“Well, it appears, from an advartisement in the papers, that he was sittin’ on the starn of the vessel, when the vessel give a lee lurch, that he was knocked overboard and was drowned, and that he has not written to his friends ever since. Oh, dear! it’s dreadful to think on. Poor critter!—he was such a clever, good-natured, kind soul. I recollect when he was about here, how he used to come into the house and set down, and get up and go out, and come in agin, and set down, and get up and go out. Then he’d go down to the barn, and throw down some hay to the critters, and then he’d come into the house agin, and get up and go out, and go down to the store and get a jug of rum,—and sometimes he’d take a little suck of it himself. But, la, souls! I never cared nothing about that. Good, clever critter! Then arter he’d come back with the rum, he’d set down a little while, and get up and go out, and pick up chips, and drive the hogs out of the garden; and then he’d come into the house and kick over the swill-pail, and set down, and stick his feet over the mantel-piece, and whittle all over the hearth, and spit tobacco juice all over the carpet, and make himself so _sociable_. And poor fellow! now he’s gone. Oh, dear! how dreadful wet he must have got! Well, Mrs. Smith, it goes to show that we are all accountable _critters_.” ----- [9] By G. H. Hill. XIV. COLONEL JONES’S FIGHT. A STORY OF KENTUCKY. Col. Dick Jones was decidedly the great man of the village of Summerville. He was Colonel of the regiment—he had represented his district in Congress—he had been spoken of as candidate for Governor—he was at the head of the bar in Hawkins’ county, Kentucky, and figured otherwise largely in public life. His legal opinion and advice were highly valued by the senior part of the population—his dress and taste were law to the juniors—his easy, affable, and attentive manner charmed all the matrons, his dignified politeness captivated the young ladies—and his suavity and condescension delighted the little boarding-school misses. He possessed a universal smattering of information—his manners were the most popular; extremely friendly and obliging, lively and witty; and, in short, he was a very agreeable companion.