Daily clarion and standard. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1866, 1866-08-04
Curious History of an Old Gun.

Editors Clarion and Standard:
While poking through the dusty corners OF
the Capitol, few days ago, l came TO the
State Library, and there, listlessly, turned
over the leaves of sundry volumes of miscel-
laneous works, which, by the courtesy Of
Gen. Ewing Of the Federal army, had been
preserved and lately returned 20 the Library
Of the State.
was just leaving the Hall. my mind filed
with solemn thoughts of the past great strUg-
4 gle, and wondering much, as 70 what next
would be meeted out TO this unhappy South,
/ from the great store house of the future.
Suddenly my eye rested upon gun-a
/ with rust and dulled with age. l approach
/ ed II; eyed it closely; il was musket-barrel
/ clasped by broad iron band TO 4 stock of
! hickory woOd-the stock was evidently made
with a iack-knife-and all about that gun.
betokened that it had been fashioned, GER
tainly in no polished age. 1t had the look OF
some old veteran, whom war and toll and
time, had brought unto the verge OF tremu-
lOus old age My heart softoned at the sight
| This, l said, Is some old relic of the by-gone
days; some sturdy Continental, burning with
patriotic FIRE, fashioned this after hours of
toll, as his own handiwork, and welded it
beneath Great Wasdingtou'S command; OF
denly brought to light by some sturdy poll
tictan, for further use III some terrible strug-
gle for our Constitutional rights. And at
the thought, l bowed nay head in reverence
TO that old gun, then raised it IL my hand,
and at the spot where hickory wood and
rusty barrel close were bound in iron clasp,
that old gun, bent and meek, returned my
bow, and thus addressed me:
This gun lcas stocked By 4rdrelC Jackson IN
1871, sBG presented to the State Of Mississippi /
soon thereafter"
He who this gun shall e'er displace. /
Must meet its owner face 10 face
What, said l, did that venerable Hero
fashion this old stock with his sacred hands? I
Wen was he named Hickory, who, from such /
tough wood, could fashion such work of |
art Well may the State of Mississippi be .
proud of thee, Old Gun-and place thee in
this Hall,-a guardian OF her rights and
liberties ! stopped and wondered The Old
Gun burst into 4 laUgh--loud, prolonged,
and echoing through the heightened corri-
doris.
Stranger" said that Gun, ARE you IN to
snuff ? Thatsa right good joke, that Jack
son trick, and stood me in good service (
Why, Andrew Jackson never dreamed of me /
I'm thing of later growth than that Ny
histOrys of this war. Don't you remember
when Gov. Pettus called for all the squirrel
rifles and bird guns to aid our Southern
q
mer fixed me up, and threw me in the pile of
Pettus' rusty arms, his contribution TO
the sacred cause. Fortunately my good looks
saved me from the untimely fate that befell
the rest of those old arms"
How was that2" said l.
"BlU Johns-you know himq"
Eyes" | replied
We'll, Bill was Librarian of this State.
and was candidate before the Legislature
for reelection; the battle of Manassas had
been fought while before and as Bill hadn't
at that time figured in the war, he NATURALLY
had opposition"
Who ran against hirn7" said /.
''Atuffi.rr,--Iio lived down here, some where
near Clinton Mofett, you know, had pop
ped into the war, early, and had figured quite
at the first battle of Manassas
md was crowding Johns heavy, and no mis-
AXE"
What was the result p I
Why, Rank Dixou-this here Dixon ! ]
House Rank--he was an ALFRED Democrat /
ind stuck to all the kidney, tooth and toe t
RAIL- dc stood up tor JOhns-and steps out {
Q the pile where Pettus' old guns were, and :
laving an eye to beauty, selects your humble {
ervan1 Tor the occasion, and ornaments |
lin with the glorious inscriptions You have Q
Hst read-and pToclaiming it to the Legisla- /
ure. that Bill Johns would have killed 7
eventeen Yankees, at Bulls Run, provided /
le had been there. He rather turned the |
aDIes on Monett, and Johns came through [
Ike hot-kEife through butter" o
What was then your fatel' C
Johns brought me in the Library. and s
here staid unnoticed and unknown. until a
ZEN. Grant came to this little village Blue il
oats rummaged all over this town then. +
nth an eye peculiarly single to knicknacks. $
entImental literature and relics They left 81
Ii these old musty volumes of law, you see II
round here. But down they came on the C
ght literature and your humble servant, n
he the Assyrian, &c. Gen Ewing stopped a
hem, though. Quite gentleman, is that e
ZEN. Ewing. This idea of Old Hickory turn G
~ guD-stocker, rather touched him on the 7
atTiotic chords-and so he carefully pre- I
,rved me, and a few weeks ago, returned me al
} the State. Stranger, I'll tell you. il was b.
laky times with me, when / looked ont e
le window of this Hall, and saw them Rlua- s.
bats throwing all of these secession onns Of IL
ID Pettns in the fire. Every minute Thought Of
y turn would come next And when I vas | Il
wed, you may put it down, that foreswor4 Il
cession-took the oath in good faith, and in
sore to stand by every Andrew raised in ST
annessee, henceforth and forever. Hand OF
over little of your rosin, stranger. and tt
your humble servant chaw awhile, He M
IS rather fainty feelings, when he thinks of as
ose times" tb
Yours, JEEMs JOHNSON. hi
til
CRAMP.-A common cause is indi- 4