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V.

HAYING-TIME.

As we entered the gate of the lawn, we saw a singular procession entering on the opposite side. First, on a spare-boned Rosinante, rode a burly farmer with rosy cheeks, in brown-linen frock; behind him came a row of hands who carried scythes upon their shoulders; and last of all the faithful Robert, walking with rapid strides, anxious to see that all was right. It was farmer E- and his hands, who had been mowing the grass that morning, and who informed me that they had got along famously, and with five scythes in a row, would in weeks' time do-up the twenty-five acres.

'We think it most hadvisable to heat our dinners hin the 'eat of the day, and come back punctewally.'

Form a line; there they go! and as they march forward, with regular step, the swath falls down behind. What a graceful swing it is, that of the scythe!—and it seems very easy, too; but let a green one try it, and he'll soon find his mistake. The hardest kind of work too, especially when the hot sun is beating down upon you. The fact is, working on a farm is no joke. Suddenly one of the mowers gave a yell, and hopped back in double quick time. He had fallen upon a copper-headed snake, which was raised upon his scythe and pitched into his face. However, no harm was done, except to the snake, who was speedily despatched, for they 've got no friends. Even the deer will always stop to cut them in pieces with their fore-hoofs. The hogs find them dainty food, and have a shield against their poison in their fatty covering. Wherever these animals are allowed to run they are seldom seen. It is only the snake in the grass' that is to be feared. Several others were killed during the day. The people about here do not appear to feel much apprehension from the effects of their bite, several remedies, such as herbs, hartshorn, etc., having been used with success.

Toward evening, as the group of mowers were gathering up their tools, I heard a dissertation on ghosts, that would answer for a modern play of Hamlet.

And did ye hear about the ghost, Sir?'

'No, Patrick; what of it?'

'Last avening, as the men was a-watching at the rowling-mill, they saw the man that was kilt last fall.'

'Anant!' said Robert, ''t will be gude campanie for 'em.'

'Sure you would n't talk in that way about it. Didn't the men say it with their own eyes!'

'I 'av 'eard,' said Farmer E

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'that they allers comes back

punctewally. So if you've a mind to watch, Robert —'

'I wad nae fear all the ghaists that iver was kenned the darkest night in the world.'

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Put do n't you pelieve there is such things?'

'I dinna think was iver one seen, except aibleens in a dream.'

Mayhap they were a drahming.'

More like it was a bear.'

'That's jest it. The docther's horse was a startled that same night on the bridge by something dark, like the ghaist they saw in the mill.' 'Icht was black, like von bear, they said,' was the observation of George, our ostler.

'Hear till that now!' said Robert; I always tho't a ghaist wore a white uniform. And where should a bear be a comin' from? Aibleens 't was a dog.'

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Oh, yes; I guess it was a dog!'

The next morning the mystery was explained. Our black dog Nero came home with a shot in his thigh, which he had received from a watcher, determined to send some lead into the ghost or 'critter,' whateyer it was.

Such is the variety of tongues and idioms one meets with here on almost all occasions. The Scotch, English and Welsh are rather a thrifty race; but the sons of Erin mostly live as they go, drink and chew and smoke, and lay nothing up for the morrow.

That night there was but one obituary which, as it was repeated three times in notices of different persons, with no other alteration than that of the name, deserves to be commemorated, for the benefit of obituary hunters:

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'JEZREEL GARDNER, thou has left us,

And thy loss we deeply feel;

But 'tis GOD that has bereft us;

He can all our sorrows heal.'

Obituary notices should contain something like information concerning the party. This may interest friends at a distance; but when all the eastern papers' are 'requested to copy' rhymes, the parties might as well try their hand at something original, and thus give a little novelty, if not some pathos.

Conversation turned upon epitaphs in general. There's a droll one in an old church-yard in Connecticut: Here I am; you'll soon follow.' Here's one which a man who had suffered more than the ordinary share of affliction requested might be carved on his stone :

'IN life he knew only sorrow and pain,

And to him indeed death was a great gain.'

I have often admired the two verses of Martha Day, which are inscribed on her monument at New-Haven:

'I WOULD not wish that those I love
Should wander here at break of day,
And think of her o'er whom they rove
As dwelling only with decay.

'No; but in each familiar spot,

Which both to them and me is dear,
There I would not be all forgot,

Yet ne'er remembered with a tear.'

Although in these mountain districts we feel comparatively free from apprehension of the cholera, we have had an impressive reminder of the pestilence in the ravages which a disease, called the Shrews

the

bury fever, has made in a family living a few hundred feet behind us, on the higher part of the hill. It is a kind of typhus, which in space of two weeks has carried off two of the sons, one just entering upon manhood, the other about twelve years old. Dr. Thompson has this evening informed us that a fine little girl, sister of the two last, who came down to bring us some flowers yesterday, is prostrated in the same way. It cast a gloom over the family, which silenced for the time all sounds of mirth.

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The Bunkum Flag-Staff and Independent Echo.

DEVOTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF '98; THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW-YORK; THE FOURTH OF JULY LIFE, LIBERTY, LITERATURE, ADVERTISEMENTS, AND A STANDARD CURRENCY.

VOL. I.

N VEMBER 1, 1849.

No. 5.

FOR great inducements to subscribe to | The coolness incidental to a fust 'Flag-Staff,' readers are respectfully referred to undertaking has subsided into a

last number. We now add the following am. ple rewards, with a generosity which we hope

will incite the public to well-doing. We will give a Small Pocket-Comb to those who will coax any one so as to get the promise that he will subscribe to 'Flag-Staff.' We will give a Lead-Pencil for the most distant and remote hope of getting ten subscribers. We will furnish a Tooth-Pick to any one who will write us a bloody tale, and a Paper of Pins for small poems, and a Harmonicon for those who will advertise by the

year, and a Steel-Pen for those who will write a

laudatory puff; and for those who will say the

'Flag-Staff' is an excellent paper, whether they believe it or not, and adwise their friends to subscribe, we will do as much for them another time.

warmth which receives us wher-
ever the post-boy blows his horn.
We think the reason of this is
evident. Most people at the first,
out of pride, out of wanity, are
afeard to have their names tac-
kled to a undertaking which they
dono but what it may prove to
be no go. Arterward they will
run themselves out of breath till
they weaze with an azma to catch
with
up
a mob which is arter an
object which is all the go.

We will illustrate. There is Mrs. Butler. In our opinion there is no manner of doubt that we can GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT. CON- read a play equal to this lady, and TINUED INDUCEMENT TO SUBSCRIBE in p'int of fact, we think we may TO 'FLAG-STAFF.' THE PRICE OF say candidly, her superior. This BUTTONS IMPROVING. THE KED'N- however, we had ought to do; we TRY NEARLY OUT OF THE WOODS. being a man and she a woman. Appeal to our FRIENDS!! The Yet should we attempt to do it, experiment which we fust started we think there can be no doubt some four months ago, hazidus, we that our success would be, to say must allow, to life, limb, and puss, the least, doubtful. The experito judge by the feelinks of our ac- ment would be clipt in the bud bequaintens, of establishin' for the fore it was hatched from the eg. fust time in this ked'ntry an inde- She would have her thousand aupenden' press, has weathered the ditors to our hundreds. Why? shoals and quicksands, and is in Because she is our superior in the full tide of successful experi- depth of mind? We should feel It affords us the most ade- inclined to doubt it; but her name quate satisfaction, as we now do, is up. It however cost her a great friends and patrons, to announce many hard nox and cryin'-spells officiously that the Flag-Staff' is to get her reputation up. You established beyond question; we see the same thing in natur. think we may say peradventure. large bird can hardly rise from the

ment.

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