The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-08-09
BRUIN in TIE WAY.
An Old stage-Driver's story.


'Well, the is another yarn thought
on last night, after you'd ben a-pester-
ing of me for stories; it's curious mat
ter, and I've larfed over it more times!
''Up to Peddle's-he KEEP tavern over
by the Falls, and generally made out
to stop there over Sundays, because
that Emcline, she that's Mis- Tinker
now, We hired help there then.
"Well, as Twas sayin', up to Peddle's
there was houseful of comp'ny one
year. Not the real rich folks, such as
stayed to the Glen and Crawford's, but
middlin' folks IS to money; respectable
and learn'd, most of EN-. aud as tickled
about the n oIntings and bushes and
things as though they was in forrin
parts, orasI mig hit be in Boston or York,
eff ever l was to go to them places.
''One that made it home there for the
hull SUNNI r was young won an from
the Fast, Salem, guess, or down to salt
somewaeres in thatregion; an odd piece
as ever you see, she was.
There's more of 'em now; see 'em
every year a-strammin' round the lots
AMI roads, with short gowns, big thick
boots, fappiu' bunnets. AID long sticks
into their hands. Strong minded,
some folks call 'em, but they act more
as though they was strong-bolied to my
mind.
"But she, this Theodoshy Wickes, she
was the fist ever come into tn s. parts,
and l tell you folks stared at her a
sight. They done more gawpin' at
her over 10 Monroe than eff she was a
ghost
''She used to set off OF mornin' be-
fore breakfast, with that there blue
gown comm to her boot-tops, not a
mite further, and sech boots!
81 could have wore 'em, as fur as
thickness went, the hull of New
Hampshire winter; but they would have
been considerable of a pinch for me; her
bunnet fetched across with blue rib
bin, and peeled saplin', full an inch
through for cane; and she'd be atop
of Bear Hill and back before Ieddle'd
ring the bell for wakin' his boarders
up.
"I'm bound to say she was real
good-lookin' girl; big eyes, as blue as
them gentian-blows we have up here
long in the fall, and the crinkliest kind
of yaller-brown hair, and real smooth
skinned, with the pink a-comin' and
goin' in her face like everything; ana
she did have the best soundin' voice
and larf ever heerd in my life.
"Why, twas like pebbly brook and
a bob link mixed in ekal parts, as the
doctors say. Folks did speak disre-
spectful of her nose an mouth some
times, said + one turned up an t'other
was big; but to my mind noses amt of
much account in a face any way, and
hers just give a sort of independent
look 10 her, same as the turn-up of a
snapper-blossom makes it sassy-lookin'
and don't know as mouth is too big
that has fresh red lips a-openin' to show
teeth just like rows of young corn on a
cob, white and shinin'.
"Idhought she was han some, and SC
did some other folks to Peddle's. There
was one young Teller there, off and on,
all that summer; he came from down tc
York, and they said he was as rich as
mud, and l guess he was, though he
didn't put on no graces on account Of
it. He come first with couple of girls
and an old lady; aunt and cousins to
him they was, real city folks, rugged of
in silks an satlns an thin clothes, that
left samples onto every bush they come
nigh, and the sort that had to have q
man help 'em over every stone and lift
'em acrost two-rail fences, and scare the
oldest COW out of sight before they'd
stop screamin'. Talk about turn-ur
noses! tell you, their n Almost went
over backward when they see Miss
Wickes goin' on as she used to.
=. That dreadful girl!' Miss Bell al.