Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-01-22

polite. Why, II man had TO Kin dog
then he did it In an easy and gentleman
ly way. 4 spirit Of etiquette seemed to
pervade the atmosphere.
"But now / warrant that II you should
get into . quarrel with some man on
board this boat he would be brutal
enough to haul of and knock you down
with his fist. There mustcome change,
though, sooner or later. Society can't
stand the uncouthness of the present era.
The customs that came in after the war
robbed rs Of our good breeding. When
every man carried a pistol for the pur-
pose of inducing his neighbor to be po-
lite every gentleman was genial. Rude
ness, that unsightly fungus growth on
the trunk of careless society, meant
crude correction or polished death Am
I boring you, subj"
"Far from it." answered.
"Ahi l like you, for see in you q
remnant, though somewhat removed
one, Of the old days. You would rather
tell smooth lie than a rough truth.
Stick to that idea, sub. Truth, except
as it relates 10 history and the sciences,
is brutalizer of mankind. The hog
that wallows in the mire has truth; the
srtist that paints great picture has de-
ception."
The boat landed. "This is well re-
membered spot with me-" said the
planter. "One night in the spring of
1859 seated myself in a poker game
Just as the boat left this landing. From
the very start luck was in my favor, and
it didn't seem that could lose First
one and then another of our party drop
lped out, until at last sat 'acing old
Maj. Pelton. / soon had him broke.
Look here, said he, I'm not going to
jump this game. I'll put up my body
servant, be gad, sub. Come here, Bill.
Bill came up, and a husky fellow he was,
too. Well, won him, and the old ma
jor went to bed swearing. BILL said /,
who's your master nowT You is, sab,
said he. Correct you are, Bill. Black
my boots
"Well, suh," the planter continued,
II kept Bill right with me, although
do believe he was one of the biggest ras.
Gals l ever saw. One day, just about
the time Grant was marching into Vicks-
burg, and while was marching in an
opposite direction about as fast as
could, Bill came up to me and said:
"'Mars John, I've dun got enough!
Enough of whatY / asked.
Enough O. dis yere wahr
"T CAD, SO have 1; but what are we
going to do about itY
"I doan' know what you gwine dc
bout it, sab, but I knows what l gwine
do-rm gwine ter de Yankees
81 didn't offer him any advice-I sim
ply struck him over the head with q
handy carbine and left him lying neal
the roadside"
The old fellow was silent for few
moments. 81 have but little farther tc
CO." he said, after gazing down the
river. 81 have been down to see about
some land. got into sort of squabblt
with the government, and was told tt
go down to Keesport to see the United
States land commissioner. | had haG
some correspondence with the office
and, from the tone of the letters re
ceived, did not expect that my treat
ment would be any too courteous Wher
I got there I was shown into a room
and told to await the pleasure of tn,
commissioner. Presently voice said
l'This is the commissioner, suh.' Hooked
up and there stood Bill-my Bill.
didn't know what to say.
"'Good mawnin',' said he.
"'Look here, Bill said l, ARE you The
United States land commissioner
"'Dat's whut de president says h'
answered with grin.
"'Well, if that's the case, Bill,
reckon might as well go back home.
suppose you remember how we parted.
oh, yas, sab, | ricolleck er littl,
argument we had bout de war, an yere
sah,' he added, as he touched lump OF
his head, lis er part O dat argument yet
Takes it longer ter go down den any ar
gyment Ieber seed. Sorry ter see you il
trouble, Mars John, but lemme tell you
dar amt no use in worryin'. Yer, Mr.
Sanderson, fix up dis genrman's paper
ter dat Ian. Tt amt gwine cost you e
cent, sah.'"
A look of tenderness shone in the oil
mans eyes. Eyes, sub, " he added, "Bill
the rascal, fixed up everything all righ
and wouldn't charge anything. This il
curious world. Well, / get off here.
-Opie P. Read in New York World.