The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-05-01

strikes us that we have heard OF man
who saved young girl from drowning
here last summer, and lost his own life,
Only half remembering the details,
and feeling an interest in Jonas Battles
and his fate, we go over to Deacon Man
ley's store to make inquiries. The Dea-
con is living chronicle of all the events
which have transpired on Barberry
Island for the last fifty years. His stock
in trade is small in extent but great In
variety. Every article has its price
plainly marked upon it, and in a con-
spicuous position is this notice: "Cus-
toners will please make change for
themselves in the drawer" The door
stands wide open and there is neither
proprietor nor clerk about the premises.
The drawer filled with money is UNI
locked. Apparently the millennium has
begun on Barberry Island.
We find the Deacon on the door
stone of his house near the landing, dill
igently mending a very much mildewed
sail. He is little, old, weather-beaten
man, who looks like smoked herring.
"Jonas Battle? Oh! yes. The Bat
theses is one of the families that's
kinder died out. Elviry's the last, and
she's jest merried and moved over to
the main. The house looks shet up and
lonesome, you see."
He points to square, white house,
the largest and most imposing upon the
island, standing off the main street,
with long lane leading up to it. 1t
forms striking contrast to the other
houses, for it's paint is new and shining
and every thing about it looks well
kept and thrifty. But it is evidently
closed and deserted.
"Jonas Battles he want of no great ac-
count" pursues the Deacon, no devices
being necessary to draw him out, " and
yit we all kinder miss him, more'n if
there'd ben more heft to him, p'raps.
He was allus round home, and none of
the other men folks ever is, so the
women folks they kinder relied upon
him. He was allus clever, Jonas was,
and handy in good many ways, if he
was kinder cracked. Folks laid all his
onaccountableness to his bein' disap-
| p'nted in love, but there amt no use a
talkin'; Jonas want never jest like
other folks nor his father before him.
"Sam Battles, his father, was q
school-master from up the river, Bangor
way. He had beautiful learnin', and
he could reel off poetry by the yard; it
didn't seem to be no harder work for
him than reelin' off fish-line is to the
rest on us, and It would beat you to tell
the meanin' of about half the words
he'd get into it. There's no denyin' that
It was great poetry. But he didn't seem
to have no sprawl. The boys they took
hold and licked him, two or three times,
and finally they pitched him out of the
winder into a 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 complicated, 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 dretful short-sighted creturs,
and p'r'rps it's just as well for most OF
us men folks that they be.
sHe 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 wa;
two children born, Jonas and Elviry
and then he died of consumption. Sc.
liny she thought terrible sight of him
and she never seemed to spunk up agir
arter he died. 1t want much more II
a year before she was buried along side
of him, and Jonas and Elviry they was
orphans.
"Old Mis- Rodick, their grandmoth.
er, she fetched 'em up and Elviry was
as smart as 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 duck
takes to water. He was kinder slim
and sickly, but Cap'n jeremiah was sol
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 a sight
smarter and ruggeder'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 "a 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
poorly considerable strong, and finally she
gave him her promise. He come home
/. here with sails all set and colors flynn.
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
he was old and childish, and his heart
was sot on Jonas. Before the fxin's
was done there come letter to Jonas
from the gal sayin' she hadn't never had
no Serious thoughts of hevin' on him !;
she was only jokin'; and she'd gone off