights that you'd think
they was goin' to have the county con-
ference there, and Elviry would take
holt as spry and cheerful as could be,
and pertend, for sure, she thought Kate
was a comm.
"And yit on some subiicks Jonas was
as sensible rs any on us, and you might
talk with him for long spell without
fndin' out that he was cracked.
"One day last summer there came a
parcel o. folks over from Porkerpine.
Them summer borders is alwus comm
over, squattin' on the rocks over to
Dead Mans Pint, and a-spyin' round as
if we was all cooriosities, and atakin'
picters. These folks was genteeler' n
common, with their silks and laces and
feathers a-bobbin', and the men was lit
tie spindlin' fellers, with wells tied round
their hats like women folks. One of the
women comes up to me where | was
standin' by my boat; she was big, fat
woman, forty or more, with an oncom-
mon lot o. paint an whitewash, and a
silk tail to her that would a reached
pooty nigh round the island; and says
she to me, in an all-kllin', hice voice,
says she:
"'Can you tell me where we can git
Gonna t.afropbpantS -