Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-12-01

ECDOTE OF PRESIDENT Johnson.

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at-iny peor house all night, 1 will agree to
entertain you free of expenser expostula-
ted the landlord Of the only inn in the vii
lage OfG jefferson, Ashe County, North
Carolina, to General jackson, late one eve
ming in the autumnOf 49,, as he entered
his carriage to pursue his journey towards
Tennessee. 1.-The Blue Ridge, sir, Is M
tested with banditti, and YOU will certain
ly be robbed, and possibly murdered, be-
fore morning. beseeeh you to stay ~
'fou are very kind, sir, and | thank
you, repEed the General; shut / shall
proceed, and try and reach the Tennessee
line at all events. Ihave no fears of be-
ing molested. Drive ON Ned, briskIy.-
Adieu, gentlemen all y and the old hero
drove off at rapid pace.
/ "Hilloa there, youngster" cried the
landlord to slim, why, flaxen-headed
STRIPPING standing in the motley crowd
in front of the tavern, 'Ff you are going to
Tennessee, you had better jump up behind
and go along with the General; it's as
cheap riding as walking"
~aO OA-OuSAf L ESCkOu " DSIt6Ty Anu
thank you" replied the young man, Jump
ing up behind the coach as It drove off.
They. rode on quietly until they began
to ascend the mountain, when the General,
hearing a slight cough behind, called out
sternly:
"Who's thatg"
sits me, sir-Andrew johnson. am
traveller, on my way to Tennessee, and
thought l might get lift on your car
rage, sir. beg your pardon sir"
"You are quite welcome to my carriage.
sir. Come forward and take a seat with
me-"
''Thank you, sir; but as the mountain
IS rather steep here, I'll 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 appeared to
be intoxicated. He lurched this way and
the other way, staggering backward and
forward; now his knees would double up.
and he would miss step, as if the earth
had suddenly vanished before him; then
he would cross his legs, and lurch would
send-him diagonally across the road. He
stopped and braced himself up so as nearly
to fall backward, and then drifted help
lessly along. Presently he turned an an
gle in the road and was out of sight.
'sThat man is beastly drunk :" remarked
the General.
"Drunk mot much, SIR laughed the
young man; she's no more 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. s'Hic ah! II
say, gentlemen, can't you give man lift?
II-hicl can't walk; Pm loaded too
heavily with id mean whisky"
'Then stay where you are and get nd of
it, !" replied the General, sternly."
'The deyil'' exclaimed the man, spring.
ing to his feet with the agility of cat
He gave keen wishtle and planted him
self in front of the coach. Three men
sprang out from the bushes, and made a
rush for the carriage.
Quick as thought the General sprung
upon one of them, and they rolled over IN
the road together. A dull, crushing sound
was next heard over the conflict, and a
second one rolled over in the dust pro-
PEELED by the loaded whip in the power
full hands of the driver The young man
by timely shot, fired and brought down
third, and then sprang to the assistance
of the General, who still fought manfullv
with his herculean antagonist, while the
driver engaged the remaining robber.
"Stand back! stand backr' cried the
General to the young man; ''we are man
to man. I'll give the villain fair play
By the Eternal, have you now p and he
threw his antagonist over, apparently life
less.
care you hurt, my boy?n asked the
General "And you too, Ned! Where's
Nedgl
"Here, massa" replied the boy, putting
up the road. ''My robber coward-he
run-he! he! he! l golly; 1 save one,
massa save one, an de young gentleman
save one-he. he! he p
ALI this occurred in less time than If
takes to record it.
"But you, General, are you much hurt r'
No; nothing but few bruises, thank
God. But look there one of them is
stirring. You, sir, and Ned, pinion his
hands, while | examine the others"
None of them were found to be dead
Two were only stunned, and the third had
received-a pistol shot through the shoul-
der, and was crouching in alright They
were all soon pinioned, and council was
held, when it was determined to disarm
them and let them go, rather than be de-
tanned on the road. No further Incidents
befell our travellers during their jaunt
On their separation in Tennessee the
General gave the young man much good
advice. He reeounted to him his own
history, and bade him be good and use
full The General continued en- route for
his home in Middle Tennessee, and the
young man stopped and settled in the
town Of Greenville, Tennessee, as a Jour
neyman tailor. Of his subsequent career
it is needless to speak; it is part of the
history of our country. n. E. ID.
JOnesborOugh, Tenn, Nov. 1866.
TUE IRaSaE mn nun zr u<,-~o