The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-02-23
LOCAL.

to,snsmen, call him Jones, who is an inveter-
ate lover of the history of the Four Kings, be-
,eyes in luck and as piece of his sad expe-
renee in regard to his faith, relates that he
fund himself at one time roaming about
from one to another Of the Virginia Springs,
with luck dead set against him. He did
"his level best to stem the tide Of adversely,
but it was all to no purpose, luck had decreed
that Jones should be broke, and all the tricks
of his trade could not stay the decree. He
was dead broke. The season was over, the
soiourners at the Springs had gone home, and
there was Jones, without "sngle red to
pay his way to some more congenial spot
In this dilemma he boldly took his seat in one
Of the stages from th~s lace; determined to
90 somewhere, if it was only to the next vii
lage A few miles out, however, the driver
demanded his fare, and Jones, not having the
wherewithal, was turned out to foot it along
as best he could. Standing Oh an elevated
position he saw, few miles across the coun-
try, small village, to'which be determined to
across the country for this purpose, and while
going along he passed through a farm yard,
and saw a crib of beautiful white corn. The
crib was made of logs with tolerable wide in-
terstices between So Jones got good look
at the corn, and greatly admired it for its
whiteness. The village lay a few miles off,
Ar that being the haven of his hopes. be
FASTENED on.
On arriving at the village inn, late in the
afternoon, he took mental survey of the pre-
misses, which was exceedingly pleasant to him.
There were three or four gentlemen in the
back room. They had "sweat cloth" spread,
and were carrying on an operation with which
Jones were perfectly familiar. aud he felt elat
ed at the idea of his good luck returning to
bin But they were using corn as counters,
and Jones was annoyed because he hadn't
any corn, which he could have had easily
enough by taking ear out Of the fam crib.
As the game progressed, however, Jones feel
ings became more wrought upon, and he fin
ally determined to make his way back to that
crib and get a supply. 1t was only about
two miles off, and be could walk there and
back before the players would get through
With this plan arranged in his own mind he
fastened off, and on arriving at the crib and
finding the coast clear, he run his hand in,
took out an ear, and put it in his pocket
While making his way back he had his hand
iu his pocket shelling the corn ready for use,
against he arrived at the inn. On arriving
he found everything just suited to his pur-
pose. There sat the players as eagerly in
tent on their game as when he FIRST observed
them Now was jones' chance-now was
that ''cursed spell' to be broken, and Jones
henceforth would be flush. With as much
coolness of demeanor as it was possib to
assume outwardly, while the mind was in this
excited whirl, Jones pulled out of his pocket
handful of corn and slapped it down on the
ace. The dice box was about to be uncover
ed, when one of the players, turning on bis
seat and looking Jones full in the face, OBJ
served, Stranger we amt playing ysllow corns
here, tonight"
Had whole stack of thunder claps struck
Jones just tten they could not have more ef-
fectually nonplu<sed him than he was on
turning his eye to the corn he had deposited
on the ace, and finding it yellow instead OF
white
Jones retired ia utter disgust,
The next day, having nothing particular to
do, and being Of a philosophical turn of mind
hs determined to probe this matter to the
very core, to see if he could find out how he
came to have yellow corn in his pocket in
stead of white With this determination, he
approached the farmer and told him he was
just lounging about, with nothing to do, and
would esteem it a great favor, if he would
permit him to move that corn out of the crib,
an ear at the time, and then replace it
back again, just to afford him employment.
The farmer was willing, and Jones executed
the job to bis entire satisfaction, without find
ing another ear of yellow corn in the whole
crib. The farmer observing that Jones took
great interest in his job, and appeared so
puzzled about something or other, asked hin,
for an explanation, which Jones gave.
"Wel, Stranger" says the farmer. its
act, that there was but one ear of yellow
corn in that whole crib, and how you eamatc
get that one in the dark, is curious, indeed.
FIRE.-About half-past eleven o'clock, last
night, the outbuildings attached to the house
on Catherine street, belonging to the estate o.
The late Thomas Gatewood, were discovered