No.  XX

Sister Sall’s Courtship.

There goes one of them are everlastin rottin poles in that bridge, they are no better than a trap for a critter’s leg, said the Clockmaker.  They remind me of a trap Jim Munroe put his foot in one night, that near about made one leg half a yard longer than tother.  I believe I told you of him, what a desperate idle feller he was—­he came from Onion County in Connecticut.  Well, he was courtin Sister Sall—­she was a real handsum lookin gall; you scarce ever seed a more out and out complete critter than she was—­a fine figur head, and a beautiful model of a craft as any in the state:  a real clipper, and as full of fun and frolick as a kitten.  Well he fairly turned Sall’s head; the more we wanted her to give him up the more she would’nt, and we got plaguy oneasy about it, for his character was none of the best.  He was a univarsal favorite with the galls, and tho’ he did’nt behave very pretty neither, forgetting to marry where he promised, and where he had’nt ought to have forgot too; yet, so it was, he had such an uncommon winnin way with him, he could talk them over in no time—­Sall was fairly bewitched.  At last, Father said to him one evening when he came a courtin, Jim, says he, you’ll never come to no good, if you act like old Scratch as you do; you aint fit to come into no decent man’s house at all, and your absence would be ten times more agreeable than your company, I tell you.  I won’t consent to Sall’s goin to them are huskin parties and quiltin frolics along with you no more, on no account, for you know how Polly Brown and Nancy White —–.  Now don’t, says he, now don’t, Uncle Sam; say no more about that; if you knowed all you would’nt say it was my fault; and besides, I have turned right about, I am on tother tack now, and the long leg, too; I am as steady as a pump bolt now.  I intend to settle myself and take a farm—­yes yes, and you could stock it too, by all accounts, pretty well, unless you are much misreported, says father, but it won’t do.  I knew your father; he was our Sargeant, a proper clever and brave man he was too; he was one of the heroes of our glorious revolution.  I had a great respect for him, and I am sorry for his sake you will act as you do; but I tell you once for all you must give up all thoughts of Sall, now and for everlastin.  When Sall heerd this, she began to nit away like mad in a desperate hurry—­she looked foolish enough, that’s a fact.  First she tried to bite in her breath, and look as if there was nothin particular in the wind, then she blushed all over like scarlet fever, but she recovered that pretty soon, and then her colour went and came, and came and went, till at last she grew as white as chalk, and down she fell slap off her seat on the floor, in a faintin fit.  I see, says father, I see it now, you etarnal villain, and he made a pull at the old fashioned sword, that always hung over the fire place,