Year: 1877

rive aL Lno uOuse. H1oIo tunu oheo, ne N'''A'S
very near giving way to his modesty and re-
turning e." s..'A


On the way, it so happened that there was
a fine peach tree loaded with the most luscious
fruit. Eli stopped, took out his knife, peeled
and eat peaches for long time-more to
while away time than anything else. Final
ly, filling his pockets with peaches, he set out,
in kind of half run and half walk, like
man going to do thing which he knows he
ought to do, and yet does not want to do. In
few moments he reached the premises. The
family saw him, and he was most kindly vel
coined by every individual on the place. The
father talked about crops and schools, and
the mother and her grown daughter talked
about any and every thing that they thought
would interest their visitor. The little ones
played, sort of half bold and half shy.


In those olden days SCHOOL master was
no ordinary man. he exercised far more in
Auence in his community than circuit judge
of the present day does. He not only taught
the children for twelve months in the year
from Monday morning to Saturday at twelve
o'clock the Tuesday of the county
court, and the Friday and Saturday before the
administration of the Sacrament of the Lords
Supper but he drew all the wills, all the
land deeds, and any other instrument Of wri-
ting that any individual in the community
might need.


This accounts, in part, for the respect which
was shown Eli Dockins. The main reason,
however, was that the father and mother had
no objection to an arrangement that would
make Eli their son.in-law. Night came on,
supper was eaten, and at an hour, perhaps
later than usual, the family retired. Eli was
made to feel easy before bedtime. This was
grand achievement To him it was per-
feet success, although he had said nothing to
the object he came to visit, except in the back
and forth conversation of the family.


Eli slept soundly, and woke up in the morn
ing satisfied with himself and cheered with
the bright prospects before him. With afeel'
ing of selfsatisfaction, which can be easier
imagined than described, the idea occurred to
him that the days of his bad luck and misfor-
tunes were passed and gone. No event had
thus far transpired to present him in ludl-
crous aspect, and with consciousness of in
nocency, he believed that for once in his life
he would give no one cause to laugh, nor to
himself ground for notification.


Some one of the Greek philosophers said no
man ought to say he was happy until he died.
Possibly he meant that some event might, at
any time, occur, which would mar any ones
happiness. This seems to have been the case
with Eli Dockins. Whether he was born to
bad luck or not, one thing is sure, be was Of
ten very unlucky.


In order to understand what followed dur
ing this eventful visit of Eli Dockins, a knowl-
edge of the premises is necessary. The house
was an unpretending structure, perhaps thir'
ty.fve or forty feet long by twenty-five feet
wide; two stories high, with what was at that
day called a back shed. A partition divided
the lower story into two apartments. The
larger of these was the family sitting room /;
the smaller the company bed room. The
family slept above stairs and in the back
Sheds Eli Dockins was put in the company
room.


A rail fence enclosed the dwelling house,
kitchen and smoke house, and at the same
time separated these from the barn, stables
and corn crib. The front gate stood facing
the door of the dwelling house, which stood
north and SOUTH The kitchen stood east and
west, at the north end of the dwelling house,
and some ten or fifteen PAGES nearer the front
ward fence. The kitchen door faced the road
leading from the front gate to the door of the
dwelling house.


We should have mentioned that among the
planters of that period, it was not customary
to have dining room. On all ordinary &C.
casions the family took their meals in the
kitchen. When they had company, the sit
ting room was used as diningroom.


1t so happened that the family which Eli
Dockins was visiting, had in the yard pet
pig, or if we are to name it in accordance
with its size, a pet hog. This pig was not
very particular where it went, and as the SO.
quel will show, less particular what it did.
1t claimed the right to 60 into the house and
through the house. Usually, it did no mis-
chief and was great favorite with the whole
family, and especially with that member
which had 80 infamed the heart of Eli Dock
ins.


AS it was not busy season of the year, the
family did not rise until about sun up. The
mother and daughter went to the kitchen to
prepare an extra breakfast The father and
son went to the stable to feed and care for the
stock. The smaller members crawled out,
one at time. Some sat down on the steps,
and others went out into the yard and en-
gagged in play.


Soon the plates began to rattle on the table
in the sitting-room. Eli Dockins knew that
breakfast would soon be ready. He prepared
to get up. Now arrived the hour of his mis-
fortunes. A thoughtless little member of the
family, or the pet hog, opened the door of the
room in which Eli was. 1t matters not how
or by whom the door was opened !; it is enough
to know that it was opened, and the vile hog,
although designing no harm to any one, en-
tered.


Eli Dockins' clothing was lying upon a
a chair, in his room. On the evening before,
after satisfying his appetite with peaches, he
had filled his pockets. These he designed for
particular member of the family; but as
yet no good opportunity had been presented
l. Ii H..