GLEANINGS.
AMERICAN FROLICS; Sasnau Rimem—As I was going past Mr. Josh Carter's tavern the other day, I heard a terrible noise in the bar-room, and thinks I'll just put my head in and see what is the matter. " Whetted'," roared a heap of fellows, " here's Johnny Biddle, he'll go and that makes ten,"--and hauled
me in among them. " What's the occasion ?" says I—" 0, a sleigh-ride over to
Shaw's (every body goes to Shaw's that goes sleigh-riding) with gals, fiddles, and frolic."—" ‘Vhoorah," says I." I motion," says Dr. Partridge,•' that every gentle- man go right straight now, and get his sleigh and lady, and meet at Hank's corner ;" and with another whoorah, we burst out of doors and scattered. I tan full speed to the widow Beau's. Her daughter Patty is the handsomest girl in Casco.bay. 1 had given her some pretty broad hints, and only waited for a good 'chance to pop
the question. And out it shall come this very night, says I. I bounced int. widow Bean's out of breath, and was near catching Ratty in the suds. She haul just done washing, and was wringing out, standing in the midst of tubs, pails, mops, and kettles. She was struck all of a heap, at the sight of her spark, and would have blushed nicely, I guess, if she hadn't been as red as she could be already. "A word in your ear, Patty," says I, giving her a wink, and stepping aside into a corner, and 'told her what was brewing. " I'll run and borrow the Deacon's sleigh, and come back right away," says I. " Oh ye needn't be iu a such a tearin' hurry," says she, "for I have got to shift from top to toe. You see what a pickle I am in." " Alt, Patty," bays I, " beauty when unadorned is adorned the"--" well I vow," says Patty, says she. And off 1 shot, for how was I to follow up such a bold speech, but 1 couldn't help sniggering all the way to the Deacon's, to think bow-swimmingly matters were going on. I was so full of this that I entirely forgot to make up a story to fob off upon the Deacon, till I got almost to his door ; for the Deacon is a sworn enemy to all frolicking. and so is his mare. I'll tell him, says I, I'll tell him I want to carry a grist to mill. But thatWill be found out—no matter ; so it is after the election as the politicians say. The Deacon gave a mortal squint at my face, when I did my errand, but I was sale behirld a shirt collar. He then fell tochewinglis cud and considering, "Mother's clean out" says I—both rye and injun. The Deacoh spit. " Well neighbour, if you are afear'd to trust a fellow, here's two shillings aforehand." " Poh, poh, John,' says he, walking up and pocketing the money, " not trust you ; hear that—now Joshua tackle up Sukcy. You'll drive the critter slow John—and now I think on if, vou may loins, back my grist, that is now at the mill—and look sharp at the miller. `John, when he strikes the toll measure." It was too late to stick at lies now, so I promised every thing, jumped into the sleigh, and steered to the widow's with flying colours. It is the height of gentility, you must know, for a lady to make her beau wait as long as possible, on such an occasion.—I sat over- a heap of warm ashes in widow Bean's parlour, listening to Patty stamping about in her stocking feet, in the chamber overhead for one good hour. Then I stood up to the looking glass and frizzled up my hair, changed my shirt pin to a new place ; thought over some speeches to make under the buffalo skin, and finally laid a plot to lug in the awful question in a sort of slanting fashion. At last Patty appeared in her glory ; and I was just crooking_ my elbow to lead her out. when in come mother Bean. "Where are you gwyin to Patty ?'' "A sleigh riding mother."- '• What, and leave your cousin dolly all alone to suck her fingers ? A pretty how d'ye do that, after coming all the way from Saco to see you." Here was a knock down argument. All my plans of courting and comfort melted down and ran off in a moment. I Sale directly that the widow was resolved to push big Dolly Fisher into my sleigh, whether or no ; and there was no remedy, for the widow Bean is a stump that is neither to be got round nor moved out of the way. I made some mention about the small size of the sleigh, but slue shut my mouth instantly. " Let me alone," says she "I went a sleighing afore you was horn, youngster. And if I don't know how to pack a sleigh who fines—Patty' Bean, stow yourself away here, and slink yourself up small. If there isn't room we must make room, as the fellows used to say. Now Dolly, hoist yourself in there." And else tumbled her into the sleight like a
shot from a shovel, or a cart load of pumpkins into a gondola. It was chuck full of her. 0 she is a whopper, 1 tell ye. Why Johnny Biddle, in my day they used to pack its layer upon layer. At this hint I sneaked round to Patty, to begin the second layer upon her lisp. But the widow was wide awake. She clenched me by the collar, and patting upon Dolly's knees, lucre's the driver's seat, says she. Plant your feet flat and firm niece, jump up Johnny—and now away with her my lad. 13v this time I had got so ravin' mad that I could hold in no longer. I fell foul of the olsi mare, and if I didn't give it to her about right, then there's none o' use, that's all. The Deacon counted the welts upon her hide a week afterwards, when lie called me to a reckoning, which was made with chalk upon the upper flap of his every day hat. Suhey net understending such jokes, took the bit in her teeth, and shot off. right au octal, like a flash of true Comex.
ticut lightning. Jemini ! how we switumed over it. And the houses and barns, and fences, and pigstyes flew by us like send by the moon. And yonder is Ilauk's corner.—Whoomh ! and Whoorah, anseered all the ladies and gentlemen with one voice. Sukey, scared at the noise, tussled the corner with a flirt, and the sleigh was bottom upwards in a whoa there ! whoa! The first thing I knew was that I was in the bowels of a snow bank, jammed down under a half ton of Dolly Fisher. I thought I should never see daylight again—and when they hauled me oust, I left a printan the snow very much like a cocked up hat knocked into the
middle of next %tack, as the sailors say. Howsoniever, no bones were broken. We shook our feathers and crept into our nest aeain, laughing as loud as the best pf tbetth..—The sleighs were now fornie'cl into a string, the fiadlex. following and away we started on the road' to Shaws, bells jingling, fiddle sounding, and every body hallooing and screaming for joy. Peter Shaw heard the racket two miles off, for he was always on the look out of a moon shiny night. He fell to kicking up a dust in the best room, to put it to rights ; and when we arrived, the floor was swept, the best japan candlesticks paraded, the fire place filled with green wood, and little Ben was anchored close under the jam to tug at the broken-winded belluwes. No fire appeared, but there were strong symptoms of it, for there was no lack of smoke; and part of it miss- ing the way up the chimney, strayed about the dancing room, which gave me a chance to hit off another compliment upon Patty's beauty, as being the cause of drawing the smoke. Every body laughed at the novelty of the idea. But there was no time for chat. As soon as we had taken a swig of the hot stuff all round, we sat the tiddler down by the jam, took the floor, and went to work with might and main, the fiddler keeping time with the bellowses. Not to be lengthy, we kept it up, frolickin' and drinkin' hot stuff till midnight; and while it lasted, the fun was real genuine. But as I cast a sheep's eye at Patty now and then, I took a notion that she and Siah Golding were rather thick together-considerin'. Thinks I, she wants to make me jealous, to spur me on ; so seeing them in close confab as I was cantering down outside, I poked my head between them and cried boo 1-But the cat was soon let out of the bag. We paid the reckoning- four and sixpence a piece. 'Think of that! Every body grumbled ; but Peet Shaw didn't care.-Then followed the crowding of sleighs, taking in the ladies at the door., Such a hubbub and confusion. But when my turn came, lo and behold ! Patty Bean was missing ! and so was Siah Golding !-Here is the end of my story; whoever wants to know the particulars that happened in the ride home, must ask Dolly Fisher. The Deacon will tell you what sort of a pickle Sukey Caine home in, and how much I paid "for the whistle." Finally, who- ever went to our meeting house the next Sunday morning, know very well how Patty Bean and Josiah (folding are to square accounts.-From the Yahee.
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