Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-06-15
Fiddling Joe and his Idea Of the Day Of
Judgmert

Some time since, Wncn y JdckSOIl COuIl-
tv. Arkansas, was in its infancy, and
the natives were governed by law by
them enacted at will, there was char
actcr among them known as Fiddling
Joe, This man Joe was character
not at all known among the "cane Bit
ers' as being devoid of fear, particular
ly upon the subject OF future punish
mcnt, being the offspring of rough
though Christian parents.
The Methodist Church, with its usu-
al care for those who arc unable or un-
willing to employ ministers or purchase
Bibles for the dissemination OF Chris
tan truths among them, sent mission
ary to furnish the inhabitants with Bi-
bles and preach the Gospel for their
benefit.
On bright Sabbath morning in the
pleasant month Of May, the minister,
in passing from one appointment to
another, came upon the aforesaid Joe,
sitting astride log, playing favorite
tune of "Soap Suds Over the Fence"
to his entire satisfaction, and that Of
cold Ring" who wagged his tail in
appreciation of his masters endeavor's.
The minister approached and quietly
addressed the fiddler:
"My friend, are you not aware that
YOU are doing wrong-that you are vio-
iating the teachings of the Bible by
playing your fiddle to-dhy?"
"Wcll, l dun no, says Joe.
"Then let me inform you, my friend,
that you will be called to account for
this violation of the ordinance Of the
Bible, at the day Of judgment"
Joe (excitedly)-"Hold on there, par
son, your Lave hit on the very thing l
want to ask you about. I want to
know, is there hut one day Of judg-
ment?"
"No, my friend, there is to be but
one day, when all men are to be judged
according to the deeds done in the
body" .-,a
Joe (rcsuming his favorite pastime)-
"Well, old hoss, you can pass on. l
am safe enough if there amt but one
day of Judgment, for there's on old
cock-eyed Judge, for the County Court
in these parts, who has the brown crit
ters, and will die just afore me, and I'm
ready to swear his case will take up
that day, sure"
The parson, of course, passed on.
p0- The N. Y. Etening Post illus
trates the feeling of our Quaker fellow
citizens in relation to the war, by relat-
ing the fact that recently one Of our
Quaker merchants, upon entering his
store, said to one Of his clerks:
swell, friend -, is thee willing
to enlist?"
II have thought of it," replied the
clerk "but hesitated, because Ifeared to
lose my situation.
"If thee will enlist" replied the
Quaker, "not only shall thee have thy
situation, but thy salary shall 60 on
while thee is absent. But if thee will
not serve thy country, thee cannot stay
in this store
FUNNY BoYs-those Massachusetts,
troops. They are up to almost any
thing. When they wanted somebody
to put together m injured locomotive
at Annapolis, every man proved to be
a machinist, and one man rcckoned
he could putt together, as he built it"
When it was necessary to man and
work the old frigate Constitution, at
the same place, the son Of her builder
proved to be among the force on board |!
B0- It il said an editor in Glasgow
prints all his marvellous accounts of MUIR
ders, elopements and robberies on India
rubber paper, 80 that his readers may
be able to stretch these stor;cs to any
.angth that pleasos them.