Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-20
@6t Aaitg auuplpaG.
IFrom Harper's Weekly.
AnecdOte or President Johnson.

a
az say, I say, General Jackson, fol
fear you should think / have some ak tc
grind because l try to keep you at M
poor house all night, I will agree to en-
tertain you free Of expenser expostulat
ed the landlord of the only inn in the
village of jefferson, Ashe County, North
Carolina, to General jackson, late one
evening in the autumn of Is, as he
entered his carriage to pursue his Jour
ney- toward Tennesseey 1.-THE Blue
Ridge is infested with banditti, and you
will certainly be robbed, and possibly
murdered, before morning, beseech you
stayl" r.-t-.
You are very kind sir, and thank
you" replied the General, asbut I shall
proceed, and try and reach the Tonnes
see line at all events. Drive on, Ned,
briskly. Adieu, gentlemen ALI and the
old hero drove off at rapid pace
"Hillo there, youngsterI" cried the
landlord to slim, wiry, Fiaxen headed
STRIPPING standing in. the 5motely crowd
In front of the tavern, If you are GO
ing to Tennessee, you had better jump
up behind and go along with the Gen.
eral; It's as cheap riding as walking"
Sure enough; / reckon I'd better,
and thank you" replied the young man,
jumping up behind the coach as il drove
of. Ir a
They rode on quietly for some hours
until they began TO ascend the mountain
when tire General hearing slight cough
behind, called out sternly:
"Who's that2'
It's me sir-Andrew johnson, am
traveller, on my way to Tennessee, and 1 |
thought might get lift on your CORR
age, sir. / beg your pardon, sir"
You are quite welcome, sir to my car
riage. Come forward and take seat |
with me"
"Thank you, sir; but as the mountain
is rather steap here, Fhyjump of and
walk up"
he walked forward up the mountains
sids in advance of the carriage, bnt 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 a
step, as if the earth had suddenly van
ished before him; then he would cross
his legs, and lurch would serd him d.
sgonally across the road He stopped
and braced himself MP so IS nearly to
fall backward, and then drifted heiplessly
along. Presently he turned an angle in
the road and was out of sight +.
"That man is beastly drunk remark
ed the General. a
Drunkl-not much, sir, laughed the
young man; she's no more drunk than I,
am. He's playing 'possnm, and means
mischief. Look there he's lying in the
road" M ara
As they drove up he raised himself
lazily and hailed them. "Hicl ahl FL
say, gentlemen, can't you give a m an
lift? I-I--hic--can'twalk; I M loaded ,
too heavily with id bad WHISKY
"Then stay where you are and get rid
of it" replied the General steadily. II
The devil 7" exclaimed the man, g
springing to his feet with the agility Of
cat He gave keen whistle and plant
ed himself in front of the coach. Three !
men sprang out from the bushes, and
made rush at the carriage. '
Quick as thought the General sprang
upon one Of them, and they rolld over !
in the road together A dull, crushing
sound was next heared over the conflict,
and second rolled over in the dust,
propelled by the loaded whip in the
powerful hands of the driver. The
young man, by a timely shot, fred and
brought down third, and then sprang
10 the assistance of the General, who
still fought manfully with his herculean
antagonist, while the driver engaged the
remaining robber.
"Stand back stand back" cried the J
General to the yong man. eve are :
man to man, I'll give the villain fair play. :
By the ETERNAL, have you nowI' and he ]
threw his antagonist over, apparently &
ifeless.
"Are you hurt, my boy.2" asked the
General "And you, too, Ned2. Where's /
Nedp
"Here, massa," replied the boy, puff.
ing up tn road My robber coward-he
bel hel golly; save one, /.
massa saved one, an de young gentle
man save one--he bel he IT
All this occurred in less time than it
takes to relate it.
But, you, General, are you hurt?"
"No; nothing but few bruises, thank
Godl But, look therel one of them are
stirring. You, sir, and Ned, pinion his
hands, while examine the others"
None of them were found to be dead. I:
Two were only stunned, and the third
had received pistol shot through the
shoulder, and was crouching in alright.
They were all soon pinioned, and coun-
Gil was held, when it was determined to
disarm them and lie. them go, rather
than be detained on the road. No fur
Their incidents Defell our travellers during
their jaunt.
On their separation in Tennessee the
General gave the young man much good
advice. He recounted to him his own
history, and babe him aspire to be good
and useful The general continued en-
route for his home in mid lie Tennessee,
and the young man stopped and settled
in the town of Greenvile, Tennessee, as
a journeyman tailor. OF his subsequent
career it is needless to speak; it is Part
Of the history of our country.
hile MED.