Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-09-16
misrellaneuns.
BLURFKlys DAUGHTER.

have been written, Blufkins loved his dog
enthusiastically he loved his daughter
moderately.
Bluff kins was what is usually designat-
ed "a tough case" There was nothing
soft, or winning. or childlike about Bluff
kins. He was not of lofty stature, but,
like the ''holy city of Jerusalem, he was
compactly built together"
Nobody ever contradicted Blutfkins-
they didn't dream of such thing. You
wouldn't yourself.
Bluffkins dwelt in an old tumble-down
house on the outskirts of New England
town. He was rich, though he didn't look
tit wasn't his STYLE His raiment was
exceedingly shabby; his hair was like
buffalo-robe that had braved the "battle
and the breeze" shaggy and careworn.
His nose was crimson as summer sunset,
while his voice scared children and made
big people wish that they were safe home
in bed
When he came along the perfume of his
breath was not suggestive of a prohibitory
state indeed, it carried the bv-stander
away back into the shady vistas of the past
when, some time or other, quite by acct
dent, he or she had inhaled the fragrance
of New England rum or apple-jack-
Bluffkins was the last man to have a
pretty daughter, but he had one, all the
same. Her name was Bertha. and she
was the admiration of a whole tribe of
Young men who dwelt in the region round
about Bluffkln's.
Not that they ever dared to say so-no,
indeed 1t would have been as much as
their lives were worth to do more than
raise their eyes to her fair young face as
she entered the sacred portals of the viii
lage church, which she attended alone, for
.Bluffkins was not church-going man by
good deal.
AS to coming within the jurisdiction of
Bluffkin's dog, they would not do that if
the Lord spared them their sober senses.
So Bertha wasted her sweetness on the
desert air. and was bullied and hectored
from morning till night. not only by the
dog and Bluffkin's, but also by Bluffkin's
right hand man-Mr Hodges by name. a
seaman who had, in the dusty annals of
the past, deserted from the English navy.
Rumors were current through the vii
lage that if ever the British navy laid
hands on Hodges, he would be hunted and
branded. and played the dickens with
generally; for he had insulted the British
lion by walking off so unceremoniouslv,
and the British lions would be a terrible
revenge.
He was made on the same model as a
Huntington was Hodges, and his face
looked like tie style of cheese known as a
Dutchman's head, if that cheese had been
left around till it had been gnawcd by the
rats,
He was not fresh, or elegant, or tempt
ing-no way you could fix him. If you
dressed him in ancient armor, he would be
the same old sixpence: and if you put a
black velvet doublet on him, slashed with
old gold, he would not look bit better
AS thing of beauty, Hodges was dead
failure.
When the dog. whose name was Boxer,
and Bluffkins himself got tired OF bullying
Bertha. Hodges Clipped in and bullied her
himself. She had hand maid of Hiber-
MAN extraction, and if it had not been for
Biddy, Bertha would certainly have given
up the ghost.
Biddy was highly original specimen,
red haired and buxom. full of wit and
given to scathing repartee. She quarrel
ed with Hodges on an average seventeen
times a day, and always came off victori-
Gus, leaving Hodges worn and dismantled
by the fray.
bad luck to your sowl, ye worthless.
desertn' thief of the world! it's little I'd
trouble meself wild you only for your i'm
prudence to Miss Bertha, the crature !
Sure anybody else would glorlfy the saints
to have such daughter only an ovid
dirty miser like your beautiful masther.
The devil cent does he give her to dress
herself like other ladies', and him rowling
in riches. May the devil sweep him, the
ould wretch ~
This was the style of conversation that
which was duly reported by that faithful
henchman to his august master.
Blutfkins, when he next encountered the
girl, would formally disband her from his
service amid a great flow OF Scriptural
language, which action on his part pro-
duced not the slightest effect on Biddy,
who continued on in the same even tenor
of her way, remarking to her young mis-
tresS,-
"Arrah, why should annoy meself
wild them crazy devils? Sure they ought
to be communicated wild a candle and a
bell The horrible ovid haythensl Never
a foot do they put in chSrch, or do any
thing that dacent- Oh, sure it's a
moighty hot corner that's now getting
ready for the pair of them"
FLUSH, Biddy? You must not speak in
that way of my father. He would not be
so disagreeable if it were not for that hor-
rid brandy and Hodges. think remem-
Der that he was once very different. Oh,
dear. how unhappy am wish it was
not a sin to pray for death ~
death. is it, Miss Bertha, me jewel !!
Sure it's weddings, not wakes. your sweet
mind should be running on, only for them
worthless wretches down stairs. Oh, they
are the useless devis-God help them I"
Bertha's life had flowed on like turbu-
lent stream till she reached her eighteenth
year in spite of the blows and Bullets of
an outrageous fortune. She was very
pretty and interesting girl. She had but
few friends, but those she had loved and
pitied her sincerely.
Among those friends was a Mrs. Nor
gan, a young widow lady. She felt a
strong sympathy for the motherless, and
worse than fatherless girl. As often as
Bertha could make her escape, she was
with the widow, who always received her
with the utmost kindness. Bertha did not
dare to invite her friend to return those
visits, for Bluffkins had ruthlessly forbid
den her to have any callers.