Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-02-28


man habiiations larger than a log house viii
la2e-an individual, in Short no other or bet
ter than Bob Smith-shouId venture to ex-
press an opinion concerning the manners, Gus
TOMS or anything else appertainng to or in
any wise connected with the ultima Thule of!
Back-woods Georgians. There were twoI
| propositions, which witnessed their own truth
| TO the mind Of Mr.. Suggs-the one was, tina,
man who had never been at Augusta could
not Know any thing about that city, or any
place or thing else; the other, that one who
had been there must, of necessity, be not only
well informed as to all things connected with
the city itself, but perfectly au fait upon all
subjects whatsoever. 1t was therefore in a
tone of mingled Indignation and contempt that
he replied to the last remark of Simon.
'B06 Snsih says-does he? And who's
Bob Smith? Much does Bob Smith know a.
bout Angusty! he's been thar, reckon! Slip
ped oft yearly one mornin', when nobody
warn't nollcin', and got back afore night! It's
only one hundred and fifty miles-Oh, yes,
Bob Smith knows all about it! don't know
nothn' about it :! amt never been to Angus
ty-I couldn't find the road thar, reckon
ha! ha! Bo6-'Smi-th! The eternal stink! if
he was only to see one O. them fine gentlemen
in Augusty, with his fine broad-cloth and bell
crown hat, and shoe boots a shinin' like sill
yer, he'd take to the woods and kill himself
a-runnln'. Bob Smith! that's whar all your
deviIment comes from, Simon
Bob Smiths as good as any body else,
ljudge; and heap smarter than some. He
showed me how to cut jack: continued ST.
mon, 'and that's more nor some people can
DO, if they hare been to Augusty.'
If Bob Smith kin do it, said the old man,
i kin too. 1don't know it by that name; but
if it's book knowledge or PLAIN sense, and Bob
kin do it, it's reasonable to 81 pose that old Je-
d'diah Suggs won't be bothered bad. Is it
any ways simi!yar to the rule of three, ST.
mon?'
pretty much, daddy, but not adzactly,'
said Simon, drawing a pack from his pocket
to explain. Now, daddy he proceeded,
you see these here. four cards is what we cali
the Jacks. Well, now, the idee is, if you'll
take the deck and mix EN- all up together, I'll
take off passel from top, and the bottom one
of them take off will be one Of the Jacks
'Me to fix 'em fust,' said old Jed 'diah.
Yes
AND you not to see but the back of the top
one, when you 60 to cut as you call it!'
sJist so, daddy
and the backs all jst as like as kin be 2
said the senior Suggs, examing the cards.
wore IKE NOT COW peas. Sdlu SliilO1I.
1t can't be done. Simon,' observed the old
man with great soemnity.
Bob Smith kin do it, and so kin L.
It's agin mater, Simon; thar amt a man in
Augusty, nor on top OF the yearth, that kin do
it,
Daddy said our hero, 'ef you'll bet me-
sWhatn Numbered old Mr.. Suggs. Bet.
did You say 2 and he came down with scGrer
lad diah
Suggs, that's been in the Lords sarvice these
twenty years-nse bet, you nasty, sassy, tri-
fin, ugly
4 didn't 60 to say that, daddy; that warn't
what meant, adzactly. | meant to say that
if you'd let me off from this ere ma"ln' you
owe me, and gre me Bunch eff cut Jack,
I'd eire uou ali this ere silver. eff l didn't
that's all. To be sure, alters know'd you
wouldn't Jet.'
Old Mr.. Suggs ascertained the exact amount
of the silver which his son handle him, IN an
old leathern pouch, for inspection. He also,
mentally, compared that sum with the lmagl-
nary one, the supposed value of a certain In
dian pony, called 'Bunch,' which he had bot
, for his soId woman's' Sunday riding, and
Y which had sent the old woman into fence
corner. the frst-and only-time she had ever
mounted him. AS he weighed the pouch o;
silver in his hand, Mr.. Suggs also endeavored
to analyse the character of the transaction
: proposed by Simon. 1t sartdinly can't be no.
o thin but Grin NO way it kin be twisted, he
, murmured to himself. i kn0tc he can't do It,
so there's no resk. What makes bettin' g
u, The resk. It's a one-sided business, and I'll
- list let him give me all his money, ,hat'll put
:, all his wild sportin' notions out of his head.
). will YOU stand it. daddy q asked Simon
= by way of waking the old man up. You
y mought as well, for the whippin' won't dc
you no good. and as for Bunch. nobody about
4 the plantation won't ride him, but me-
4 sSimon,' replied the old man, 4 agree to it
}, Y our old daddy is in close place about pay
: in for his land and this here. money-lts
list eleven dollars, lacking Of twenty-five
: cents-wilI help out nightly. But mind, ST
mon, eff any things said about this, hereafter
> remember you gre me the money
. Very well. daddy, and eff the thing works
:, up instid O. down, s'pose we'll say you g!T'
r. me Bunch-eh?'
: You won't never be troubled to tell how
- YOU come by Bunch the things agin natur
=. and can't be done. What old Jed'dah Sugg
% knows, he knows as good as anybody. Civ
= me them fxaments, Simon
Our hero handed the cards to his father
;, turned his back to that individual. in order 4
70 prevent his Witnessing the operation of MAJ
ing. He then sat down and very lelsnreI,
., commenced shutting the cards, making, how
~ ever, an exceedingly awkward job Off Res
, tive kings and queens jumped from his hands
or obstinately refused to slide into the compa
Il ny of the pack. Occasionally, sprightl
P knaUe would insist on facing his neighbor; c
10 pressing his edge against another's, half dot
~ BILE himself up. and then skip away. But +
der Jed'diah perseveringly continued his
on tempts to subdne the refractory, while heav
J, drops burst from his forehead and ran dow
Ut his cheeks. All of a sudden, an idea, quic
% and penetrating as rifle.ba'l, seemed to hay
ke entered the Uranium of the old man. II
chuckled audibly. The devil had suggeste