Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-06-15

sober. By night. after such day. the
! battalion, taken as a body, believed
itself competent to manage the choicest
red-coat brigade that might be muster.
ed.
Sam Wiggins, in obedience to the
orders of the captain of his militia dis
trict, had to attend. 'Lijay suggested
70 his father that be CLijay) ought to
go along with his uncle Sammy, and
try to keep him sober. He had very
nearly made an entirely sober man out
of him, anyhow; but tomorrow wonld
be great strain The idea struck Mr.
Peeler as wise and opportune. Sam
smiled, but said nothing at the break.
fast-table, and his sister looked sur
prised, but also said nothing, when
Mr.. Peeler told 'Lijay he might have
Jim, the mule, to ride to the muster.
During the greater part of that day,
Mr.. Peeler sat In his piazza and rumi-
mated He hardly knew what he
thought. Sam had been temperate so
long that Mr.. Peeler now had made
quate cause of crying, even with his
jaws, If the old fellow should happen
to make big spree of it to-day, little
fuel would be added to the fame OF
his pathos, which he confessed had
been burning low of late. He hardly
knew how he felt. Toward evening,
his wife brought out her sewing and
sat also in the piazza, silent and
thoughtful. At length Mr. Peeler
spoke.
1T appears like Sammy is sorter late
in comm from the muster
Yes answered his wife, it's time
they were home'
They p calculated Mr.. PeeleF.
They? 'Lijay woaId have been home
long ago, if it hadn't been for your
brother It's him that's been a-keepin'
'Lijay back, you may be sure o. that,
Pity-pity-pit-tee,' continued he,
lengthening his words as if he would
reduce to measure and sing his commits
eration-'pity that minister of the
gospel, the blessed gospel, should have
to have his mind all tore up by sich a
case, and to have bis own SON a-foller-
in af his own uncle, and to take keer
of him, and to watch him, and to fetch
him home from wicked muster OF a
wicked battalion in wicked town; and
-ahem!-a mans own wife not SEEM
in to kecr for such things, and her own
brother at that. and drawback, as it
were, aud backhold, and -
hat -, a11 fall
about, and what is it worth? You
know | do care for such things Tor
ought to know it) as much as you do !;
but not like you do. care for them
for Sammy's sake; for he IS the best
man in this world, in spite of tnat enc
fault, which he is very seldom guilty
of, and which. somehow, you make ten
yes, a thousand-times worse than it
is You talk about his being draw
back Why, If he was to go away
from here, as | know be feels like do
ing sometimes, he would be missed
| can tell you that
'Oh, Betsy, shouldn't wish, that is,
| shouldn't desires that Sammy should
go away and depart from US, and, as it
were-'
No; / think not But | can tell
you farther that if you did let 'Lijay
go to the muster for the reason you
say you did, and if Sammy finds out
that that was the reason, and if such
as that is 90 be kept going much lou
ger, Sammy, will leave; and there
won't be any power on this earth that
can stop him. Mr.. Peeler, | wonder
you did that Pm sorry you did that.
Mr. Peeler, with all his powers,
stood in some awe of both his wife and
Sam.
why, Betsy, my dear, Ill
thought that was the very best thing,
-leastways, it was my desires
The best thingp she replied, con-
temptuously, but quietly, and, as al
ways, without anger the best thing
with an honest man to send boy, and
bo, like 'Lijay, after him to watch
him? his own sisters child and
one too that, here tell his father. has
been watching ard bounding his uncle
too long already land is not fit person
to be put to reform his uncle, or any
one else that | happen to know. 'Lijay
had better staid at home
WELL said Mr.. Peeler apologetical-
ly for his wife's weakness of Judgment
'Sich is the female mind, and sich it
will Almost always stick to its own
brothers, no matter how Gallio-like-
and even against their own chiP But
yonder they come-and--yes-jes as |
expected
There they did come slowly up the
lane, the horse and the mule; but only
the latter's rider was erect. Sans
horse was apparently bringing heavy
load.
Now, aint that sight for minis
ter of the gospel to have to see a-com-
in to his gate-and the poor bewilder-
in creeter not bein' able to set up, nor
hold his head up, but has to lay down
on the dumb animals neck, and 'Lijay,
he havin' to hold on to his leg.
leaves the sight And Mr. Peeler
withdrew into the backyard
Mrs. Peeler put down her sewing
and looked anxiously and painfully at
the comers as they slowly approached
Never before had Sammy come home,
or been known to be, in such i'll con-
dition. She rose to her feet, and look
ed more and more eagerly as they
neared the gate. Just as they reach
ed it, she uttered cry and ran to
them. The burden was taken from the
horse, carried somehow to the house,
and laid upon the floor in the piazza.
Mrs. Peeler Went to the back-door and
called her husband.
Have the poor creeter been put
away, Betsy?'
Il tell you to come in. You are
wanted here right away
We'll, my skeerts is cle'r, and slow
l. o,+o,;,. ho xyolkaI tbpon~h no