Holly Springs gazette., 1845-02-22
SIMON sUGGs, THE sHIFTY MAN.
By JOHNSON J. HOOPER, ESQ.

"A series OF sketcneS OF one Ohpt SugGS.
late Captain Of the Tallapoosa Volunteers,
are being published in the East Albanian.
In the first number, Simon. then bow,
was caught by his father-''a hard-shelI
Baptist preacher''-in the act of pIavino
"old sledge" (seven up with a negro boy
named Bill, for which the old man, with a
hand full of hickory sticks, threatens to
take the bark off ofboth of then and mar
ches them off 10 1.-The mulberry tree the
scene of all formal punishment administer
ed during work hours In the field. Ii is a.
the mulberry" the present sketch opens.l
1t must not be supposed that, during the
walk to the place of punishment, Simon's
mind was either inactive, or engaged in
suggesting the grimaces and contortions
wherewith he was pantominIcally express
sing his irreverent sentiments towards his
father. Far from it. The movement Of
his limbs and features were the mere
workings of habjt-the self-grinding of the
corporeal mlchine-for which his reason
lug half was only remotely responsible.
For while Simon's person was !hus on Its
own account making game'' of old Jede-
diah, his wits, in view of the anticipated
fogging. were dashing. sFringing bound
ing, Garting about, in hot chase, of some ex-
pedient suitable to the necessities of the case
much after the manner in which puss,
when Betty, armed with the broom, and
hotIy seeking vengeance for the pantry
robbed, has closed upon her the garret
| doors and windows. attempts all sorts Of
impossible exits, to come down al last In
| the corner, with painting side and glaring
eye, exhausted and defenceless ss.--Our un-
| fortunate hero could devise nothing by
which he could reason lbly expect to es-
/ cape the heavy blows OF his father Hl-
/ wing arrived at this conclusion and at ''the
| mulberry" about the same time, he stood,
with dogged look, awaiting the issue.
The old man Suggs made no remark TO
any one while he was seiz;ng up Bill,-a
process which, though by no means novel
| to Simon, seemed TO excite in hun sort OF
painful interest He watched it closely.
as if to learn the precise fashion of his faith
er's knot and when, at last, Bill was
strung up a-tiptoe TO limb, and the whip
ping commenced, Simon's eye followed
every mnvement of his fathers arm /; and
as each blow desce n1ed upon the bare
shoulders Of his sable friend, his own body
wriIhed and "wriggled' in involuntary
sympathy.
"It's the devil, its he'll" said Simon tc
himself, ito take such a wallopin as that
WHY, The old man looks as if he wanted tC
get TO the hoIIer, ii he could his picter
It's wuth,. at least, fifty cents je-e-miny
how that hurt yes, it's wuth Ihree-quar
ters of d olIar 10 get that ere lickln'
Wonder if Pm "predcs,Gnated," as old Jed
diah saws, to git the seIler to il2 Lord
! l. 4 / do ISia tn ha'
bust right len. the burned Old door face
If 'twa' n, for Ben hepin' HIM, biieve II
give the old feller tussle when IL comes 4
NV turn. / could Mt make the thing NJ
wuss if did mt make il no better Drc
itl what do BOYS have daddies for, an
howe 'Taint for nuthn' but just to 0ea
,em and work 'cm. There's some use i
mammies--I kin poke my finger right !
lbe old 'oman's eve, and keep i; thar, and |
saw il aint thar, she'll say talnt thar to-
/ wish she was here to hold daddy of.
'twa'nt so fur, I'd hoIer for her. any how
How she'd cling to the old fellow COZ
tail"
Mr.. Jededirh Suggs let down Bill, an
united him. Approaching Simon who's
coat was of, Gone Simon, son, said n
cross them hands; I'm gw:ne TO corre'
IL ain. no use, daddy" said Simon
j "Why so, Simon 2"
= "Just bekase il aint. I'm gwlne 10 pla
| cards as long as live. When | 60 OIL
myself Pm gwine to make livIn by
= So what's the use of beatin' me about IT.
e Old Mr. Suggs groaned. as he was woL
to do in the pulpit, at this exhibition oil ,
mons viciousness.
"Simon, said he, you're poor lgnora
creetur. You don't know nothing al
. you've been no whars. LIT ] was to tul
you off, you'd starve in week
Il wish you'd try me, said Slmon' al
list see. I'd win more money IN we'
e than you can make In year. Thar al
e nobody round here can make seed corn I
$ ONE at cards. Fam rale smalt at II"
r added, with great emphasis.
"Simonl Simon you poor unletteI
: fool. Don't you know that all card'pla
ers and cock.fighters and horse-racers
10 heIl2 You crack-brained creetur' yot
And don't you know that them that pli
cards always lose their money, and
is "Who wins it then, Daddya" asked
q mon.
: : "Shet your mouth, you imperdent, slac
9 jawed dog Your daddy's a-tryin' to q
n you some good advice. and you a-Pickin
e his words in that way. Snow'd your
n man once when lived in Oglelarp as we
a q down to Agusty and sold hundred doila
"A worth of MS daddv's cotton, and some
- | ,ne,n oanhollers oof him 10 drnkIu ai