Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-09-02
NIcODEMUs DODGE.

in Missouri, a loose-jointed, long legged.
tow. headed, jeans-clad, countrified 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 a slouch hat, whose
broken brim hung limp and ragged about
his ears like bug eaten cabbage Leaf.
stared indifferently around, then leaning
I, his hip against the editors table. crossed
his mighty brogans, aimed at distant
fly from crevice in his upper teeth,
laid him low, and said with composure:
"Wha's the bossP"
"I am the boss" said the editor, fol-
lowing this curious bit of architecture
wonderingly along up to its clock face
with his eye.
"Don't want anybody fur to learn the
business, faint likelya"
"Wel, I don't know. Would you
like to learn itP"
"Pap's so po' he can't run me no mo. /.
so I want to get show somers, If / Can,
'tain't no difference what--I'm strong
and hearty. and I don't turn my back on
no kind of work. hard nur Soft"
"Doyou think you would like to learn
the printing business7'
"Well, I don't rely k'yer durn what
do learn, SOS git chance fur TO make
my way. I'd list as soon learn print'n's
anything"
''Can you read?h
"Yes-middlin'."
"WriteP"
swell. I've seed people could lay over
me thar" .tEt an 81
Cipher" tst s.
mot good enough to keep store, /
don't reckon, but as fur as twelve times
twelve amt noslouch. 'Tother side
of that is what gifts me-"
"Where is your homer"
''rm from old Shelby"
What's your fathers religious de-
nomination."
Him? Oh, he's blacksmith"
"No. mol don't mean his trade.
What's his religious denomination
"Oh-I didn't understand you befo'.
He's Fresmason."
No-no, you don't get my meaning
yet What mean is, does he belong to
any church,"
"Now you're talkin'. Couldn't
make out what your was trying to git
through yo' head no way. B'iong to =
church.! Why boss, he's been the pi-
FINEST kind of a FreewiIl Baptis' for
forty years. They amt no pizener
ones'n he Is. Mighty good man, pap Is.
Everybody says that. lfthey said any
differunt they wouldn't sad 1t where
wus-not much they wouldn't"
What Is your own religionfs
swell, boss, you've Kind o. got me
thar-and yit you haiai got me %
mighty much nuther. / think = 4 .
feller he'ps another when he's In tronble,
and don't cuss, and don't do any meza
things, nor nuth'n' he ain't no business
to do, and don't spell the Savior's name
with littleg, he amt runnin' 10 orssas
he's about as saift as ifhe b'longcd 20
church."
"But suppose he did spell !. with :
little g--what then?"
swell. II he done Il a-purposs. ]
reckon ne wouldn't stand no chance
he oughtn't to have no chance. anyway,
I'm most rotten certain bout that
What Is your nameP"
Nicodemus Dodge
Il think maybe you'll do, Eicodemus.
Wen give you trial, anyway
''All right"
when would you like 10 hsgiap"
Now
80, within ten minutes after We had
first glimpsed this nondescript. he wHs
one OF a., and with his coat O. nj hard
att.
Beyond that end Of our establIshmenl
which was furthest from the street was
deserted garden, pathless, and thickly
grown with the gloomy and vlllinnoas
"iimpson" weed and its common fFiead
the stately sunrower. In the midst q