Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-11-03
ON IN
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AG
Jack Jones' Troubles.


FOR H SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
Jack Jones' Troubles.
Not more than forty years ago, there lived
an old man in these parts, whose name was
Jack Jones. Jack was a great fellow for rails
ing cattle and hogs, and made a great deal Of
cider and brandy, and in the mean time, he
made use Of the latter very freely. Jacks
wife, whose name was Sarah, was opposed
to his making cider and brandy, as he never
sold much, and seemed to be the best custo-
mer himself.
Now when he had no brandy, every thing.
went on smoothly For a long time, a.
would at last go to look for ito see his
neighbors or to a public place, where it was
to be had. Time moved on, Jack would stay
longer and longer at each visit, at first about
an hour, and towards the last, he would STAY
all day long and come home at some hour in
the night full up to the bung. All! it was
now, that Sarah commenced seeing sour looks
and hearing harsh words. He grew worse
dlspleased at every thing she did-soon she
was not able to do any thing to suit him
ne would come home, ask for something to
eat, and as she did not know he would come.
she always had the table in the floor with the
best on 1t she could get, and fixed in the best
manner possible, she would tell him 90 to the
table and help himself, for she had kent the
table set all the day waiting for him. He
would go to it, throw the cover off and a it
was not fit for the dogs to eat, then throw
it to them and make her cook more.
By this means his business was neglected.
his %neighbors lost all confidence in him. and
it appeared that he was aa;as g6ne, a 1leIgh7
Dor sent his wife a fine string Of perch, and
as she had not stopped her ~exertion to please.
him, she set about cooking them in the finest
order with the hope to please him for once
she cooked them and placed them on the ta-
bic and had every thing fixed for his dinner.
just at night he came poking along, " he'll
10 Salley W W what have you got for me
to eat" Oh! Mr.. Jones, our neighbor White
has sent us a fine string of fish, and | have
got them all nicely cooked, and placed on the
table for you. That is right" lie went to
the table apparently with a smile on his face,
though he Numbered and knocked several
chairs Town before he got there, and skinned
his nose. He looked at the fish, then smell
ed Of them, "Sal, the devil is in them fish,
they are not half done by the thunders, why
did you not cookth0n d0ne"-out they went
to the dogs go cook me something else or
I will make Blue Bet talk" His wife now
commenced thinking times were getting still
harder, when the whip was spoken Of SO free
ly-she began to run about to see what she
could find to cook, at last she found some salt
pork, the only thing there was to be had
She was afraidf0r some tIme to cookthe pork
thinking he would not eat it, and abuse hel
about cooking salt pork for him, but at las
she cooked it and carried it to him-''wel
Sally what have you got now" Mr.. Jones
/ could not ind any thing but pork to fry,
looked for some bacon and tried very hare
to get eggs, but could not find any, All W
W we'll do you expect for me to eat sal
pork. Jack took heplatea as usual and his wifi
expected to see the pork fly out of it, but h
was so hungry, that he could not throw i
any other way but down his throat. He at
+ three or four mouth-fulls and was 50 hungry
= that he attempted to throw a whole sic
:. down at once, but it was an unlucky attemp
for him, it stopped in his throat and almos
stopped his breath. He threw off his hands
called his wife cob! Sally &C com
: here Oh! come"-in the mean time he wa
trying to get the meat out Of his throat a
he knew how. In a moment Sarah was at hi
e side polling him in the back with her fs'
4 so hard, that a person some way of, woul
/, have thought she was beating great honnlny
but it all seemed to do no good, the mea
hung in his throat. Sarah then thoq1GGlelt sAs
heard to be a good one-she pulled dowf
p Blue Bet and tryed to ram the meat doWI
/" Stop, stop Sally, Ill can't stand |
Oh me what shall | do, pull it out, do "a
lev. His wife commenced thinking that
must die, for she knew not what to do +
him, she had done all she could and 1t do1
no GOOD. at last she thought, that she Won
u run over and get neighbor C, who live
lg in about two hundred yards of them, WI
of the hope that he might get the meat out
her husbands throat. Soon she was
!, neichbor C-'s house and lucky for JAG
II did she find him at home. She told him, t
ne condition which her husband was IN, Al
&C. in a few moments they were at his sic
ri- They found him almost black in the lace.
Mr.. G shook him and tried to get t
7d' meat out with his fingers, though in vain.
He turned to Mrs. Jones and told her
las knew but one more remedy, which she 4
,ss not tried, and if that failed Mr. Jones MI
his die. that is to throw him across somethl
70 that is raised. No sooner said than he v
ct the work, he took him by the legs andt
her she must take him by the hands.
zad thew went to the fence and laid him acr
be it, raised him up and let him come down;
left a sign for the better yet, nor any change
ill " his groans grew louder. They once m
brought him across the fence and out
an the pork.
our need not say it made Jack sober, but
the did not try to eat any more of his pork
the night, for his throat was so sore that he CO
.ach not eat. Jack was a good man for someti
af- and his wife commenced thinking that
inaI should see some pleasure, as there was an
oaEe tire change in Jackie had gait visiting
grog-shors and places OF drink he