Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-12-31
From Hoods Magazine.
How Jack Marland solved very stiff Pr )blem

least any one who saw him seated in his
comfortable chambers in the Temple in a
vast easy chair, and enveloped with clouds
of smoke proceeding from his favorite
meerchaum, as the bell Of ST. Paul's rang
ten, would have said SO. Jack was a clev-
CIR fellow too. He sang well, he danced
well; the patridges on the first of Septem-
ter knew him well the Cheshire hounds
were not unacquainted with him; the Isis
and the Thames we're intimate with him,
(for Jack pulled a good oar j dab at fen
cling, fair single stick player in his ele-
msnt in the pistol gallery and to crown
all, no had just made not unsuccessful
debut as a speaker in the courts at West
minister Jack truly ought to have been
happy, from thousand reasons: he was a
!ayorite with his acquaintance and profes-
sonal brethren; by the fair sex his witty
conversation and handsome md gentleman
~ person and demeanor were truly appre.
ciated, in short, he was universally liked
Papas and mammas opened their doors to
him, (for he had nice little fortune at his
command y daughters and sons were glad
when he entered the doors so thrown open,
from the time Jack came to the time he
took his departure. "And was Jack hap
Ply ?" methinks hear fair reader inquire.
Jack was not happy, or rather he thought
he was not happy. Jack had go: into his
silly head that, in spite Of his accomplish
ments, his cleverness and his handsome
face and figure, he, Jack was q coward /;
and that, if ever his courage should be
put TO the proof, he should be lamentably
wanting. This was Jacks i" ombre noir,'
this was the thought which embittersd
Jacks existence; and, ut the time we in
troduced Jack to the notice OF our readers
no was in his aforesaid easy chair, and un-
der the soothing influence os his aforesaid
pipe, assisted by cup of strong Mocha,
turning over in his mind the different meth
DDS by which he thought it likely thar he
migt, be able to solve the notify question,
" Am | or am not n coward 2"
Jack thought and thought, and smoke ed
and smoked, till he was half asleep, with
out coming to any correct and satisfactory
conclusion; the idea had taken strong pos
session Of his mind and tormented him
strangely; he however, determine ], as in
deed he had fifty times before determined,
to seize the first opportunity which might
present itself of placing himself in the
way of graphing with some imminent dan
ger. We shall in less than ten minutes
see that the wished-for opportunity prese n
ted itself in rather curious manner.
The long vacation arrived; that time SC
wished for, so Iooked forward to by all the
In uvhi cb
&c.
Jack like many other denizens Of the
Temple, packed up his traps, sen, his clerk
for a cab, stuck card outside of his door
with the inscription " Return before the
Goth of October" "shipped himself all
aboard Of a ship," then of a diligence, ant
in due course Of time found himself in Par
is. One half day was sufficient 10 enable
him to find good suite Of rooms; and now
behold Jack fully launched in all the gale.
~, not to say dissipation, Of tho metropolis
OF the French. Jack, we have before said
was a very goodshot with the pistol, yet he
had never been guilty of that height of
folly, duel; and, indeed, had often been
heard to say that he never would. He,
however, frequonted many of the pistol
practising galleries which abounded in Pa
ris; and, amongst others, he had honored
with his presence the ti' an pistolet of NJ
Lcpage, where of course, he very soon be-
came known as ace monsieur AnglaiS, ga
tire dssui bien guam Edncais.'
Ore day Jack, on going to tho gallery
Of NJ Lepage with one of his friends
found it occupied by young man wei
known as ono Of the best shots in Paris
and most assurcdly he was good shot. -
He perfor med all the loass which tradition
assigns to tho Chevalier ST. George; hi
each time hit the BULBS ego Of the target a
the usual distance, snufed candle will
the bali, split bullet against the edge o
knife, and drove nail into the wall by
striking the head exactly in tho centre witt
his ball; and in short, by thousand feat:
of his nature proved himself worthy of the
name oil first rate shot. His amour pro
pre- was reused by the presence of Jack
whom the attendant in presenting him the
pistol, had quietly said was almost as goot
a shot as himself but at each shot, in
stead of receiving from Jack the tribute o
praise which no deserved, he heard laci
in reply to the EXPLANATIONS of astonlsh
mon, that proceeded from oil in the gallery
say, "No doubt that is a very good shot
but the result would be very different, I've
a notion, if he had live man for his tar
get" This incessant calling in question
his powers as duelist, (for Jack had re
peated his observation three times) al frs
astonished the 'tircur,' and ended by an
noyng him; and at length turning rount
10 Jack, and looking at him with an air O.
half testing hall threatening, he said, "for
give me, Mr.. Englishmar. but it appear:
10 me that three times you have made ar
observation disparaging TO my courage
will you DO kind enough 10 give me some
explanation Of the meaning of your
words 7"
ssMy words" answered our friend, sdt
not | think, require any explanation they
ase plain enough in my op mon 2"
"Perhaps, then, sir, you will be gooc
enough 10 repeat them, in order that may
Judge of the meaning which they will bea
and the object with which they have spo
KEN" was the reply of the Frenchman.
II