The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-05-14
My First Visit TO Portland.
by BEBA BMITII.

. - '"o ''h Va .ho yohi lOZO LOOK
1t into my head I'd go to Portland. /
had heard good deal about Portland.
what n fine place it was, and how tho
folks got rich there proper !ast; and
that fall there was couple Of new
papers come up TO our place from there
called the Portland Courier, and Ean,iiy
Reader, and they told n good many
queer things about Portland, and one
thing and another; and ali mt once il
popped into my head, and l up and told
father, and says:
II am going TO Portland, whether or
no; and III SEQ what this world 10 made
Of yet"
Father stared little Mt first, and said
no WAS afraid l would got lost; but
when he zee was bent upon it, he gave
1t up and he stepped to his chist and
opened the till and took out dollar
and gave 1t 10 me; and says he:
Jack, this is all I can do for you; but
go and lend M honest life, and believe
shall hear good Of you yet"
He turned and walked across tbe
room, but 1 could SEQ tho tears start
thno I'M NJUbs nDi Blu uOWIl nIln
had hearty crying spell.
This made mo feel rather bad for
mint or two, and l almost had a mind
TO give 1t up; and then again fathers
dream camo into my mind, and mus
tered up courage and declared I'd 90
30 l tackled up the old horse, and
packed in load Of ax-handles, and
few notions; and mother fried me some
doughnuts, and put EN- into box.
along with some cheese, and sausages,
and roppcd me up another shirt, for /
told her l didn't know how long
should be gone. And after | got rugged
out, went round and bid all the neigh
bors goodbye, and jumped in, and
drove off for Portland.
Aunt Sally had been married two or
three years before and moved TO Port
land; and / inquired round till | found
out where she lived, and went there, and
put the old horse up, and cat some sup
per, and went to bod.
And the next morning not np, md
Strengthened right of to SEQ tho editor
OF tho Portland Courier, for / knew by
what had seen in his paper, that ho
was just the man to tell mo which way
TO steer. And when come to zee him.
knew wns right; for MS soon as told
him my name, and what / wanted, no
took mo by the hand w kind az il no
Ind been n brother, and said he
mister" says he, "Ill do anything
can to assist you. You have come to
good town; Portland Is healthy, thriv.
ing place, and any man with proper
degree OF enterprise may do well here.
But" says he, "stranger," and he looked
mighty kind Of knowing, says no, "if
You want TO mako out to your mind, Won
must do as the steamboats, do"
WELL" says I, chow do they do ?"
for / didn't know what steamboat was
any more than the man in tho moon.
"Why," says he, "thoy 20 ahead.
And you must drive about among the
folks here, just ms though you were at
home, on the farm among the cattle.
Don't DO afraid OF any of them, but
figure away, and, I dare shy, you'll got
Into good business in very little while.
But" says he, there's ono thing You
must be careful OF /; and that is, not to
get Into tho hands OF those aro folks that
trades up round Hucklors Row, for
there's some sharpers up there, il they
get hold Of You, would twist your eye.
teeth out in five minits."
Well, arter no Civ me all the good nd.
vice no could, | won't back to Aunt
Sallys agin, and got some breakfast;
and then / walked nll over the town, to
see what chance could find to sell my
sI.handles and things, and to get into
business.
After l had walked about three or
four hours, / came along toward the
upper end Of the town, whero found
there were stores and shops Of all sorts
and sizes. And / met Teller, and
says I:
"What place Is thisp"
"Why this" says he, "is Hucklers
"What." says I "are these the stores
where the traders in Hucklers Row
keep"
And says he, Eyes"
Well, then, says l to myself, I have o
'esky good mind to go in and have try
nth one these chaps, and SEQ il they can
wist my eye-teeth out. II they can get
he best end Of bargain out of me, they
An do what there amt man in our
lace can do; and l should just like to
now what sort Of stuff these ere Port.
md chaps are made of. 80 in goes I
lto the best looking store among EN-. J
md see some biscuit lying on the shelf, t
mister, how much do you a1 apiece .
Ior them ere biscuits ?"
"A cent piece" said he. {
WELL" says I, 1T shap't u,ve va,
tnat, but II you've mind to, IN Give
you two cents for three Of them. forI
begin to feel q little as though l would
Ike to take bite" "
"Well," says he, II wouldn't sell 'em
o anybody else SO, but seeing it's Won.
don't care II you take EN-.
I knew he lied, for he never seen me
efore In his life. Well, he handed
own the biscuits, and I took EN-, and
alked round the store little while. 10
70 what else he had to sell. At last
Us I:
ier y e