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Article SCENES IN AMERICA. ← Page 6 of 7 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scenes In America.
a fool , man ; go to bed and git a good night ' s sleep . " AVe now went in a moment to see Jack , at whose bedside we found his mother and sister , with young Burns . Old Burns shook Jack by the hand , told him he was a brave fellow , and then wished him a good night ' s sleep . I took leave of Ball ' s family , and Burns and I set off for his house , leaving his son Tom to follow with my horse and baggage . We had about a mile to walk , the greater part of the way along a smooth
cool road . From our conversation I gathered that Burns and Ball were amongst the earliest settlers in that neighbourhood , and were old friends . Burns declared that the only faults Ball had " under the sun , " were his being " too good , and too outrageous fond of hunting , and now and then too tremendous passionate . " He swore that the killing of Hinkle was the best thing ever done in that part of the country ; and that he was only sorry he had not performed the deed himself , tis he should have gloried in it ; whereas " Ball was a fool about sich thingsand would like enough worry
, , himself half to death about it . " A Httle path running . out from the road , led us to the fence of one of Burns ' s fields . AVe climbed over this , and made our dark way throu gh vows of Indian corn , to the yard surrounding the house . Declining each of the many things which Burns offered me , but a glass of water , he showed me to the room I was to occupy , and we bade good-night . Early the next morning I was roused by some one gently touching my shoulder . 1 opened my eyesand there stood a being with a face as black
, as jet . " Massa say , " uttered the lad , " bveakfas' gui-in' to be ready d ' rec'ly , Sir , ef you 'wake . " I instantly arose , and seeing no preparations in my room for one ' s morning ablutions , I went into the yard . Near the door , on a clean bench , was placed a cedar basin of cold water , a tumbler , and a perfectly white home-spun linen towel ; and just at the end of the bench stood a chair . Here , in the shade of the house , and in the pure fresh
air of a beautiful morning , I made my toilet , ivhieh I had scarcely finished , when Burns came forth from another part of the house to greet me . Breakfast waited for us , and we immediately sat down to it , with his wife , his son Tom , and two rather pretty , quiet looking daughters . They and the mother associated the horrible affair of Hinkle so strongly in their minds with the ' stranger , ' that they viewed me and spoke to me under a restraint ivhich was not at all agreeable to them . The moment breakfast was over our horses were ready for us ; mine had been supplied with another bridle ,
and we rode over to Ball ' s . Ball was at the fence when we arrived . His countenance was haggard beyond description ; he had evidently passed a sleepless , harrowing night . After our mutual salutations , and we had got over the blocks into the yard , Burns said to him , " Hang it , Peter , how you look ! AVhy , man , there's no spunk in you now-a-days to do a first-rate , real , genuine , capital thing , that ought to make a man jump up and crack his heels together—anel here you are , " he continued in tones of mockery , " worse than a mere woman . "
" Come , Harry , you re " " Hang it , Peter , do be a man . Now , you see , I'll tell you what it is , Peter , " looking him full in the face , " if so be , you ' ve made your mind up , to keep on playing the fool , devil dance me if I don ' t take myself off . " " Well , well , Harry , " said Ball , " come in , any how . " " We'll go in a bit to see Jack ; but we must be going pretty quick . " Jack was doing very well under the hands of his mother , who preferred her own skill to that of the neighbouring doctorKreith . Burnsit seems
, , , had sent word to two other neighbours to meet us at the house of the magistrate to whom Ball intended to surrender himself ; it was therefore imperative upon us to prepare for our immediate departure thither . Young Burns undertook the catching and making ready of Ball's horse , whicli very soon stood hitched to the fence along side of ours .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scenes In America.
a fool , man ; go to bed and git a good night ' s sleep . " AVe now went in a moment to see Jack , at whose bedside we found his mother and sister , with young Burns . Old Burns shook Jack by the hand , told him he was a brave fellow , and then wished him a good night ' s sleep . I took leave of Ball ' s family , and Burns and I set off for his house , leaving his son Tom to follow with my horse and baggage . We had about a mile to walk , the greater part of the way along a smooth
cool road . From our conversation I gathered that Burns and Ball were amongst the earliest settlers in that neighbourhood , and were old friends . Burns declared that the only faults Ball had " under the sun , " were his being " too good , and too outrageous fond of hunting , and now and then too tremendous passionate . " He swore that the killing of Hinkle was the best thing ever done in that part of the country ; and that he was only sorry he had not performed the deed himself , tis he should have gloried in it ; whereas " Ball was a fool about sich thingsand would like enough worry
, , himself half to death about it . " A Httle path running . out from the road , led us to the fence of one of Burns ' s fields . AVe climbed over this , and made our dark way throu gh vows of Indian corn , to the yard surrounding the house . Declining each of the many things which Burns offered me , but a glass of water , he showed me to the room I was to occupy , and we bade good-night . Early the next morning I was roused by some one gently touching my shoulder . 1 opened my eyesand there stood a being with a face as black
, as jet . " Massa say , " uttered the lad , " bveakfas' gui-in' to be ready d ' rec'ly , Sir , ef you 'wake . " I instantly arose , and seeing no preparations in my room for one ' s morning ablutions , I went into the yard . Near the door , on a clean bench , was placed a cedar basin of cold water , a tumbler , and a perfectly white home-spun linen towel ; and just at the end of the bench stood a chair . Here , in the shade of the house , and in the pure fresh
air of a beautiful morning , I made my toilet , ivhieh I had scarcely finished , when Burns came forth from another part of the house to greet me . Breakfast waited for us , and we immediately sat down to it , with his wife , his son Tom , and two rather pretty , quiet looking daughters . They and the mother associated the horrible affair of Hinkle so strongly in their minds with the ' stranger , ' that they viewed me and spoke to me under a restraint ivhich was not at all agreeable to them . The moment breakfast was over our horses were ready for us ; mine had been supplied with another bridle ,
and we rode over to Ball ' s . Ball was at the fence when we arrived . His countenance was haggard beyond description ; he had evidently passed a sleepless , harrowing night . After our mutual salutations , and we had got over the blocks into the yard , Burns said to him , " Hang it , Peter , how you look ! AVhy , man , there's no spunk in you now-a-days to do a first-rate , real , genuine , capital thing , that ought to make a man jump up and crack his heels together—anel here you are , " he continued in tones of mockery , " worse than a mere woman . "
" Come , Harry , you re " " Hang it , Peter , do be a man . Now , you see , I'll tell you what it is , Peter , " looking him full in the face , " if so be , you ' ve made your mind up , to keep on playing the fool , devil dance me if I don ' t take myself off . " " Well , well , Harry , " said Ball , " come in , any how . " " We'll go in a bit to see Jack ; but we must be going pretty quick . " Jack was doing very well under the hands of his mother , who preferred her own skill to that of the neighbouring doctorKreith . Burnsit seems
, , , had sent word to two other neighbours to meet us at the house of the magistrate to whom Ball intended to surrender himself ; it was therefore imperative upon us to prepare for our immediate departure thither . Young Burns undertook the catching and making ready of Ball's horse , whicli very soon stood hitched to the fence along side of ours .