These Early Settlers Were, In Fact, Only Fit For Pioneers To A More
Thrifty Class Of Settlers.
Joe H - -, or "Uncle Joe," as the country people call any
acquaintance, after a fashion borrowed, no doubt, from the Dutch
settlers of the State of New York, was, neither by his habits nor
industry, likely to become more prosperous than his neighbours of
the same thoughtless class.
His father had worked hard in his time,
and Uncle Joe thought he had a good right to enjoy himself. The
nearest village was only five miles from his place, and he was never
without some excuse for going thither every two or three days. His
horse wanted shoeing, or his plough or waggon wanted "to be fixed"
by the blacksmith or carpenter. As a matter of course, he came home
"pretty high;" for he was in the constant habit of pouring a
half-tumbler of whiskey down his throat, standing bolt upright at
the bar of the tavern, after which he would drink about the same
quantity of cold water to wash it down. These habits together with
bad farming, and a lazy, slovenly helpmate, in a few years made Joe
as poor as he could desire to be; and at last he was compelled to
sell his farm to Mr. Q - -.
After we had got settled down on this farm, I had often occasion to
drive into C - -, for the purpose of buying groceries and other
necessaries, as we then thought them, at the store of Mr. Q - -. On
these occasions I always took up my quarters, for the time, at the
tavern of our worthy Yankee friend, Mr. S - -. As I drove up to the
door, I generally found S - - walking about briskly on the boarded
platform, or "stoop," in front of the house, welcoming his guests
in his own peculiar free-and-easy style, looking after their horses,
and seeing that his people were attentive to their duties.
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Words from 75167 to 75493
of 181664
