Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-12-07
Anecaote OF Presia ept Johnson.

81 say, I say, General jackson, for fear
you should think have some axe to grind
because try so hard to keep you at my
posr house all night, / will agree to enter
tain you free of expensel' expostulated the
landlord Of the only Inn in the town OF jeff
ersen, Ashe County, North Carolina, to
General Jackson, late one evening in the
autumn Of 49,, as he entered bis carriage
to pursue his journey toward Tennessee, :
THE Blue Ridge, Sir, is infested with
banditti, and you will certainly be robbed,
and possibly murdered before morning. /
beseech you to stsyl"
"You are very kind, Sir, and thank
you," replied the General, but shall
proceed, and tryto reach the Tennessee
line at all events. have no fears Of being
molested. Drive on, Ned, briskly. Adieu
gentlemen ALI" and the old hero drove off
at q rapid pace. Y
"Hilioa there, youngsterl'' cried the land
lord to slim, wiry, faxsu headed STRIPPING
standing in the motley crowd in front Of the
tavern. ''if you are going to Tennessee, you
had better jump up behind and go along
with the Genera; it's as cheap riding as
walking" .-....
"Sure enough; think I'd better, and
thank you" replied the young man, jump
ing up behind the coach as it drove of.
Phey rode on quietly for some hours until
they began to ascend the mountain, when
the General, hearing slight cough behind,
called out stcrnly: ~
"Who's that?"
"It's me, Sir-Andrew Johnson. / am
a traveller, on my way to Tennessee, and
thought | might get lifton your carriage,
Sir beg your pardon, Sir
"You are q1ite welcome, Sir, to my car
riage. Come forward and take seat with
me-" .HN
"Thank you, Sir; but as The mountain is
rather steep here, III jump off and walk
up" t-
He walked forward up the mouutainside
in advance Of the carriage, but had not gone
far before he saw man ahead Of him as
cending the mountain. He appeared to be
intoxicated. He lurched this way and the
ether way, staggering backward and toward,
now his knees would double up, and he
would miss asstep as If the earth had sud
denly vanished before him; then he would
cross his legs, and lurch would send him
diagonaly across the road. He stopped
and braced himself up so as nearly to fall
backward, aud then drifted helplessly along.
Presently he turned an angle in the road
and was out of sight
'That man is beastly drunkw remarked
the General
"Drunk!-not much, Sir" laughed the
young man; hes no more drunk than am.
He's playing possum, aad means mischief.
Look there! he's lying in the road.
As they drove up he raised himself laZily
and hailed them:
''Hic! ah! IL say, gentlemen, can't you
give me lift? I-I-hicl can't walk; I'm
loaded too heavily with id mean
whisky" ~
'Theu stay where you are and get rid OF
it' replied the General, sternly.
''The devil!" exolaImed.the man, spring
ing to his feet with the agility OF cat.--
He gave a keen whistle and planted himself
in front of tho ooach. Three men sprang
out from the bushes, and made rush al
the carriage.
Quick AS thought the doner.l- sprang
upon one of them, and they rolled ovOr in
the road together. A dull, crashing sound
was next heard over the conflict, and a sec
and one rolled over in the dust propelled by
the loaded whip in the hands OF the driver;
The young man, by timely shot, fired and
brought down third, and then spraug to
the assistance of the General, who still
fought manfully with his Herculean antago,
mist, while the driver engaged the remain
ing robber.
''Stapd backl stand back!" cried the Gen.
eral to the young man; we are man to man.
I'll give the villain fair play. By the Eter
nal, have you now!' and he threw his
antagonist over, apparently lifeless.
"Are you hurt, my boy2" asked the Gen
eral. "And you, too, Ned2-where
Here, massa" replied the boy, pufiini
up the road. my robber coward-he rul
he! he! he! golly; | save one mass'
save one, an the young gentleman save on
-he hel he!'' '-
All this occurred iu less time than it take
to record it.
"But you, General, are you hurt?"
"No, nothing but few bruises, than|
God! But look there one of them is stir
ring You Sir, and Ned, pinion his hands
: while | examine the others" a.
: None Of them wore found to be Dead
Two-were only stunned, and the third ha
received pistol.shot through his shoulder
and was crouching in alright. They wer
, all soon pinoned, and council was held
} when it was determined to disaru them an
let them go. rather than be detained on th
road. No further incidents bsfell our tra'
elers on their jaunt. .a
9 On their separation in Tennessee, tn
g General gave the young man much goc
j. advice. He recounted to him his own hi
J, tory. and babe him aspire to be good an
d useful. The General, continued earo@te f
It his home in Middle Tennessee, and tt
+ young man stopped in the town Of Gree
vile, Tennessee, IS a journeyman tailor
OF his subsequent career it is needless
speak; it is part Of the history our countr
q 3'as.'u H'at. M. E D.
JoNEsBoRoUGH, Tennessee, Nov 1865.
/ CHANGE. wheel of Fortune is GO
! stantly revolving, and the rich man tod