Smyrna times., 1858-10-28
S E l. e c. L l. ID .
JIM FIR A II KILN
"F ALLING STARS"


ri AND THE
I "F Lin G STARS."
The meteorc shower that fell on the nigh
OF the 18th November, 1888, exhibited a seen,
long TO be remembered by all who Witnessed il
To the enlightened and well-1normcd it wa
grand, awful, sublime; but to The ignorant an,
supers'ItIous, overwhelming and terrific.
Such countless number of ncteors neve
lell from the empyrean in so short space o
time before or since, the theories of lLumLod
and Captain TwInlng to the contrary notwilh
standing.
a few weeks after this grand display of fire
works jim Franklin, or " Uncle Jim" as he 4vas
most generally called, was seen hobbng about
on crutches, his lower cxtremities covered with
superabundance of red flannel. Jim's early
educational advantages had been very limited
His learning from books and school was con-
tracted TO the acquisitions Of a few months, by
a mind not at all inclined to study. But he
had prOspered in the world and by raising cot
ton In this tiltwoods of Eibert, where he lived,
had accumulated "a snug fortune. He vas a
| general tavorte in his neighborhood, and but
or a slight habit Of indulging sometimes too
I*uch IN the "ardent," might be termed an un-
learned, shrewd, exemplary man.
jim was sitting with q number of gentlemen
|
IN another chair, with his crutchcs across his
lap, when some one inquired why he was work
ing himself in shafts
WhCreupcn lie explained "You see we
had at our house, the other night, small
sprinkle Of what We honestly took to be the
"day of Judgment !" Ii turned out we were
slightly mistaken; but | assure you, il I'm
Judge of small Matters it was right rood
counterfeit of that great day, when they say
there is TO be a general smaeh.up Many one
OF us, for while, thought it was the renewine
coin, and as the masons would say, conducted
ourselves accordingly. tuck the wrong shutc
at the start. Now jhey say, Man purposes,
aud God exposes this may or may not be good
Scriptur; at the latter eud Of my sperlence
would call it good sense.
al was suddenly wakenrd outin a sound
sleep, net by Gahriel's horn, but a noise mighty
nigh as loud, it not hcarn sofur, wife, children,
and niggers were screaming and holerin sthe
day OF Judgment was cOmG, the stars were all
faIlln', the world was burning up!' | sprung
up, looked at the heavens; never seed sich
procedencies thar before! Thar being no
mountains and rocks convenient TO call on 10
hide me, tuck bee-lne with average ingine
speed ior the well, which would say is snnety-
TWO feet deep in the clear. Its the deepest
hole in the ground knowed anything about
When / got thar found Bob and Sam, two of
my nlgger boys, on quondary which of the
two clements to chuse. Bob bright molstter,
vas Tor water; Sam, an onmixed African, was
for turning Sallymandy, aud facin' the music
Says |, Boys clear the track, and take hold OF
thst windlass, and let me down into the bowels
Of the yeth soon as the nature Of the case
will admit of; the outside is getting unwhole
some, sure! Then, without hat, coat, vest.
ua nj fOpk | in
and started; they hadn't turned the windless
twice round when | hollered TO 'cm 10 slip the
britchDg and let me slide. No sooner said
than dose, when whirled, cur-clOsb, nirh onto
three feet IN the water. No man could have
made the trip sooner, 'ceptin' he had fallen in,
and he'd had TO tack far start at that
"About the time the water settled round me.
and was klvered all but my head, felt FIRE.
proof, and calculated they'd have to burn low
to git Inc! Now they say man in a deep
well, In the day time, can see stars. [ allow
them is fixed stars. The ones saw from that
we'll that night was travellers. certain! Be-
sides, it there was any fixed stars that night
never seed 'em. Some said they watched the
morning star, aud as long as that stuck they
had hope
81 made the boys draw me up several times.
to see now things were coming on; but when
one OF them blg Olszing metur5 would dart to-
wards nc, would whrl down to the length nv
cable. soon foun' | had gone beyond what
was comfortable; got tired Of playing bull
frog. left the water, and felt like taking the fire,
TO matter in what form! I'll just say right
here, If any man should have hydrofoby agin
fre, and will put himself through my pirform
ances ~ that well, and sin't cured, his disease
is too deep for hydTOpsthy. | put on dry
clothes, tuck a stew of whiskey aud red pepper,
but too isie--the rumatcs had me So, ia bra>
cling agn FIRE got busted on water!
! al want the only man excited on that ocea-
sion by q long jump. My neighbor. Sam Stuart,
cum over next morning, and sxed me how we
stood the racket! He looked solemn ss a
preacher; said his dwelling had aevef been
house OF prayer before. but it they Ut a4ske
up for lost time he vac 40 Judge o 'ligous ex-
erclees. de said be sRd hIs csOwd prayed nigh
onto four hours; they hessn the clock sirIke
three times while they were on their knees-
lie said. tbs fact was, they exhausted the Aryn.
ment aid he got Up, and hadn't saolher Sos1 TO
say # tie day ofJudgmeni had coIne. Aud Fm
thinking I'd cgm out better If I'D relied on
faith and prayer instead Of sieh work as did ="
10 this opinion The company conquered, aud
laughed long aud loud at his naFotive Wher
the noise Of their mirlhhad ceased, some one re-
marked TO jim If be had been as smart and
philosophical as one of his ancestors, Beniamin
Franklin, he would not have been al all alarm
ed, and could have explained il. al have
hearn of him before" said Jim; " lie war the
fellow could go out, when dangersome clouds
were sttfging by, pull lightning item, sample