The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-10-25
Misfellaneons.
The ZONES Family,
GRAN ESTIMATE OF Mo NEY.

bility in the world. Enough Of this theory
was verified in the Jones family. Jacob Jone:
was a poor, thriflless man, with large famil,
WHO were put, to great straights to get along
decently, and everybody knew it; yet nobod,
kneWzapything against them but their poverty
He<was. a sensible man., we'll versed in poll
tics, and could make. as handsome a speech as
as SQUIRE Driver, in any town meeting in
FreehoB but then it was only "Jake Jones'
the man who warn't worth cent in the world y
He might have held important offices in the
militia, Or been one of the Selectmen, but be
was SO poor he was cntrel overlooked.
Besides this, poverty was a great disad,
vantage to the family. The girls were always
held below par, in consequence of their being
brought up in an obscure way; and Mrs. Jones.
their mother, never attained to any office in
the sewing circle, or any charitable fair, sim.
ply because she could not mipgle with the ar
istocracy. Yet she was acknowledged to be a
sensible woman, and every one pitied her be-
cause she was so poor.
The Jones girls never had a fair position in
society, or they would have appeared as well
as many Others. They were rather marked as
"slabsided, gawky girls" with whom mothers
evidently preferred their daughters should have
but little intercourse, andthcy more especially
feared lest their sons should he attracted BY
their faces, for they were pretty, notwithstand
ing their poverty and Mrs. Driver herself de-
clared "f they only had money they would
appear as wei a, any ladies in the town but
as it was, they were only known as Jake
Jones' daughters, who lived in the small red
house under the hill"
But Mrs Jones was descended from an Err
glish stock. She used to say il she only had
money to travel, she had no doubt but she
sana aaaft aa talk aaF dHs h I Wea
nal announced that '.the heirs of Lncreta Sci
den. if living, might hear something to their
advantage by calling at - street no. y.
Mrs. Jones was a Selden, and her mothers
name was Lucretia-if so, a property OF two
hundred thousond dollars was her due from
bachelor, as bequest to the heir OF his sister;
and Mrs. Jones was her only child. 1t was
hers without mistake.
II would have been curious chapter to
have noted down the sayings of their old ac-
ouuintances when it was nosed about that the
Jones had such fortune.
Mrs. Smith said she always thought that
there was something above the commonall'y
in Mrs. Jones; for her part she had always
been social with her, and treated her lady.
like"
"But, mother" said Sophia, "you did warn
me against associating with her daughters
You know you said they were awkward, un'
couth girls"
,"Bat. my. dear, it is not so-they are, IN
reality very genteek accomplished young ladies'
and have no objection at all to your visiting
them, especially as su,h good fortune has
happened to them"
Jacob Jones soon set up a princely style OF
living. He built an excellent house, kept a
carriage, hired servants, received u commission
from the Governor as.Justice of the Peace ;
the uexi year was first Selectman of the town
and Dr.. Bond eloquently urged his claims as
Representative to our General Court, affirming
with great emphasis, that he "knew no man in
town better calculated to represent its interests
than Squire Jones'"
This was the same man who bolted out OF
meeting, rather than hear old Jake Jones talk
little more than a year ago.
And how the society of the Misses Jones
was courted! "rhomas; Richard, Henry, as
the mother used to say, 'if you are going to a
concert or to lecture, why don't you invite
Garry or Sophia Jones to 90 with you! They
are sweet, pretty girls, and you would 90 well
if you could push your way there. ihe squire
they say, is worth full two hundred thousand
and that divided makes every child entirely in
dependent ;, :,
They were no longer the slab-sided grecnies
but the tall, graceful, handsome girls, who
were dressed beautifully and conversed sensi
bly. Didn't the JoneseS laugh behind the
door, as they contrastcd the past with the pres
ent. Then there was Nlicajah Jones, who
nsed to play the big fiddle in the Church, known
only in those days as Gage, the fiddler" bu
since he had procured handsome house or
pan. and had contributed large sum for one
in the church, he had assumed the cognomer
of"Mr. Jones, our exquisite performer and or
cauist-son of Squire Jones, the gentleman
Who received such large property from Eng
land" The girls were all ready to sit in the
choir now without crying-the organist was /
noble. hearted fellow, and wasn't it a treat t'
borrow his quizzing-gIass to look st the s'ra"
gers who happened to enter the church u,
By.and.by, there was new event talNe'
about, for the affairs of the Joneses were no"
the aengrossing topic. Sophia was though
to be engaged to Mr.. Tymphony, the village
store.keeper. Nobody was certain OF the TACT
vet every one knew it would come out an en-
eagement; and it was thought his variety store
was enlarged with that view Of the Squ're'>