Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-05-21
For tae "Deleioare IaquiiYr, 9
THE OLD SHAY.
BY J. BID.

1
sold Jones,' as he was familiarly called
was minister of the Gospel, in small vii
lage, in one of the New England States. He
was formerly fisherman, and was noted for
| his oddities. BY "hard work and hard saw
| ing,n he accumulated u considerable amount
of property and studied for the ministry,
after he had passed the middle age of life.
| have said he was noted for his oddities.
There is an anedote told of him, which pretty
clearly proves that he was very odd. One
1 day when he was u fisherman, MIR. Jones had
little boat, run down and sunk by large
ship. When he heard of the accident, he
went to the owner OF the ship, and demanded
| sum of money equivilant to the value OF
his boat. The ship owner replied contempu-
| ously, "little boat should get out of big
| boats way" Mr.. Jones went away and said
| no more about the value OF the boat. One
day as he was passing over a narrow foot
bridge, he met the owner of the Ship who
was little man, while Mr.. Jones was of large
size: As the stream of water which the bridge
was placed over was very shallow, he thought
he would "pay him off in his own coin," so
he gave him slight push which sent him
into the water below. He then looked down
upon him and said, "little boat should get
out of big boats way" The ship owner got
out of the water, went home, anh paid Mr..
Jones for his boat.
Another time when he was a minister q
man learned in law, or rather learned in his
own estimation, went to hear him preach
When he came out of Church, he went up to
MIR. Jones and asked in sarcastic manner
"Wh at do You do when you make u mistake
in your sermons Y'' why" replied Mr.
Jones, 81 if it is small one go OH and mani
age to correct it in some other part of my dis
course, but If it is great mistake, correct 1t
instantly, for instance when was reading the
sentence, all liars have there portion in the
lake which burneth, | said by mistake, all
lawyers have there portion in the lake which
burneth.' But that was such a slight mistake
that went on and never thought of correct
ing it,"
Mr.. Jones had nephew named John Jones,
who had been a very wild youth, but through
the good training of the kind old minister, he
became sober and industrious young man.
He married a young lady of industrious habits
and commenced farming ON a small farm, that
his Uncle gave him.
The neighbors and relatives of the good old
minister had gethered in the parlor to hear
his last will and testament read, for he had
passed from the care and trials of this earth,
to world of blissful Immortality above.
They listened to the reading of the will, and
were much surprised, for the, name OF John
Jones was mentioned but once, and the clause
in which it was mentioned read as follows
'Tgiveand bequeath tony nephew John Jones,
my old one horse shay, and hope he will have
it repaired and use it in remembrance to
me-"
A neighbor named Sprigges who was Dea-
con in Church, had n daughter named SUI
san. When John Jones was unmarried, Su-
san Sprigges tried many plans to get him to
marry her, but all in vain, for she had one of
the worst of tempers.
The friends and relatives OF Mr.. Jones had
nearly all left the parsonage, when Deacon
Sprigges was overheard to say, II knew the
old man would not leave John Jones amy ofthe
property, because he married that girl in pre-
ference to my Susan, though Susan can play
on the forty piano so wonderfully, rejoice
that he has got nothing left to t. him,
The day of improvement had just COM
menced to dawn on the new world. Stephen
sons iron horses were already travelling in
the United States. Fulton's steamboats, We're
steaming up the Hudson, and the artificial
rivers Cor canalls) could be seen crossing the
country. The New England States We're
among the first to receive the benefit of steam.
A Railroad was built through John Jones'
farm, which increased the value oft so much
that he offered it for sale, hoping that he
might get enough for it to enable him to buy
larger one. He had it in market but short
time, when he received an offer Of $4,000 for it