The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-10-21

holdin' of her by the tail and another on
top of her WITH a pair of Buffalo Bill
spurs and a false face, yelling like a vol
unteer fire company. Then the old lady
kicked because we run short of milk.
Said 1t was 40 a note if she couldn't
have milk when she come into the viii
derness to live a. d paid her little old So
a week just as regular as Saturday night
come round.
"These boys picked on mine all sum-
mer because my boys was plain little fell
lers with no underwear, but good impulses
and a general desire to lay low and event
uaIly git there, understand. Ny boys is
consider able bleached as regards hair, and
freckled as to features, and they are not
ready IN conversation like a town boy,
but they would no more drive a dumb
animal through the woods till it was all
het up, or take a new mich cow and
scare the daylights u of Ler and yell at
her and pull out her tail and send her
home with Ler pores all open, than they'd
be sent to the Legislature without a crime.
"a neighbor Of mine that see these
boys when they was scarin' my COW to
death said if they'd OF been his'n he'd
rather fOller EN- to their grave than see
jill ~ Lhol. AudL putting VI II IhL1OI
strong, but l believe l would myself.
We had a nice old man that come out
here to attend church, he said. He be
longed to a big church in town, where it
cost him so much that he could hardly
look his maker in the face. he said. Last
winter, he said, they sold the pews at
auction, and be had an affection for one,
specially cause he and his wife had set
in it all their lives, and now that she as
dead he wanted it, as he wanted the roof
that had been over them all their married
lives. So he went down when they auc-
toned 'em of, as it seems they do in those
big chu ches, and the bidding started
moderate, but run up TIL they ia pre-
MUM on his'n that froze b NJ out, and he
had to take a cheap n where he couldn't
hear very well and 1t made him sort of
bitter. Then in May, he says, the Pales-
tine rash broke out among the preachers
in New York, and most Of EN- had to go
to the Holy Land to get over it, because
that is the only thing you can do with the
Palestine rash when it gets g. hold on a
pastor. So be say to me, 8 come out
here mostly to see if l could get any late
information from the Throne of Grace"
"He was a rattlin' fine old Teller, and
told me a good deal about one thing and
another. He said he'd seen it stated in
the paper that salvation was free, but in
New York he said it was pretty well
protected for an old established industry.
"He knew Deacon Decker pretty we'll.
Deacon Decker was an old playmate of
Jay Gould'S but didn't do so well as Jay
did. He went once tt New York after
he got along in years, n Gould Knew
him, but he couldn't seem to place Gould.
: Why, Decker says Gould, don't you
know me? Decker says, That's all
right. You bet I know We. You're one
of the fellers that knows everybody.
There's another Teller around the corner
that helps TO remember folks. [ know
We. l read the papers. Git out. Scat.
Torment We. I" aiu'tin here to-day buyin'
green goods, nor yet to lift a freight bill
for ye. SO avaunt before l sick the po-
lice on ye.'
FINALLY Jay identified himself, and
shook dice with the deacon to see which
should bay the lunch at the dairy
kitchen
deacon Decker once in church dis
covered a loose knot in his pew Sat, and
while considering the plan of redemption
luOuRuGlCSSIy puS1CO Will SOACAOCAo OAN
force on this knot with his thumb. At
first it resisted the pressure, but finally it
slipped out and was succeeded by the
deacon'h thumb. No one saw it, so the
deacon, slightly flushed, gave it a stea!thly
wrench, but the knot hole had a sharp
~conical bottom and the edge soon caught
and secured the rapidly swelling thumb of
Deacon Decker.
During the closing prayer he worked
at it with great diligence and all the
saliva be could spare, but it resisted. 1t
was a sad sight. Finally he gave it up,
and said to himself the struggle was use
less. He tried to oe resigned and wait
till all had gone. He shook his head
when the plate wa passed to him, and
only bowed when the brethren passed
him on the way out. Some thought that
maybe he was cursed with doubts, but
reckoned that they would pass away.
"Finaliy he was missed outside. He
was generally so clipper and so CHEEKY.
So his wife was asked about him. Why,
fathers inside. I'll go and get him. l
never knew him to miss shaking hands
with all the folks
$50 she went in and found Deacon
| Decker TT, ing to interest himself in a
lesson leaf with one hand, WI lie his other
was concealed under his hat. He could
fool the neighbors, but he could not fool
his wife, and so she hustled around and
told one or two, who told their wives,
and they all came back to see the deacon
and make suggestions to him.
This little Incident is true, and while
it does not contain any special moral, 1t
goes to show that an honest man gathers
no moss, and also explains a large circular
hole and the tin patch over it which may
still be seen in the pew where Deacon
| Decker used to sit"
In a future letter 1 propose giving
some historical points regarding Delaware
county and the Catskill region al the head
of the Delaware river. 1t WILDE graphic,
interesting and instructive. News dealers
will do well to provide againsta disgrace
fnI cr1sh at their DlaceS and see that order