Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-31


echaries' stufs but not above saltpetre,
nor was he among those tender hearted
sentimentalists, who regretted
'That villanious saltpetre should:be digg'd
Out of the bowels of the harmless earth,
Which many good brave fellow has destroyed
Or, more plainly, and to adopt his own
language and pronunciation, he was dtEtn-
torily inclined the pomp and circum-
stances of the glorious war has charms
ton. He, on the Geeches, in Georgy,
like Norval ION the Grampian hills in
Scotland, had sheard of war : still we
will not venture to assert that he never
saao the elephant, or had any very uncon-
trollable longings, requiring the interposi-
ton Of parental authority, to follow the
animal clean away, or even to inspect, with
much closeness of approximation, the con-
tents of his trunk Suffice it, his military
ardor seemed satisfied in discharging the
duties of Adjutant General of the State of
Alabama, to which responsible and exalted
position he had been repeatedly elected, by
the unbought, but not untreated sutfrages
Of discerning Legislature. And here,
we must be permitted to par parethests, to
record, that a better officer, or one more
worthy or competent, the State of Ala
bama never boasted Of, as Adjutaut Gener-
al Of its forces
But to our motto-or rather salt.
Salt was selling at the time we write Of
happy days! will they ever return in
the city of Tuscaloosa, at one dollar and
fifty cents per sack This was absolutely
the minimum price at which our merchants
could afford to sell it. Our military
friend-we call him not military because of
his Office, for that he has given up long
since to an ungrateful people, but because
he IS general, every inch of him, port,
bearing, gate, and aohisker besides, bear
in mind, reader, you are in America, and
perhaps, not thousand miles from the
Geeches, where once general is always g
general '-or, our General, if you please
had received orders from the owner to ge
rid of the salt as soon as possible, and ever
to underseH the market, if necessary, il
order to do So
About this time, an acquaintance of tn
General also of military preoilectiora, ba
more humble pretensions, in facs, only
Colonel, called at the sto-e-bird5 Of
feather flock together-and announce
that he had just arrived from Bibb county
with his wagon--this you may be sure wa
before the Selma and Montevallo Railroa
Was ever dreamed of-intending to carr
home in it, his years supply at groceries
! sugar, coffee, salt, ct cetera.
~ All my FRIEND said the General, ts
king pinch of snuff, and disposing of
whilst he gracefully presented the box wit
the other hand, you are in streak
luck-de cldedly a streak of luck-m
aunt IN Georgy was once in just such
streak when-but never mind-you war
salt-you haven't engaged it--you wan
it caeap-pm the very man you are lool
ing for-Pn sell for BIT less than an
body else in town--don't take my word
go round town--inquire-see what yc
can get it at-then, come to me, and I'm
bit less-scoot round
, Well, General, said the Bibb count
Colonel, his keen grey eyes twinkling vii
light which clearly indicated that tt
man who picked him up for fool wou
be sadly out of his reckoning, [ wal
salt--that's fact--and I want it as ches
as can get it-but would like to trac
with you-and ef can do better with yc
than any body else, why, you see, on a
count of being old friends, and that
.. reckon shall have to give you chanc
They tell me at the fur eend of the sire
they sell salt at dollar and half
sack
'Eg-sackly,' promptly responded Il
General, 'and I will let you have it /
less than them you saw, or any body els
q take just as much as you want for one dc
9 lar and thirty-seven and a half cents sac
: but rare round town-ef any man will
e you have it at that fgare, Pm bit L
!, than that, and no mistake
d After about half an hours peregrin
G ton, the Colonel, in passing the aucti
e store, was brought to halt with,
;, Hello ! Colonel, come by-what luck
It well, Gineral, I've been round SOM
!, and can jest tell you, I seen a man "
t. told me l could have jest as much salt
i [ wanted for one dollar and thirty-sev
l. and half cents sack-that's talk
J Yes. He did, did he? Well, I
t friend, (pinch Of snuff I'll jest tell y
what TU DOLL let you have it for
t. less-one dollar and quarter and
T. mistake-is it trade? SayY
t Stop, General, jest you wait till I c
i perambulate leette and then we'll talk.
o Scarcely had another half hour elaps
3 when our salt purchaser found it con
IF nient to pass within hailing distance of I
er now much excited and excessively sn,
ar taking, military salt yender military M
II snuff takers or not. are apt to get in
n passion against malady.
or Il say, my friend, have you been roun
mo sir ee not near clean round yit
o. but as I'm passing I'll tell you, that l 81
q. man that told me, that he would let
he have any quantity of salt for one dollar a
Of a quarter sack-and-'
he The hi you say!' exclaimed
Df General, more fdgety and excited than
~ er, and resorting to the ever handy ST
ne w more frequently and emphatically.
,r. blind man could feel, if he could not
Of that crisis was approaching The G
to eral seemed to feel that his honor wa
ha stake-that most priceless treasure o
oh military man-and resolute determinat
~ to keep his word was manifested in
raj curves Of his firmly compressed lip, an,