Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-01
Talk i'm a Country bar Room.

Talk i'm a Country Bar Room.
Two years ago, after the Town Clerk had
fallen asleep with his feet against the stove and
slept along until the sole Of his right boot was
burnt through, old man Steen had railing run
around the stoYe on which the cronies could
rest their feet and tilt their chairs back against
the bar or the wall. And 80 they were warm.
ing themselves the other night-fOr though Il
was late in May the air was so chilly that the
host still kept up fire in the bar-room.
When the clock struck $50 he let his chair
down easily, got up slowly and drew down the
shade on which were, represented in varied
colors mountain, q meadow and deer with
such contempt for the laws Of perspective that
the deer in the meadow seemed about to plant
one of his fOre-feet on the summit of the
mountain. After this the host went behind the
bar and began mixing a toddy.
''Them temperance folks. said Squire Luke
"air pretty lively since they passed the no
Guess not, said the old man, ''if any of em
comes I'll say contracted for to supply yers
with liquor for two years afOre they voted the
law, an they can't enforce q law agin me. az
will interfere with the obligations Of prior
contract"
''Gosh, steen! Yer ought to ha' been law
yer" said the Squire as he took the toddy and
handed it on after a sip or two. When It had
gone around the circle the host finished it of
and then took his seat again. For few min
OF the clock and the snoring of the Town Clerk,
who had his feet on the railing, his chair tilted
back against the wall and his SLOUGH hat drawn
over his eyes. Then the Squire looked up at
the colOred tissue paper trimmings that hung
from the ceiling and glowed IN the soft light
from the stove and said:
81 kind o'thOught Sol. Russell, from Shawan-
gunk, would be in tonight"
''Did he say he would" asked the road
master. "'Cause if he said he'd be here to-
night guess we wont see him till about forty
eight hours from now"
well, l reckon yer right" said the Squire.
II don't know as he is punctual."
Eyer see," continued the r0ad-master, it's
this way. He got some kind Of new-fangled
watch down in York about two months ago an
It's been lOsin' time ever since he's had it. an /
guess it's bout two days behind hand now.
Shouldn't wonder If he didn't get to church till
Tuesday mornin' If things goes on this way"
Old Ben Devere hadn't said anything during
the evening, but when the road-master leaned
back In his chair he knocked the ashes out of
bis pipe and remarked: ''That Thompson gal
Smiths widder.''
Him as they used to call mud-hole Smith,"
asked the road-master.
Eyes him" replied Ben.
"Why did they call him mud-hole Smith,
asked q stranger.
The road-master had put the first question
that the stranger might put the second. For
the roadmaster had started 81 Smiths nick
name and liked to explain it, But this time the
Squire got in ahead OF him and started of:
Eyer see there's kind of valley tween
here an where 81 Smith used to live an O.
wet nights the water'd kind o. collect down
there an, break up the road an make kind of
smud-hole Well 81 would come up here yer
know an manage to get good deal aboard
afore he'd start for home. An If his wife woke
up in the mOrnin' an found as he hadn't been
home, why she just sent the hired man down to
the mud-hole- for she knowed he was there;
an that at 1 mister how he come to be called
"But what's the Thompson gal dom at 81
Smiths widders?" asked Ben.
why don't yer know man?" said old Steeu.
"Charlie Ackerts sweet on her, an she on him;
old Thompson won't have nothin' of him about
the house, so Sal she comes to the widder's an
they does their sparkin there"
II seen old Thompson buyin' buck shot In
PO'keepsie the other day" remarked the road
master casually.
.1s his boy Dave DOM any farmin' nowa"
.'Guess not, replied Ben; .'he amt got brains
enough for that. He's flshin' in the Waikiki all
day.
:.May be they does, y said Ben IAN perhaps If
Dave would eat whale he might get an idea or
two, but amt sure.
Just then wagon stopped at the door, and
strong, nne-looking young chap came in and
girls voice called out to him to hurry up
"Where are yer Eofn', Ackert?" asked Steen
as he gave him thealantern.
II alnt a-goin'as much asrve BEEN"
"An' where ha' yer heen?"
" .%so tot to the parsons eettin' h'tched."
"Why. to Sally THOMPSON. of course
There was . low whistle, and then the Squire
asked: ~
WAS old Thompson tiere?"
mo. But we had q bridesmaid"
"Who was she?r.
'sWhy, 81 Smiths widder;" and then he went
out and drove OF.
The group as silent till it struck 10. Then
Steen passed around the toddy-glass again.
After that they woke up the Town Clerk, who
was mad because he had missed two toddies.
Then they left and old Steen locked mp Outside
they met a man with shotgun who asked:
HAS any o. YOU folks seen my Sal?'' and