MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
404 
SOLOMON RAY. 
A nABD, dune man was Solomon Ray, 
Nothing of values ho guvo away ; 
He hoarded and saved; 
He pinched and shaved; 
And the more he had the more he craved. 
The hard-earned dollars he tolled to gain 
Brought him little but care anil pain ; 
For little he spent. 
And all ho lent 
He made it bring him twenty per cent. 
Such was tho 1 Ifo of Solomon Ray. 
The years went by, and Ills hair grow gray, 
His checks grew thin, 
And hi* »oul within 
Grew hard a* the dollars ho worked to win. 
But ho died, one day, tin all men must, 
For life Is Heeling, and man hut duat. 
The heirs were gay 
That laid him away, 
And that was the end of Solomon Ray. 
They quarreled now, who had little cared 
For Solomon Itay while Ills life was spared. 
His lands were sold, 
And his hard-earned gold 
All went to tho lawyers, I am told. 
Yet men will cheat, and pinch, and save, 
Nor carry their treasure# beyond the grave. 
All their gold Homo day 
Will melt away, 
Like the selfish savings of Solomon Ray. 
[Eugene J. Hall. 
df)ur $torj>-®i|ll^r. 
AUNT BETSY’S CHRISTMAS TRIP TO 
“NEW YORK TOWN.” 
i»Y MAH V D. UltINK. 
“Thli. ye all about It, hey ? Get ye larfln at 
an old creeter who's got more sense, ef 1 du say 
It, than half of you city gals. Wall, now, I 
don't know as 1 mind tollin’ on the story, arter 
all; but, though It may bo fun to your giddy 
enrr, all a gapin' to listen, 'twarn’t no sorter 
fun to me, uilnd I toll ye ! ’’ 
Aunt liKTHY, who, without. ,Uitli or kin, save 
a bachelor brother, was yet "Aunt Relay ” to 
tho whole neighborhood, settled herself back 
In her chair, laid her knitting In her lap, 
smoothed her apron carefully, and began. 
“Let’ssee, now, 'pears to me 'twas nigh onto 
four years ago this very Christmas time, when I 
b> z to Lot, sez I, Lot, I’m a-goin' to New York 
Town to hoc i.hosfglitH. They du say that ’long 
about Christmas time the shops In that are 
place du beat all for line things, and I’m a-goin’ 
to take a look onto ’em all for a spell. ‘ Lor’, 
now, Hkt.sk v,’ bcz Lot, sez he, ‘lor’ now, you’d 
a sight bett er stay tu hum and inoml that there 
hole In ray trowser leg that's been a waitin’ 
most a year fora new knee.’ With that I riz 
rite up, and sez I, * Lot, don’t you (land to say 
a word agin my care of your old cln's 1 I’m a 
patcldu’ ami a mendin' the hull time, and that 
there knee may wait till I cum hum from New 
York Town 'fore I set a stitch onto it, mind, 1 
tell you 1' 
“ LOT he sat. down and larfed to kill hlaself. 
That riled me, and l riz up agin and looked him 
kind o' solemn in the face, and didn’t larf back 
nor nothin', till ho grew so shamed, he did, 
that he came down off his high heels in a way 
amazin' to see, and seemed quite meek like for 
a spell. Well, gals, It didn't take long forme 
to pack up my duds. My Sunday gown Ut nice¬ 
ly inter that there halr-kivered trunk what 
you’ron sittiu' on this minute, Julia Johnson, 
a- spread in' it over with yer Bounces and rlgci - 
mnjlgB. La! ef I'd a had filch (loin's to my 
gowns, 'twould a been JUt impossible to git ’em 
Inter that, trunk. Wall, arter I’d a packed my 
Sunday gown, and put my biinnit In the band¬ 
box, urnl got my gingham ambril, in case of a 
a shower of rain, yer know, i was all ready and 
a waitin’ for the stage the next day. Oil had 
nigh forgot, to «ay that I had about twenty dol¬ 
lars tied In the corner of my han'keroher, and 
reckoned that arc would carry mo through and 
pay all my tavern hills, and mobbe 1 might 
bring Lot hum a present of sutbln or another. 
So when the stage driv up at last 1 stopped in, 
quite lmportant-like. (Lot he icarnted to kiss 
mo good-by, but 1 felt kind a sneakin' about It, 
rite afore the hull crowd of people, so 1 kind of 
edged off sideways and got in, with a I ear In my 
eye, for It was affectin’ partin',with my brother, 
especially when I was goin’a lectio agin him, 
yer know. 
“Wall, that Btage shook my old bones for 
well nigh onto an hour before I got to the place 
where the keers stop—the kcor-house, they call 
it, don’t they I There was the big inglno a- 
finortlQ* and blowln' and 1 felt Just a leetlc 
afraid, but stepped rite lr. like other folks, and 
we started. 'Taint no matter how I got to New 
York Town, but I du say the times I was scart 
to death was really surprisin'. My ambril was 
well nigh broke to pieces, with everybody 
a-knockin' their knees agin it, and my hand- 
box was rolled clean off the seat and all un- 
kivored, and my best bunnlt was exposed to 
dust like everything. And tho conductor, ho 
acted like all possessed, a-tryln' to geop mo out 
of the keer whar 1 wanted to stay, see in' as I’d 
got seated down. ‘This is the smokin’ keer, 
ma'am,'said he. 1 larfed in his face, and said, 
bjz I, 1 1 reckon they’re all smokin' keers, ain’t 
they?’ said !, * with that there lngiiie a-pufHn’ 
smoko rite Inter the winders.’ Wall, be fouud 
’twarnt no sorter use to arger with me, for I’m 
the most sot women, I am, when once 1 am sot 
In a thing, ns ever you see. And so the con¬ 
ductor ho Jlst stepped, kind of smilin' like 
away, and T felt like Queen Victory ft-having 
my own way. 
“Pretty soon a lot of men came Inter my 
keer, and a ruder pause! of men (heat all how 
rude they w ere, to he sure,) 1 never see 1 They 
didn’t seem to notice my presence, hut chawed 
and smoked rite before my eyes till I couldn't 
see a mite. And when I riz up, remarkin’ ‘I 
object to smokin’,’ the sassy fellers larfed, and 
told me to git out of tho smokin’ keer. With 
“ Says I, 1 1 object to smoking.' ” 
that my dignity riz up, and I said no more, but 
sot down mornful-llUc; but it didn’t tech I hclr 
feeliu’s a mite. Wo got to Now York Town 
when It was nearly milkin’ tlmo, and, cakes 
alive I tho way a great crowd of noisy men 
yelled inter my ears was awful—mind, I tell 
you! I didn’t, know what they wanted mo !o 
do a-talkill’ all tu once, and a pint, III’ to a lot 
of kerrlagoa all in a ruw. 8o I up with my ntn- 
bril and whacked at ’em all till they see I had 
spunk Inter my natur, and left me alone, and 
dually a nlco-Bpoken gentleman came up and 
sez lie, ' Ma’am, where do you wish logo? I’ll 
drive you to the spot.’ So I dropped a curtsey 
and said, ‘Thankee, kindly, sir, I’d like to he 
drlv to the best tavern.’ Ho smiled sweetly, 
and put my baggage on tcrhlnd Ills kerriclgo 
and hclpled me Inside, and wo druv off. I 
leaned easy-llke agin tho cushions, and peeked 
through the winders, and see a sight of folks In 
the street. Lai thinks I, some mootin’ must 
be out, anil jtnU. I.lum the wagon lopped afore 
a big, high house that had lights all over It, 
like Squire Jonhs' when ho gives a party. The 
civil gentleman got down from the wagou-ruff 
and opened tho wagon door, and said lie. 
‘ This I* the St. Nlekelus, nia’atii.’ * Is it.?’ aid 
I, peekin’ out; * what a rich man Mr. Nickklps 
must he, to bo sure.’ * You’re to git out here, 
If you please, ma’am,’ said the driver. ‘Oh,’ 
said I,‘does Mr. NiCKKLUS take hoarders? Is 
thin a tavern? ’ He smiled again, and said yes, 
and I got out and curtsied, and said. ‘Thank yo 
sir, kindly for hrlngln’ mo.’ Then I watched 
him bring my baggage up the steps, and he 
slammed it rite down hard onto the stun floor 
of the tavern till I was riled a leetlo, hut didn’t 
darst to say nothin’. Just, as l Wits agoin’up 
the steps ho called, ‘ My fare, tnft'aej ! ’ Wall, 
now, gals, I was clean beat at that, for I 
thought he had druv me out of the kindness of 
Ids heart, but I took out my hau'kercher and 
Ontlod the corner and give him a few pennies. 
With that, he up and screamed real loud, ‘ l 
want a dollar, old lady; none of your nonsense.’ 
‘ La, sir!' said I, as red as a beet, * you ain’t so 
purlite us I ’spoiled you to he,' and rather than 
lower myself to an argermerit, I gave him a 
dollar, but, la! didn't I hate to let it go! Wall, 
I drew a long breath when that kerrhlge drlv 
off at last. 
" Ryme-hy a man see me a wanderin’ round 
and asked what I wanted. Then he gave mo a 
room, hut, Iliad to tell a sassy clerk my name, 
and ho writ it In a book for fear he'd forgifc It. 
I slop’ pretty well that night, but 1st I m«, hi w 
late some of tho folks in that tavern did 't, f „ 
a-larfln’ and talkin’! I riz up at suiimc and 
put on my best gown, (it's a massy it hadn’t 
been spiled a bangin' about In my trunk,) and 
thought I’d take a look about the bouse before 
breakfast; hut, would you bolieve It, I couldn’t 
“ He put his hand familiar-like agin my arm." 
Ibid my room again, and the black darkey who 
mot mo sonimvhar way down stairs whar they 
was a cookin' the viltles, larfed all tho while 
he was u-takln’ me hack agin whar I had slop’ 
all night? Rears to me I novor sec such merry 
folks us them In the tavern. Whenever I 
talked to a blessed creeter ho larfed to kill hls- 
self, and everybody acted like they was e'en- 
auiost tickled to death. 
“ Rut oh ! I had tho wuat tlmo at the break¬ 
fast table, gala! I sot down to a long table 
with a lot of other people, and, bein' hungry, 
eat a good deal, mind I toll you. I wasn’t half 
through eaten' when I jlst leaned hack It: my 
cheer to take a look around tho room, when up 
came a sas: y waiter and lie whisked my plate¬ 
ful of vtttlcM away, clean out of sight, in less 
l ! J 
V' 
“ / wish'd. I'd never conn: In Neat York Town." 
than a nilnit. I was too scart to call him hack, 
hut my! how I did. hanker arter the things I 
hadn’t no time to eat. Well, they brought me 
a kind of pnddin’, with froth on the top of It. 
I did think the waiter might have been more 
koorful and not a-splllod milk all Inter the 
plate, but grumblin’ ain’t my way, and I didn't 
say nothin’ only sighed. 
“Presently thinks I, ‘ LawH-a-maasy! I’m a 
soilin' on my gown all in wrinkles I so 1 just 
riz up to smooth myself, when the man behind 
me (the sasnlost fellow J ever see!) he Jlst up 
and pulled my cheer away, quick-like, when I 
didn’t know it, and I sot down real hard rite on 
the floor, ‘Sir,’ eoz T, a riwin’ mournful and 
(llgnilled, ‘don’t try your sass on mo agin’, 
mind L tell you !' With that all the folks bust 
“ lie. larfed that ere larf of hix’n." 
out a-larfln', and the waiter ho axed my par¬ 
don real humble. Wall, la I how late itfsget- 
tiu’, I must hurry and glt through. Let mo 
see. i went to walk arter breakfast, and, my 
*uz ! how the folks was rigged to kill. I bowed 
pleasant-like to all 1 see, because, gala, I was 
alters hrung up kind of mannerly. And every 
blessed time I curtsied, the folks (hey began to 
laid. 'Spose they never see so good-natured a 
creetur as I he afore, and it nigh tickled ’em to 
death. La! howl pitied them poor, smothered 
city folks, a livin’ In the crowded streets and 
never aeein' a mite of sky 'oept where there 
holes between the houses. I thought of our 
old caow to hum, a croppln* the fodder In the 
barn, and chawin’ of her cud, couteritcd-Uke, 
and, my I the orittor'd a gone well nigh crazy if 
she'd a been turned out to pasture in New 
York Town, I reckon ! I did wish my old man 
him that died ten year ago, before some of 
you gals were cm the face of the alrtli, had 
been a walkin' with me that niornin’. The 
shops looked so line, and Christmas things was 
a bangin' all above, tempi in'like. How them 
eyes of his'n would a opened and shot with tho 
sights / wasaseeln'. Wall, bymo-by I wanted 
to cross the road, and Jest as I got a led le way 
over, a pickin’ my stops and holding my gown 
oloau up from the mod, one of them big 
kerridges, with the driver a sittiu’ clear to 
the top, driv rite along and nigh upset mo. 
Lai how mad I was, to he aural 1 gin one 
screech, enough to wake tho dead, and riz up 
my ambril and bIiooIc It to the man’s face. With 
that he reined up his critters, and sez he, 
‘ Got u' up, ma'am ? Want logit. In?' * No,’ sez 
1; * hut I want gnu to git out!' Ho looked queer 
a mlnlt and said somethin’ about, green, and 
then he up and drlv rite clus to me and splashed 
my Sunday gown wha mud. Now, gals, that 
are gown hadn’t hail a mite of dust, onto it 
for nigh ten years or more, and I was clean heat 
with the sassliiess of that man. Just then a 
big limn, all dressed up like a soljer, come up, 
and bcz tie, ‘ Ma’am, let me assist you, and afore 
1 rekivered from my surprise ho put his hand 
farnillar-like agin my arm. My dander had riz 
mighty high by that time, mind L tell you 1 and 
I "topped hack like Queen Victory, anti sez 1, 
, Sir,’ sez I, * I'll thank you to leave me alone. 
If my old man was on the face of the uirth, yo 
wouldn’t flare to Insult the like of mo. Yer 
tryln’ to strike up an aoquiutanoo, and yer 
quite too fainillur-llko!' With that, said he, 
‘ I’m a plooecmtvu, ma'am, u-goln' to purteo 
you from the crowd.' Sez J,‘ I ain't a-goln’ to 
l»o purtected ; so there now!' and I riz up my 
ambril to him to ficaro him; then I tinned away 
as grand as V ktoky and gathered up my gown 
and went onto the walk agin. A lot of folks 
had come around, anil were a luiTiti, 1 s'poso at 
tho plooccnntn, for ho deserved It, the sassy 
l.liingl Wall,'.I wandered on, and would you 
believe It, gals? 1 lost my way. Fin ally, arter 
tryln' anil tryln' to go the rite way to Mr. 
N k;klush ics' house, l sot down on the edge of 
the sidewalk and thunk of Lot to hum and the 
caow critter all alone In the ole barn, and laws I 
how I wished I hadn’t never a come to New 
York Town, Rymo-by a man took me homo to 
the tavern, where I told him I was a puttin'up, 
and I was bo clean tuckered out that 1 said to 
the man behind tho big desk, said 1,‘Sir, will 
you bo so kind ns to hurry up the tea, 'cause It 
’pears to mo a cup of tea will cheer my sperits 
a little mite.' Ho only looked at me kind of 
impudont, and I knew twarnt no use to arger 
witli him on that pint, so I didn't; hut, would 
you believe It? them waiters never rang tho 
tea hell till 1 was nigh starved. The next day I 
went out agin, but when I got as far as tho 
steps I klncluded to stay to hum, for fear of 
gettln’ insulted agin, and, oh my I what au aw¬ 
ful long day that was, to lie sure ! 
“ Wall, to make my story short, I thought I’d 
rather, on the hull, be to hum a mendin’ of 
Lot’s trouser leg and foedln’the caow critter 
than to he a tryln’ to cultivate my style In New 
York Town, and an I put uiy Holiday gown 
back Inter the trunk (and la! how filled It was- 
gal t! t nigh cried to see the dirt on it)’ and my 
bunnlt Inter the bandbox (oh, gals, If you could 
a seen liow tumbled it was!) and then 1 wont 
down and told the clerk I was goin' hum. I 
hid gim good-by us perlite as I knew how, and 
I sez, zez I, ‘ I’m ohleeged to ye, I'm sure, Mis¬ 
ter, for yer perl I to ness. I ve enjoyed myself 
very considerable sonce I came.’ Then 1 untied 
my handkercher and gov him a dollar for my 
puttin' up. Bless me, gals, how ho did stare I 
I dusBcnt tell ye vvliat he said; it would make 
yer tears come to think how ho treated a de¬ 
fenceless old piiBKon like me. I hud to give 
that creetur well nigh onto all my money afore 
L could glt out of his tavern. I hadn’t none 
loft except Jest to glt, hack to hum with, and, 
laws! I hadn't bought a present nor nothin' 
for Lot, except astick of chawin’-gum I bought 
of a feller In the load rite In frouL of the big 
tavern. 1 forglt what they call the road now 
a big, wide place, you know, where lots and 
lots of hollerin' Is goin' on, and the men and 
beast critters Is a Hers a tryln’ to glt In each 
other’s way, as it 'pears. There were sights and 
sights of line folks a perambulatin' In this road 
and a admirin’ of tbsrselvcs in tho big lookin'- 
glassea of the shops. 1 boo so many a lookin’ 
in one of them glasses, or winders, whatever 
thoy was, that think 1 to myself, • I'll see ef my 
bunnlt Ison rite,’ and law sukes 1 ef It warn't 
all knocked sideways, anil the big rove what 
ought tor lie lu front like was away to tho back 
of my head. Ho I laid my aaibrJll down and 
sot my hug on it, mid I off with my bunnlt and 
combed my hair with my flne-tooth comb, 
which I allers carry in my pocket, and should 
hev got on first-rate ef tho sassy boys had a left 
mo alone. Thoy kop’ a larfln' and a larfln’, till 
it warn’t no use for me to try to fix my hair be¬ 
fore Unit winder; so I put my bunnlt on and 
picked up my duds and oamc away. Rut, then, 
gals, this was before I said good-by to tho tav¬ 
ern keeper. Where was I? Le’ine aeo. Ohll 
was a tollin’ of yo liow I koui hum. Wall, I 
was drlv to tho keers, and paid the driver an¬ 
other dollar. Oh, deary me 1 Then 1 had Lo he 
rattled away over tho road agin ; but I didn't 
git Into a smokin' keer this time, mind, 1 tell 
