The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-01-17
[From Hoods Magaznel
HOW JACK MARYLAND SOLVED A VERY
STIFF PROBLEM

| JACK MARYLAND was happy fellow-at Ieast
any one who saw him seated IN his comfortable
chambers in the temple, in vast easy chair, and
enveleped with clouds Of smoke proceeding from
his favorite meerschaum, as the bell of ST. Paul's
rang ten, would have said so Jack was clever
fellow too He sang well, he danced well, the
patridges the first of September knew him
well; the Cheshire hounds were not unacqnainted
with him; the ISIS and the Thames were intimate
with him. (for Jack pulled good oar;) had
dab at fencing, fair single stick player, was
in his element in the pistol gallery; and, 10 crown
ALL he had not made an unsuccessful debut as
speaker in the courts Of Westminster. Jack truly
ought to have been happy from thousand reasons:
he was favore with his acquaintances and pro-
fessional brethren; by the fair sex his witty con-
versation and handsome and geDtema y person
and demeanor duly appreciated; in short he
was universally liked. Papas and mamas opened
their doors to HIM, (for he had nice little fortune
at his command;) daughters and SONS were glad
when he entered the doors so thrown open, for
not dull moment was suffered to exist from the
time Jack came to the time he took his departure.
"And toas Jack happy" methnks hear a fair
reader inquire Jack was not happy, or rather,
he thought he was not happy. Jack had got it
into his silly head that, IN spite Of his accomplish
ments, his cleverness, and his handsome face and
figure, he, Jack, was coward; and that if ever
his courage should be put to the proof, he should
be lamentably wanting. This was Jacks "ombre
noir;" this was the thought which embittered
| I,,Ls aud Of tho tma uai intrnIuc p6
Jack to our readers. he was in his aforesaid easy
chair and under the Influence of his aforesaid pipe,
assisted by cup of strong Mocha, turning over
in his mind the different methods by which he
thought it likely that he might be able to solve the
+ knotty question: "Am or am not coward?'
Jack thought and thought, and smoked and
smoked ill he was half asleep, without coming
to any correct satisfactory conclusIon the idea
had taken strong possession of his mind and tor
mented him strangely; he, however. determined,
as indeed 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 danger We shall in less
than ten minutes see that the wished for opportu-
nifty presented itself in rather curious manner.
The long vacation arrived; that time SO wished
for so looked forward to. by all the legal profess
sion; that time during which, &c. .s
Jack ike many other deniLens Of the Temple,
packed up his traps, sent his clerk for cab, stuck
card outside his door with The inscription, .'Re-
turn before the 20h of October .'shipped him
self all aboard Of Ship" then of diligence and
in due course of time found himself in Paris
One day was sufficient to enable him to find good
suit of rooms; and now behold Jack fully launched
in all the gaety, not to say dissipation of the
metropolis of the French. Jack, we have before
said, was very good shot with the pistol, yet he
had never been guilty of that height of folly,
duel, ail indeed had often been heard to say he
never would He, however, frequented many Of
the ps;ol practicing galleries which abounded in
Paris: and among Others he had hcnored with his
presence the tir au pistolet of NJ. Lepage, where,
of course, he very soon became known as ''Ce
monsieur AnglaIs, qui tire aussi bien qu'un Fran
cais."
One day Jack on going to the gallery of M.
Lepage with one Of his friends, found il occupied
by young man; well known as one of the best
shots in Paris; and most assuredly he was good
shot He performed all the feats which tradition
assigns to the Chevalier St. George; he each time
hit the bulls eye Of the target at the usual distance,
snuffed candle with the ball. split bullet against
the edge of knife, and drove nail into the wall
by striking the head exactly in the centre with his
ball; and in short, by thousand feats of this ma
ture proved himself worthy the name Of a first
rate shot. His amour propre was aroused by the
presence of Jack whom the attendant in presenting
the pistol, had quietly SAID was almost as good
shot as HIMSELF but at each shot, nstesd of recev-
ing from Jack the tribute of praise which he de
served, he heard Jack in reply to the exclamations
of establishment that proceeded from all in the
gallery say, "No doubt that is very good shot;
but the result would be very different, I've
notion, if he had live man for his target" This
incessant calling in question OF his powers
dueist, (for Jack had repeated his observation
three times.) at first astonlshed he ''tireur," and
ended by annoying him. and at length, turning
round to Jack, and looking at him with an air of
hlf jesting half threatening he said, "Forgve ME,
Mr.. Engishman. but il appears TO me that three
times you have made an observation desparaging
to my courage; will you be kind enough to give
me some explanation OF the meaning of your
words!" ..a
"My Words" answered our friend, edo not.
think, "require any explanation; they are plain
enough in my opinion"
perhaps, then, SIR, you will be good enough to
repeat them; in order that may judge of the mean
ing which they will bear, and the object with
which they have been spoken" was the reply Of
the Frenchman
II said," answered Jack with the most perfect
sang froid, "when saw you hit the bulls eye at
each shot, that neither your hand nor your eve
would be so steady if your pistol were pointed