The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-06-17
CHAPTER XVII.
At the Brick store.


the brick store in Riyerboro. The com
pany at the Edgewood tavern would
be trifie different in character. NOR,
picturesque, imposing and eclectic be-.
cause of the transient guests that gave
1t change and variety. Here might be
found Judge or lawyer ON his way
to court, sheriff with handcufied
prisoner, a farmer or two stopping oh
the road TO market with "A cartful oi
produce and an occasional tcamster.
peddler and stage driver. On winter
nights champion story tellers like Jed
Morrill, and Rish Bixby would drop h,
there and hang their wooden neck com
forters on the pegs along the wall side.
where there were already hats. top
coats and fur mufiiers, as well a.
stacks Of whips. canes and oxgoads
standing in the corners. They would
then enter the room, rubbing their
hands genially and. nodding to Com
panion Pike, Cephas Cole. Phil PER-!
and others, enscoDce themselves snugl,
I'm the group by the great open fire
place. The landlord was always glnd
to see them enter. for their stories
though old to him. were new to man,
Of the assembled company and had u
remarkable effect ON the CONSUMPTION
Of liquid refreshment.
On summer evenings gossip was Ian
guild In the village, and IL any occurred
at all II would be on the loafers' bench
at one or the other side OF the bridge
When cooler weather came the group
of local wits gathered In Rlverboro.
either at Uncle Bart's joiner's shop or
at the brick store. according to fancy.
The latter place was perhaps the IA
vOrite for Riverboro takers. 1t was n
large, two story, square brick build
ing, with a big mouthed chimney and
an open fire. When every house in the
two villages had six feet Of snow
around II roads would always be bro
ken to the brick store. and a crowd %
ten or fifteen men would be gathered
there talking. listening. betting. smok,
ing, chewing, Dragging. playing check
ers, singing and swapping stories"
Some of the men had been through
the war of 1912 and could display
wounds received on the field OF valor.
others were still prouder of scars won
in encounters with the Indians and
there was one old codger. a revolu-
tionary veteran, Bill Durham by name.
who would add bloody tales Of his en-
counters with the "HusshOns."
"'Tis an awful sin TO have on your
SOUL" Bill would say from his place
in a dark corner. where he would sit
with his hat pulled over his eyes till
the psychological moment came Tor the
"Husshons" to be trotted out "'Tis
an awful sin to have on your soul-the
II they want nothin' more'n so many
ignorant cockroaches. Them was the
great days for fightin' The Husshons
was the biggest men | ever seen on the
field, most Of 'em standin' six feet
eight In their stockin's-but Lord! how
we walloped 'em! Once we had can
non mounted an loaded for 'em that
was so large We had TO draw the ball
into 1t with yoke of oxenr'
Bill paused from force Of habit, just
as he had paused for the last twenty
years. There had been times when
roars OF incredulous laughter had
greeted this boast. but most Of this
particular group had heard the yarn
more than once and let 1t pass with a
smile and wink, remembering the
night that Abel Day had asked old Bill
how they got the oxen out of the can
non on that most memorable occasion.
"0h," said Bill, that was easy
enough We jest unyoked 'em an
turned 'em out o. the primin' hole"
1t was only early October. but there
had been killing frost, and Ezra
Simms, who kept the brick store, flung
some shavings and small wood on the
hearth and lighted a blaze, just TO In
duce a little trade and start conversa-
ton on what threatened TO be a dull
evening. Peter Morrill,. Jed's eldest
brother. b; lately returned from a
long trip through the state and into
New Hampshire and his adventures by
field and food We're always worth lis
tening 10. He went about the country
mending clocks and so many an old
timepiece still bears his name, with
the date of repairing written in pencil
on the inside Of the door.
There was never any lack OF sub
tects at the brick store, the idiOsyn-
crasles Of the neighbors being the most
prolific source Of anecdote and COM
ment. Whenever all else failed there
was always the latest story Of Deacon
Bakers parsimony, in which the vii
lage traced the influence Of heredity.
"He can't hardly help IL. inheritin' 4
on both Sides" was Abel Days opin.
lon. ''The Baxters was alters snug
from time memorial. and Foxy's the
suggest OF 'em. When look at his
ugly mug an hear his snarlln' voice |
thinks TO myself. he's goin' the same
way his father did. When old Levi
Baxter was left a wilder man In that
house o. his'n up river he grew wuss
an Yuss. If you remember, TIL b.