102 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



tooth comb, you could'nt get enough to winter a grass- 

 hopper. 'Spose we drive up to the door and have a word 

 of chat with Nick Bradshaw, and see if he is as promis- 

 ing as outside appearances indicate. 



Observing us from the only light of glass remaining 

 in the window, Nick lifted the door and laying it aside, 

 emerged from his kitchen parlor and smoke house, to 

 reconnoitre. He was a tall, well built, athletic man, of 

 great personal strength and surprising activity, who 

 looked like a careless good natured fellow, fond of talk- 

 ing, and from the appearance of the little old black pipe 

 which stuck in one corner of his mouth, equally so of 

 smoking; and as he appeared to fancy us to be candi- 

 dates, no doubt he was already enjoying in prospective 

 the comforts of a neighboring tap room. Jist look at em 

 — Happy critter — his hat crown has lost the top out, and 

 the rim hangs like the bail of a bucket. His trowsers 

 and jacket show clearly that he has had clothes of other 

 colours in other days. The untan'd mocasin on one foot, 

 which contrasts with the old shoe on the other, shows 

 him a friend to domestic manufactures; and his beard 

 is no bad match for the wooly horse yonder. See the 

 waggish independent sort of a look the critter has, with 

 his hat one side and hands in his breeches pockets, con- 

 templating the beauties of his farm. You may talk about 

 patience and fortitude, philosophy and christian resigna- 

 tion, and all that sort of thing till your tired, but — ah, 

 here he comes. 'Morning Mr. Bradshaw — how's all home 

 to day? Right comfortable, (mark that — comfort in 

 such a place,) I give thanks — come, light and come in. 

 I'm sorry can't feed your hoss — but the fact is, tan't bin 

 no use to try to raise no crops, late years, for body don't 

 git half paid for their labor, these hard times. I raised 

 a nice bunch of potatoes last year, and as I could'nt get 

 nothing worth while for 'em in the fall, I tho't I'de keep 

 'em till spring. But as frost set in, while I was down 

 town 'lection time, the boys did'nt fix up the old cellar 

 door, and this infarnal cold winter froze 'em all. It's 



