Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-09-26
Terrlble history Of Jack and the Anaconda

Terrible History of Jack and the Anaconda @
LaRocHE, the Paris correspondent of the Philadel-
phia Bulletin, says that some years ago. when ira
Yelling through Tennessee, he got laid over in the
country and after searching in vain for something
to read he at length discovered that negro named
" Sam was the envied proprietor of book OF ira
wells and voyages He soon struck up a bargain with
SAM and secured the free and undsturbed possession
of the treasure, which he describes us follows:
1.-THE book in question was dog-eared. rather
greasy octave in yellow paper covers, and told of d.
vers marvellous voyages and travels. One OF the
stories graved itself on my memory so deeply that
have never forgotten it. The hero was sailor man,
ed, all booksellers Jack. He had gone to In
da and got leave of absence, day. to on shore
and hunt In the first woods he came to- he spied a
number of monkeys chattering in the trees, brought
down of them with bullet in his body tied his
legs together, sIung him around his neck and kept
on hunting. But the inhabitants, who worship the
monkey god, hearing the report of gun In the
sacred grove came running together and were about
to put Jack to death. by Lynch law, when magis-
trate rescued him. But the magistrate con-
demned him to death, next day, for decide, and
fenced him to be devoured alive by an anaconda
The description of the death scene was vivid, equal
indeed to some Of the cloudy passages OF Osslan.-
- The anaconda looked at Jack and Jack looked at
the anaconda the anaconda advanced stealthily.
and Jack did the same the anaconda made spring.
Jack made another: the anaconda wound himself
around Jack and Jack wound himself around the an
aconda. Then they began going round and round
and round fast that you couldn't tell the anacon-
da from Jack nor Jack from the anaconda And
how do you think it ended -! Did the anaconda eat
Jack No, Jack ate the anaconda!.'
This reminds us ola book hunting expedition upon
which we started nearly a month since in small
town in South Carolina, where we delayed by
the high water We found in the hotel, very good
one. by the way copy of Webster's Dictionary, and
back CANNON board, marked History of Rome,
being an edition which required two people to read
After some enquiry we learned that there had once
been book store, and that the remains of it mi ght
still be found. We were off like shot in pursuit O
knowledge determined on investing the sum of 9
cents or even going as far so cents, in the pur
chase of James Last some other g Histora
Romance or = Tale founded upon Facts" But W.
had done injustice to the serious character of tina
respected bookseller. He Philosopher. HI
dealt in the works of Bacon. Bacon Hams, Sides anC
Shoulders lined his shelves, sandwiched in will
Websters spelling book, and the = Whole Duty o
Man. We asked for something good to read t.
pass the time, explaining our forlorn condition. ant
received with most admonitory look paper-cove
book, being serious appeal to the young to beware
of intemperance which we are sorry to say we cas-
from us with irreverent haste and slight obj urga
ton. After having had the Common School Reader
Death Bed Scenes of the Unconverted, the Time
Warning, the Lost Soul and other cheerful and anu
sing books presented to US, we at length took tn
matter in our own hands, and laid hold upon DermC
McMurrough, or the Conquest of Ireland Poem
by John Quincy Adams, which we went aslee
in fifteen minutes and preserve it for its sopC
rife effects. We always sure of a good nap
That was the only piece of poetry, or work of tn
magination in the store Woe unto the man VIII
is laid in country town where he is a strar
ger.