New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-04
THE Old TILL1GE CHRONICLER
4 pESSIMISTIc INTERVIEW.

There is always some old fellow In every remote
country town who ought 10 be called the chroncler
of death and disaster. lie has lived in the town
for forty or fifty years. may be; and while he re-
tains very hazy recollection OF the pleasant things
that have happened he can tell you of all the I'M
pleasant things with Photographic accuracy gen.
teman Of this city recently revisited his native VII
iage-Slowtown will call 1t because that isn't its
name-aftcr an absence of twenty years and met
one of these old fellows who had been one of his
boy companions. but now known az "Old Billy
well Billy" he said. after mutual greetings sup
pose you can tell me all about everybody We VIII
begin with old Niggles whose orchard we used to
rob / suppose he is dead and gone long ago"
"Wusser'n that" said Billy He fell down hum
dred-foot WELL and the we'll so narrer that
,hey couldn't git his body out nohow. So they jist
put a big stun the we'll and erected a mony-
ment on II with the words of Scripter engraved on
it. AIS well that ends we'll 1t was eetle I'M
convenient to have the grave nigh the house.
but It want nigh it very long
"Why. how that? "Oh. the house burned
down in two weeks jst the day arter the insur-
ance run out. The wilder Niggles. she took on
wuss about the fire than about the old man; but
she soon had something more than the fire to think
of"
"What was that?' "She got married agin; Teller
named Stackpoe. Come from the West Got her
to sign all her land to him. and then sein' it for
half its vally in cash. he run away" "And did she
never hear Of him.
''Oh yes: two years arter a Teller called on her
in the poorhOuse. whore she was and told her that
Josh hal been strung up by a committee fer stean'
hosses and that he sent her the only vallybe thing
ne had a lock of his hair a souveneer" We'll.
well How things 90 happen when you leave place
Now tell me about Jack Iiolbrook WHO used 10
spell all down in school"
"Oh he came to a bad end" said Billy as he
picked up a straw and began chewing it, Married
a wilder with five children. two on them twins.
Pretty soon afterwards he came into fine house
and farm bv death OF his father. and the widder
his wife you know. was Kind o mesmerist; ana
she made passes Jack one day, and got MIN IN
"A trance like. and made him sign a deed OF the
promptly o. her. When he woke up she tod him
the land hern. and when he began to KICK she
uesmerizei him some more Neboe you won pc
evc IT, but she has been mesmerzlng MN Tor
thing now All she has got to do is TO jiggle her
hands at him q few times. and he is as helpless as
a baby" 49,, -
Guess not" said Billy Hold on. though. HI
Wheeock you remember him-used to be sweet o on
ard produce business and when he had moren he
knew what to do with. he doubled his pile In the
the hill: purity slightly place and cost heap or
money. too. But. Lord bless ye. he's had trouble
too, Had a boy he thought deal on. Sent him 70
college and then wanted him to go to Theological
cemetery or some SIGH thing. But Harry wan't
build that way. Thought he'd go into politics, an
ere not goin'. ye? II ye'd stay I'd tell We how
Susie Clayton married travcllin' snowman, an
how Billy Haydock ont West and came back
In three years with only sock an secondhand
coat an how Steve Carson failed up the year arter
hn opened his metropolitan cash store. an how
the Granger boys got State Prison fer steal
in. an how ole Squire Burton lost 800 sheep IN the
blizzard -"
from whom he might learn something cheerful
about the old town.