Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-06-11

would sass her, and used 10 overpower the
villagers with her pert sayings, which she
took for wit. Her parents had a little col
ored boy ten years old whom they had
found. lie was a smart little urchin, and
Miss Laura Sophia used 10 get him 10 ro-
peat her sayings. This youth was dressed
IN Mr.. HOratiOs cast OF clothing. and as
the coats were merely cut shorter In
the tails. and the pants in the legs, the
boys Of " were 50 unkind that they
used 10 laughingly declare be would be
splendid TO hang in neighbor Dobson's
corn field to scare the crows. These we're
the people who we're disposed 10 quarrel
with the BensOns, aud who now entered
suit There was nothing left undone in
order to succeed 10 their undertaking, and
10 the surprise Of almost every one, and to
the Joy Of the partners, they succeeded.
HaYing been successful Mr.. Stubbins, de-
termined 70 be generous. He took his
friend Mr.. Wisdom IN his light store wag-
on and they spent nearly the entire day
riding backward and forward between his
store and the hotel by Mr. Bsnsons house
to triumph over him. At last the horse
became weary Of all this and going down
a steep hill upset the wagon aud away
flew the inmates. Mr. Benson was seated
upon his yeranda enjoying the pleasant
warm weather, and when he saw the runa-
way hastened TO see the fate Of bis neigh
bOrs Just in time 10 see them overthrow.
Mr.. Wisdom, being always wise, and by
his many visits to the hotel, being made
weighty, fell quietly, but Mr.. Stubbins
feet flew high up into the air where they
looked like two suspended gun boats, az
tergards rolling over into the dust they
looked az il they had been fearfully used.
Howeve., they did not care; they bad had
j I'd proved themselves smarter than
u: Bensons. lie wanted the people Of y.
TO rejoice with him, and they did 50. lie
bought a barrel Of liquor and all the people
Of n, that would drink were treated at his
expense. The entire place was in an up
roar He even was so generous as TO pur-
chase Leana Sophia new silk dress, mon
ey was no object for wasn't be going to
cheat old Benson out Of a cool two
hundred dollars. The BensOns quietly ap-
pealed 10 the Supreme Court, and won the
suit. When the news came Mr.. Stubbins
was so enraged, that he became tearfully
intoxicated. chastising Lena Sophia who
undertook to sass him, and at midnight
became so deliriOus with liquor that he
ran out Of his house up along the winding
creek through the village In his night
robes, so alarming his good wife and Mr..
Horatio that the factory bell was rung
and all the men and boys Of n. vent in
pursuit. am sure if any stranger had
passed through the village at this time
they would have been fearfully alarmed.
For 10, had they not seen something rush
past them all in white! But it was no ghost
nor Will-'O-the-Whlsp but a very SUBJ
stantial individual crazy with drink.
The next day he ascended upon the roof
Of his house, with his wife's band-bOx
mounted high above his head, and bound
cd feet first down the chimney where he
stuck fast. There being warm fire be-
low Peter mus. have been uncomfortable,
for he cried out Justify for help, not liking
such a tropical atmosphere. He was res
cued, and time sobered him. A few years
afterwards he left n. very little lamented
and removed with his family TO the far
West, where, no doubt, he has long since
repented Of the error of his ways.
Shortly after this visited the village;
1t was on clear, frosty November day.
As passed the church the bell was toll
ing the solemn knell Of death. Standing
upon the lawn ringing the bell which was
in the cupola and rang by rope from the
outside, his clear, blue eyes turned heaven
ward, whilst his snowy hair was tossed by
the clear, frosty air, stood old Scotch
Philip. With both hands he held tightly
10 the rope, performing his sad duty, un-
conscious of my presence.
Philip said, at last, accosting him,
"what has happened|
"He has gang ava, Miss, far ava"
"Who| l asked, not understanding
him.
"Mr. Benson, Miss, has gang to his
eternal home"
turned to look, and beheld winding
along the village road, the funeral train,
slowly in solemn splendor they bore the
quiet dead. watched with pain the long
procession passing, and thought Of the
noble spirit fed, and yielding to the gush
of tears, I turned toward the sunny sky
and hid my face and wept