The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-01-31
JACK SPROUTS CONVERSION.
A LIFE SKETCH.

AZ t"e Piescuce oi MS VIE, for he was
sadly given to the habit of using profaue
language. And yet Jack was good hus.
band; an indulgent father; an honest
industrious man; an accommodating
nelghbor; and he possessed many 9TH
er excellences of character which might
have made him valuable member of So
ciety, had it not been for certain loose
habits which had marked his course from
childhood. His parents had been care.
less and profane before him; his father
had been tough, rough customer; SC
Jack naturally enough came up in the
same track. But he was good looking
and kind hearted, and genial and social
and so he had gained for wife one oil
the very best maidens of our town, as well
as one of the handsomest.
Master Freddy Sprout, aged five years
stood by his mothers side, with sadly
begrImed aud tear -streaked face, and his
story was that Solomon Gordon had whip.
ped him with stick, and the boys legs
still bore few slight tokens of the casti.
cation. Two other boys had come home
with Master Freddy, and their testimony
correlated that which the sufferer had
given. Freddy, with some of his play
mates, had been throwing stones at Mr..
Gordon's dog and one of the missiles
hurled by Freddy had hit the animal .and
caused him to howl with pain OF course,
the stone thrown by such tiny hand,
could not have inflicted much injury up
on the canine brute; but Solomon Cor
don loved his dog, and when he saw what
had been done he caught Master Freddy
and gave him thrashing; for, be it
known, Solomon Gordon was just such
another man as Jack Sprout-warm- heart
ed, generous, and neighborly; but rough
uneducated, strong-willed, and i'm pulsive.
Jack Sprout put On his hat aud pre-
pared to sally forth. His lips were pale
and tightly compressed and the huge
muscles in his arms worked like bundles
of ropes.
Dear jack" pleaded his wife, i" don It
90 out now"
Let me alone, Abby. No man shall
strike a child Of miae without having a
chance to strike me. | shall 90 and see
Sol. Gordon, and I'll give him such lick
ing as he won't forget in hurry" And
Jack closed his sentence with terrible
oath.
No, no, 'Jack-don't go. What good
will it do? Wait until you are more
cool ~
"Pshaw. Go away, Abby. There is
not power enough on earth to save. Sol
Gordon from clubbing; and I'll give it
to him before the sun goes down."
And as Jack Sprout looked at that mo-
ment he gave awful evidence that he was
physically able TO make good his word !;
for more magnificent structure of frame
work and muscle was not to be found in
the town.
'' Dear jack" cried the wife, taking
her husband by the arm, "Oh, do listen
to me one moment. Freddy is not much
hurt; and he ought not to have thrown
stones at Gordon's dog. You know both
Solomon and his wife set every thing by
the little animal, and he would not bark
at the boys if they did not plauge him.
Ifyou 90 and find Gordon as you are now,
you will only make matters worse. Oh,
L wish you would drop it."
Jack only shook his head, and smiled
one Of those smiles which are terrible up
on the face Of an angry man.
90 Jack, if you only try the effect of
kindness upon Solomon! He is a good
man at heart"
Jack interrupted his wife with deris-
i've sneer.
Don't laugh at me, Jack. l tell you
it will be better to do so than resort to
blows. If you were attacked l should
not blame you for fighting to protect your
self; but this is not case that calls for
your strength Of muscle. There is high
er and nobler strength that you can use
now"
"Ohl" uttered Jack, "you are preach
ing. You are giving me some of your
Sunday schoo! lessons. But don't want
'em. You may experience religion as
much as you please; but you mustn't
preach the stuff to me-"
jack" spoke the wife, with stern So
lemnity, have | been any the worse
since / began to have an interest in reli-
gious things"
No, Abby-you was good always"
Then why will you not listen to me +?
III you VIII stay with me now-lf you Will
wait untiI your anger is cooled-and then
go and speak kindly to Solomon Gordon,
| give you my solemn pledge that you will
feel a thousand times better than you will
if you"
But Jack would not hear his wife out
He had sworn that he would thrash Solo
mon sGordon, and he would keep his
word. His temper was at the boiling
point, and he was fairly aching to get his
hands upon the man who dared to strike
his boy; for Freddy was his pet, and ev-
cry blow that had been laid upon the
child's body had mark of fire upon his
own heart. So he put his wife away
from him and hurried from the house,
slamming the door after him.
Away went Jack Sprout with rapid,
beavv strides. and had Sclomon GordoD