Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1865-11-29
From Rarper's Weekly.
AHeedote Of President Jo,uson.


p" say, | say, General Jackson. for fear
you should think have some AZ 10 grind
because | try to keep you at my poor house
all night, viii agree to entertain Won free
of expense = expostulated the landlord Of
the cniy inn in the village of Jefferson,
Ashe county, North Carolina. to General
Jackson, late one evening in the autumn
of IS, as be entered his carriage to pur-
sue his journey toward Tennessee. The
Blue Ridge, sir, is infested with banditti.
and you wi certainly be robbed, and
possibly murdered before morning. be-
seech you, stay T.
" You are very kind, sir, and thank
you. replied the General, but shall
proceed, and try and reach the Tennessee
line at all events. | have no fears Of be.
ing molested Drive on, Ned, briskly.-
Adieu, gentlemen, all r. and the old hero
drove off at a rapid pace
Hilloa there, youngsterl !" cried the
landlord TO a slim, wiry, faxen-headed
STRIPPING standing in the motely crowd in
front of the tavern, " if you are going to
Tennessee, you had betterjump mp behind
and 20 along with the General It's as
cheap riding as walking"
Sure enough | reckon Ia better, and
thank you, replied the young man Jump
| ing up behind the coach as it drove off.
They rode on quietly for some hours
until they began to ascend the mountains,
when the General, hearing slight cough
behind, called out sternly:
who's that?'
It's me, sir-Andrew Johnson am
traveller on my way to Tennessee, and /
thought | nigh. get lift on your carriage.
sir beg your pardon, sir
You are quite welcome, sir, to nv
carriage Come forward and take seat
with me"
Thank you, sir but as the mountain
is rather steep here Ill 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 a man ahead
OF him ascending the mountain: He ap-
peared to Be intoxicated He l,irched
this way and the other way, sstaggerinc
backward and forward now his knees
would double up, and he would mis-.
step, as # the earth had suddenly vanish
ed before him then he would cross his
legs and lurch would send him diaron-
ally across the road He stopped and
braced himself up so as nearly to fall
backward, and then drifted helplessly
along. Presently he turned an angle in
the road and was out of sight
That man is beastly drunk - remark
ed the General
Drunk-not much, sir" laughed the
young man he's no more drunk than
am. He's playing possum, and means
mischief Look tho { he's lying in the
road"
As they drove up he raised himself
lszily and hailed them Hic ah IL
say, gentlemen, can't you give man a
lift IL hic can't walk I'm loaded too
heavily with ID mean whiskey.'
Then stay where you are and ge, rid
Of it, replied the General, sternly.
4" The dAvi!: exclaimed the man,
springing to his feet with the agility of
cat He gave keen whistle, and plant
ed himself in front of the coach Three
men sprung out from the bushes and
made a rush at the carriage
Quick as thought the general sprang
! upon one OF them, and they rolled over in
the road together A duh crushing sound
was next heard over the conflict. and
second one rolled over in the dust, pro-
/ relled by the loaded whip in the power
( full hands of the driver The young man
+ by timely shot, fred and brought down
a third and then sprang to the assistance
/ of the General, who still fought manfully
I with his Herculean antagonist, while the
driver engaged the remaining robber
Stand back stand back % cried tho
General to the young man; we are man
to man. III give the villain fair play
BY the Eternal, have you now r and he
threw his antagonist over apparently life-
less
"Are you hurt, my boy ?" asked the
General And you too, Ned7 Where 9
Ned p
"Here, massaP replied the boy, puff
ing up the road My robber coward
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