A SKETCH "OWER TRUE,"

HAVING A HOOSIER FOR ITS HERO.

An original character is your genuine hoosier. By genuine we mean such an one as has all the attributes that peculiarly belong to the back woodsmen of the west-one whose manners have suffered neither change nor modification by connexion or association with men of more conventional habits; one, in a word, who, like the trees of his native forest, had no other culture than that bestowed on him by nature. He may well be called a genuine hoosier. There is an originality in his phraseology, which, being the imitation of no other known. idiom, by none can it be successfully imitated; and there is a primitive freshness in his manner and appearance, which show that while the fetters of fashion and etiquette enchain their millions among what is called the "enlightened classes," he, disdaining all such artificial incumbrances of both limb and language, dresses as he willeth, and talks as he pleaseth. Indeed, with the future antiquarian, it must be a matter of mystery, to account for the noble stand taken by the hoosier against the effeminate frivolity of our times, when almost all of those who pique themselves on being more refined than their fellows, are the victims of its enervating embraces.

So much for the hoosier in general, and now for the hoosier in particular. One of them a fellow with thews and sinews sufficiently strong to cope with a bear-visited the city last week, and here he still remains. As he is no bad specimen of the class, we mean to chronicle, in part, his sayings and doings. But first of his appearance, as he jumped from his flatboat on to the Levee, when, by the way, he was heard to remark that he "didn't see the reason of folks livin' in a heap this way, where they grew no corn and had no bars to kill."

He wore a clay-coloured linsey coat and pants, neither of which were cut on the new system, or geometrical principles. The woollen hat of opaque crown had been originally a muddy white, but from exposure to the sun it had become a clay-colour too; his brogans were of a uniform colour-so was his beard

A SKETCH "OWER TRUE."

47

and so was his hair. Though not the "embodiment," perhaps, of "Clay principles," he was certainly the embodiment of clay colouring.

After being in the city some days; after, in looking for the "lions," having seen the "elephant," and after his funds had become nearly exhausted-or "whittled down to the small end of nothing," as he himself classically expressed it-he thought he'd look out for a job to recruit his wasted finances. With this view he was directed to an extensive contractor, and we might add, as extensive an expander; for he has men in almost all parts of the city, repairing the older streets, re-paving and expanding the newer ones. He met this Mc-Adam of the Western world on Sunday last, standing near the entrance to the St. Charles Hotel, or to use his own words, "he dropped on him like a catamount on a coon." Of course the tedious formula of an introduction was dispensed with, and our western hero bounded at once to matters of business.

He commenced "How are you, Squire-how d'ye rise?" Contractor. "I am well, sir. Whom have I the pleasure of addressing?"

Hoosier. "Why, Squire, my name's Ruth-Ben Ruth; but you know, as I heard the player fellow say in Louisville, 'there aint nothin' in a name." Now you be a tolerable slick lookin' feller yourself, but I'd have jest as great a respect for you if your name was Smith-John Smith. Names aint nothin', no how."

Contractor. "Your liberality does you great credit. But can I do any thing for you?"

Hoosier. "I reckon. You see, the fact is, Squire, they had an al-mighty deal to say up in our parts about Orleans, and how all-fired easy it is to make money in it, but it's no 'ham' and all hominy,' I reckon. But now, to skin the bar at once, can you give me and five other gentlemen employ

יי? ment

Contractor." If you and five other gentlemen will work at the labour which I am having done, and for the wages which I pay, five other gentlemen and you may go to work to-morrow."

Hoosier. "Good as pork, Squire-what do you give?" Contractor." Ten bitts a day."

Hoosier. Why, Squire, I was told you'd give us two dollars a day and eat us."

Contractor." Two dollars a day and eat you! Why, zounds man, do you take me for a cannibal?

Eat

you!" Hoosier."Oh, hold your hosses, Squire. There's no use gettin' riled, no how. I meant that I heerd you'd give us two dollars a day and throw in the chicken fixins' and corn doins.' But you can't give it, you say?"

Contractor." No, sir."

6

6

Hoosier." Well, as I aint flush in the financial way, I accept. Let there be no mussing between us."

The Hoosier then learned from the contractor where his office was, and at what hour he would be there next morning; and there he was before the appointed time. Now it happens that the bed-room of the contractor is immediately over his office. He was yet in bed, and indeed asleep, when the hoosier reached there, for it was not well five o'clock; but he was soon awoke by a very loud, if not a very musical matin effort of his western employè, singing:

"Hurrah! hurrah! the country's risin'
For Henry Clay and Frelinghuysen!"

"Let the country rise and be d!" said the contractor, in a loud and petulant manner. "Who is that making such a confounded noise there?"

Hoosier."A good mornin', Squire. Why, what on airth keeps you in bed so long? It's a right nice mornin' to be about, I tell you-a fust rate mornin' to go on a hunt."

Contractor. "O you be shot! Are you prepared to go to work?"

Hoosier. "I'm just awaitin' the word, as Sal Cummins said when she was asked why she didn't marry. You didn't know Sal, Squire-did you? She was an uncommon nastylookin' gal, and

وو

Contractor.-"O I have not time to hear her history. Have you a shovel ?"

Hoosier." No."

Contractor." Then you can't go to work."
Hoosier. "But s'pose I buy one.

Squire ?"

Contractor. "Ten bitts."

What will it cost,

Hoosier.-"Ten bitts !-why that's a day, Squire ten bitts -three hundred and sixty-five days-fifteen years why, Squire, I think I ain't worth more than five thousand shovels at that kalk'lation."