The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-03-27
One Of Davy Crockott's Stories.

THE late Churchill c. Cambrelinl
told me says Mr.. !. II. ITacllett in III,
\. Y. LCNdcr) an anccdotc Of that &C
centric and then brother member o
| Congress tho late David Crockett
who had a seat near him in the Hous,
Of Representatives Cambrclng
being from the city of New York, and
! Mr.. Crockett from Tennessee:
"Onc day as | sat writing at my desl;
during an interval ofthc session, Crock
EFT asked me how long | had been in
Congress; and, upon being informed
several years." remarked, "You ought
then, 10 write pretty good hand by
this time" as though he thought my
constant practice there should have i'm
proved il. Crockett continued: "Somc
people object to me because Of my want
of education and larning ginerally.
Now, some people know too much,"
"Said I; "Oh, no! a man can't
know too much'
Continued he "Ycs, he can! re-
mcmbrr case in Tennessee by which
can prove ii to you"
"'Two farmers who lived not far
apar met one day on horseback, when
one lid to the other: "Who are you
goib to vote for, for shcrifr?" The other
ansl cred: "John Robinson" what!
said the qucstioncr," "you going TO
votr for him" Why he's such an ig-
noraut cuss he can't spell his given
name, John; and, whats worse, he is
so stupid would bet ten dollars you
couldn't larn him to spell it between
now and tomorrow noon."'
"'Thc other remarked: 81 would be
willing to take that bet anyhow"
"Wcll" said the proposer, "I'll stand
it,"
Accordingly the bet wac made, and
q public house few miles distant was
agreed upon as the place of their meet
ing at noon the next day for it, leci-
siton, and the neighbors parted.
"Thc one who had made the bet in
favor o. Johns ability proceeded
straight to the house of John Robin
son, Il few miles off, and found him at
home; told him Of the conversation,
and Of his bet on him; and inquired
whether il was true that he hadn't had
cdication enough 10 spell "John." John
Robinson at once owned up that he
could not, that he had never been ten
mIlcs from that place where he was
| born, and that no schoOlin' was to be
had anywhere about them ere parts
| for love or money. "NcvCr mind,'
said he. ,'John, I'll larn you mighty
| Quick, and we'll divide the winnings
The way to spell John iS--J-O--H
~" which John readily repeated, anC
insisted upon his visitors coming ii
and taking some whi>key, which hc
did flccly,and talked over the affairs o
the country til bedtime, and at las
was persuaded TO stop all night wit
John; both on 'em being pretty tigh'
"NcNt morning, at breakfast, o
johns being asked to spell his name
he did SO easily enough but his frien
wasn't satisfied, and said, "John, ther
may be some crooked kctch after all i
such politics. There's time enough be
tween now and noon, ana if you are
mind to lurn the whole alphabet, II
laru you from first 70 last-thatis, fron
\ to I22urd.n John agreed TO be :
high larnt, and he before noon coul
say every letter from 4 10 lizard an
of II hey started ON horseback for tn
place appointed, whore four or five o
the nrighbor, had got together on pun
pose 10 hear John Robinson, and judg
whether he was able to spell his give
name.
"Fiyc men was appointed as judge
the bet rccitod, and John was asked
he was ready TO spell his name. Joh
said, TRY me ~ And the Judges said
"Wcn, spell John"
$50 John began: "J"---
"All the judges looked at him, an
at one another, and then nodded an
said, Fright next letter." "O!' sai
John.
"Thcy all looked Mt one another !
long A. if there were some doubts abou
tnc letter, but nodded ut last and salt
"Right; now, next lcttcr:'
"~uid John, "rhat's H.
Johns friend, seeing the iudges, b
haltngin giving Judgment after ever
letter, had somewhat bothered him
cautioned him to keep cool till aft
the Judges had done tooling, and ha
agreed and said Right" Now for Il
, next letter, when hi friend assure
hin, "JOhn We are all right now bI
the last letter don't forget Joh
hc~itatcd, and thinking he meant Il
, last letter of the alphabet, which
hnd just learned, beloved out, "lzaar
by thunder and lost the bet
I "NOw, If his friend who made Il
bet had only hccn satisfied with 81
ing John learning enough to spell Jof
/ he would have won it, And just
it Is uow-a-day-, with some people
they know too Iduch for their oN
, good, There, John Quincy Adam
now. He's 50 high larnt he often sc
l soconfiscd he can't tell + from bur
blchccn
AARON BURR'S SARCAsM.--Wh
Aaron Burr returned to New York ci
to practice Law, after his voluntary c
lie in Europe, he found the late RI
Jedcdiah Burchard, then cclebrat
> rcvivalist, holding series of protract
meetings in his family church, lie
tended from habit, always went Ia
and disturbed the services by attract
. to himself the attention Of the audicl
on account Of his Infamous notoriety
the man who shot Alexander Han
y ton, and who had been tried for treas