Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-06-23
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The following is not by any means the
worst story which we have heard for a
week:
"SHANT BITE ME.-There was a fellow ]
in a certain neighborhood in Arkansas,
who was strongly suspected of sheep-steal-
ing. There were a good many cases of the
mysterious disappearance of choice mutton
from the locks of the planters which we're
traced to his door ; but, being a very wild
and ingenious chap, he generally ~succee-
ded in proving an alibi, or some other de-
fence, which reduced the charge to a mere
suspicion. At last, however, a planter IL
ding through the woods perceived the sus-
pected sheep thief stealing from the woods,
aud, after looking around to see that no
one was near, walked up to a flock and de-
liberately knocked over the largest and
latest.
At this moment the planter rode up and
confronting the thief, exclaimed
Now, sir, | have got you! You can't
get off, you are caught In the act!
what act 2 Indignantly inquired the
thief.
Sheep stealingp was the confident re-
ply.
Sir, you had better mind how you charge
a respectable American citizen of such a
crime as sheep stealth ? replied the gentle
man with the penchant for mutton.
Now, will you deny that / saw you kill
that sheep?
No, SIR was the prompt answer, | did
kill him, and I'd do it again. I'll kill
a~nybody's sheep that bites me as l go pea
cably along the road.
Many and varied are manifestations Of
sorrow ; and sometimes the expressions that
escape the lips of mourners are ludicrous
in the ears of those who are not themselves
in the tears.
Gin this quiet Connecticut village
writes a Drawer contributor, " there live
a family by the name of Deans. Now i
was the misery of this family that MI
Deans was an Incorporate man, and hi
wife and little ones were often suffering fo
want while he was off on a spree and s
poor Mrs. Deans was wasting away, an
sinking into the grave. She was a goo
woman, and would 60 to church if she ha
decent clothes but a new dress or a ne
bonnet was what she rarely ever had. A
last the poor woman gave up and died.
4. The day of the funeral, as the neighbo
came in, they saw Deans, quite sober, stan
ing over the dead body Of his wife in Il
coffin, and crying like a child. He seer
ed at last to be struck with some sense
his guilt and shame, and to be mournir
it, as he saw the ruin he had wrought.
length a lady, who was also looking at t.
remains, remarked
"Mr. Deans, how very natural Mrs.
looks ~
Eyes, yes" cried out poor Deans, be
hooing at a great rate Mrs. Deans
:. ways was a good-looking woman when s
20 was dressed up y
THE LATEST New SoNG.-A gent
man in the congregation of one of the N
York city churches-perhaps Grace Chur'
perhaps not-entered one of the leadi
music stores some days since, and stat
his wishes in this wise:
"Have you Solomon's Song? l W;
to get a copy"
"N-o-o," said the salesman, not bel
able to recollect, at the moment, any lit
graphed sheet with that title ono,
afraid not"
"Ah," said the amateur, drawing on
kid, "perhaps it isn't out yet. Our r
- tor spoke of it last Sunday as a product
Of great genius and beauty, and l want
daughter to learn it"
A TOPPER was invited by a friend to
house to partake of a julep, of which
was very fond. 1t was handed to him
a silver goblet lined with gold. After
ping a portion, he turned to his host,
remarked that it was astonishing what
Ef addition a strawberry gave to the Aavo
a julep. His friend replied that he
very sorry that be did not have a str
berry to put in it.
"But," said the topper, "there is
tainly one in this"
Upon his hosts asserting the contr
he insisted that he saw it distinctly,
,;no drained the goblet to get the berry, v
he found that it was only the refectic
; has oWn nose!
" THERE lived in Smith County, M
mink sippi, a man by the name of Cole, who
employed an old, one-eyed, knock-k
Irishman, by the name of Lockridge,
hath school-teacher. Lockridge was but a
limited scholar, and a loose discipline
rent and withal had the weakness of his n
l.. admiration of women generally.
b;Dl with whom he boarded, had two daug1
and Lockridge could not allow SO fave
an opportunity to pass u%nimproved,
tn in began to breathe soft and witching Y
into the ears of the elder, and wish
free; marry her. Cole soon found out whs
ice oo;n1 on and hecame exceedinolu ;
;hink 80 IL ia IooLr;1oo h. -
his house, as he had offered an inst
his family. Lockridge saw that re
STRANGE was vain, so he began to spt
&c. Cole in the calmest manner rather
ing, as decently ashe could, the imput
"Misther Cole, l have thought we'll
and, Misther Cole, as to yer biggest
tears she is, to be sure, a very large, stout
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