Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1848-07-06
From the Ladies' Dollar Newspaper.
The Leg of Mutton.


/ OR THE CURIOUS ADVENTURES OF MAN WHO
! WENT TO MARKET.
By Falconbridge.
am going TO state to you the remarkable
adventures ola very remarkable man, who wen,
TO market to ge! leg of mutton for his Sun
days dinner. have heard or read some " here
or other, almost similar stories; whether they
were real or imaginary, am totally unable TO
say; but can vouch for the authenticity OF
my story, for know The hero we'll
In The year 1912, it will be- recoec,ed ,ha,
we had some military disputes with old Eng.
land, and which ellclted some pretty tall fights,
by land and sea, and "ihe land we live in"
was considerably excited upon the subject, and
patriotism rose TO many degrees above blood
heat, Philadelphia. about that time, like all
other cities, suppose, was the scene of much
drum.beatlng, marching and counter marching,
and volunteering of the patriotic people. The
President sent forth his proclamation, the Gov.
etnors OF the respective States reiterated them,
and large portion Of our brave republicans
we're soon in or marching TO the battle field
There lived and wrought at his lrade-carpen-
terng--in the city Of Philadelphia, abou, that
time, rery tall, slim man named Houp; Peter
Houp, that was his name. He was a very
steady, uprigh, and honest man. married, had
small, comfortable family and to all inlents aud
purposes seemed settled down for life. How
deceptive, how unstable how uncertain is man,
TO say nothing of the frail portion of creation
woman. Peter Houp, one fair morning took
his baske, on his arm. and off he went to get
leg Of mutton. and the trimmings, for his mex,
Sundays dinner. Beyond 'ha, subject of re-
search, Peter never dreamed of extending his
! travels for that day certain. A leg OF mutton
is nor an indifferent article, well cooked, mat
Ter some ha, difficult, too, TO amateur cooks ;
and as good legs OF mutton as can be found on
this side Of the big pond, are to be purchased
almost any Saturday morning in the Pennsyl-
,ana market wagons. which congregate along
Second Street, for a mile or Two in string
Peter could have secured his leg, and brought
1t home in an hour or Two, a, least. But huuis
passed, noon came. and nigh, followed il, and
IN the course OF time, The morrow, the Joyous
Sunday, for which the leg of mutton was To
have been bough, and prepared and offered
up. a sacrifice 10 the household gods, and
grateful appeliies but neither leg Of mutton,
nor man Peer. husband and father Houp, dark
ened the door OF The carpenters humble domicil.
that day, the next, or the next. cannot, Of
course, realize half the agony. or iorlures Of
suspense. that mus. have preyed upon The wife's
heart and brains, tha, must lave haunted her
feverish dreams at night, and her aching mind
by day. When grim death strikes blow, when
ever SO near and dear friend or relation is
levelled. cold. brealh!ess, dead--we see, we
! 4, AZ -,~c
the blueresl of woe then Gains, subsidies, ceas-
es but the lost which hope prevents mourn
ing as dead, and whose dealhllke absence al
most prec!udes the idea that they live---engen-
ders IN The soul Of true affection gloomy, tor
1Taunng. desparlng sorrow more agonizing than
the sung actual death leaves behind. have
endearored TO depict 3 ha, must have been, what
was the feelings of Peter Houp's wife. She
mourped, and grieved, and sill hoped on, tho
months and years passed away without impari.
!. Ing The slightest clue to the most singular and
unfortunate fate of her husband. Her three chill.
dten. two boys and girl, grew mp; ten, eleven
twelve years past, and no udings of the LOST
man reached his family but they still lived
wi kind Of despairing hope, that The husband
and father would yet come home. And so he
! did
Let us see what became of Peter Houp, the
carpenter As he stroled along with his basket
on his arm, on the eveniful morning he sought
the leg of mutton, he met platoon OF men
dressed up in uniform. muskes on their shoul.
ders, colors flying. drums beating, and mob
Of hur-rqhers following and shouting for the
uolunteers Yes. il was company of volun-
teers, jus, about shipping of for the South, to
join the . old Zack' of ,ha, day, old Hickory,
Gen. jackson! Peter Houp saw in the ranks
/ Of The volunteers several of his old chums he
spoke to them, walked along with the men OF
Mars, got inspued.- -pa.riouc-drunk Two
days after ,ha, evenlful Saturday, on which the
quite honest and industrious carpenter left bis
wife and children full of hope and happiness, he
found himself in blue breecbes, roundabou.
and black cap, on board a brig--bound for Ne,c
Orleans volunteer for tie war II was too
late TO repent then: The brig was plough!ng her
way through The foaming b,llows, and in a few
weeks she arrived al Mobile. as she could not
reach New OrIeans.s the British under Gen.
Packeoham being off the Bsllze,. So the Vol
unieers were landed at Mobile, and hurried over
land To The devo'ed Cfescen, city. Peter HouP
was moi only good man. 4lI'able. as sll men
are TO make false step once in llfe,) but a
brave one. Having gone so fsr sna made a