The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1865-12-07
AnectlOte of President Johnson.

say, | say, General Jackson, for
fear you should think l have some axe
to grind because | try SO ha.d to keep
you at my poor house all night, l will
agree to entertain you free of expense :"
expostulated the landlord of tho only inn
in the village of Jefferson, Ashc county,
North Carolina, to General Jackson, late
one evening in the autumn of 1S-, as
he entered his carriage to pursue bis
journey toward Tennessee. "Ths Blue
Ridge, sir, is infested with banditti, and
you will certainly be robbed, and posi-.
bly, murdered before morning. beseech
you stay"
"You are very kind, sir, and thank
you," replied the General, "bus shall
proceed, and try to reach the Tennessee
line ct all events. I hare M fears .9t
Adieu, gentlemen all - and the old hero
drove off At q rapid pace.
"Hilloa there, youngster?" cried the
landlord to a slim, wiry, faxen headed
stripping standing in the motley crowd
in front af the tavern, "if you are going
to Tennessee, you had better jump up
behind and 60 along with the General !;
it's as cheap riding as walking"
"sure enough; l think Id better, and
thank you," replied the young man,
jumping up behind the coach as it drove
off,
They rode on quietly for some hours
until they began to ascend the mountain,
when the General, hearing slight
cough behind, called out, sternly:
"Who's that -
"Its me, sir-Andrcw johnson. I
am traveller, on my way to Tennessee,
and | thought might get a lift on your
carriage, sir beg your pardon, sir"
"Yeu are quite welcome, sir, to my
carrisge. Como forward and take seat
with me"
"Thauk you, sir but as the mountain
is rather steep here, III jump off and
walk up"
He walked forward up the mountain.
side in advance Of the carriage, but had
not gone far before he saw . man ahead
of him ascending the mountain. He ap.
peared to be intoxicated. He lurched
this way and the other way, staggering
backward and forward; now his knees
would double up, and ho would miss
step, as if the earth had suddenly van
ishsd before him; then he would cross
his legs, and lurch would send him
diagonally across the road. He stepped
and braced himself up SO as nearly to fall
backward, and then drifted helplcssly
along. Presently he turned an angle iu
the road and was out Of sight.
THAT man is beastly drunk - remark
cd the General.
"Drunk mot much, sir" laughed
the young man; "he's no moro drunk
than am. He's playing possum, and
means mischief. Look there he's lying
in the road"
As they drove up he raised himself
lazily and hailed them:
eHic /! ah II say, gentlemen, cant
YOU give man lift I-I-hic cant
walk I'm loaded too heavily with id
mean whisky"
"Then stay where you arc and get rid
of it I" replied the General, stsrnly.
"The devil. y exclaimed the man,
sprin ging to his feet with the sgility of a
cat. He gave keen whistle and plant
cd himself in front Of tho coach. Three
men sprang out from the bushes, and
made rush at the carriage.
Quick as thought the General sprans
upon one Of them, and they rolled over
in the road together. A dull, crashing
sound was next heard over the conflict,
and a second one rolled over 10 the dust,
propelled by the loaded whip in the
hands Of the driver The young man,
by timely shot, fred and brought down