Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-08-20
sHllit Of sAefiersqll.
0harIestoWn. Jefferson county, West Va.
TUESDAY MORNING., AUGUsF 20, f87a.
Col. Joe. Crane.

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Col. Joe. Crane.
We notice from tho FEec Press that the
| gentleman whose name heads this article has
been nominated by the Jefferson county Mass
Convention, as candidate for the Office of
| Sheriff
We were taken little aback at the an
nouncement of c. s...ss,. q we
! thought he had gone where all the good
cranes go" during the war
And thereby hangs tale--thuswise
A party of yankees, under the command of
lieutenant, visited the Coils residence, the
last year of the war, for the purpose of burn
ing him out. Col. @. met them in his ward
| and demanded the reason of their visit.
We have como to burn you out, you d-nd
traisorous rebel, ,you," answered the lieutenant
This rough response nettled Col. c., in fact
''riz his dander," and in terms equally en-.
phatic, he declared that any ono Of them who
attempted. to fire his promises, would do so at
| his peril
Tho yankees concluding that as they were
at least 20 TO I, Col. G. was completely in
their power, treated his threat with derision,
| and one OF them proceeded to the kitchen to
procure chunk to commence the work of
destruction. The soldier going towards the
barn, Col. O.. who until now, had remained
passive spectator, ran to his porch and Selling
an old fipt lock musket that be kept loaded
to the muzzle, brought it to a present arms,
ayowing that if the internal rascal threw the
chunk down among the straw, he would give
him tho benefit of pound of buck shot.
Tho yank was not deferred by Col. Cs
threat, but waving the chunk over his head
fo cfo kba la - H..
straw rick
Fis-fss bang-boom, went tho old
muskct, making as much Doiso as small piece
of artillery. The yankee spruug ten feet in
tho air, coming down sprawl upon the earth,
with thump equal to young earthquake-
He had received the full charge of buck shot.
but the distance saved his life Col. Joe. of
course expected to be instantly riddled with
revolvers, and the yankee lieutenant was about
to order his men to fro, but just then an old
roach back skeleton mule came around the
barn, which for the moment attracted his at
tention. A grim smile played over the face
of the officer, as the idea struck him that hore
was chance to have a deal of sport and at
the samo time prolong the agonies of their
victim, the Col. being man whose avoirdu-
pols was little less than three hundred. The
lieutenant ordered his men to catch the mule
and this being done, they next surrounded
tho Col taking him fore and aft and mounted
him upon it, 1icc versu or front face to its tail.
without.saddle or bride. This accomplished
they next arranged hammock between two
horses for their wounded comrade, MS seat of
honor having been honcycombed by the buck.
shot, thus rendering the saddle q disagrceable
means Of flocomoton. When all arrangements
were complete, the cavaIcade with the Col. in
=
''steer his mule" by pricking him with the
point of their sabres, sat out for their camp 1T
Hsrper's Forty.
The mule was kept at jolting trot from
the Coils. residence to Charleetown, aud from
there to the Ferry-but we will let the Col
tell the balance of the story hins91f.
81 hated like thunder, said the Col. to go
through Ghariestown, in the ridiculous ;,tti>
tude of riding the old mule with my face to
its tail, but my modification at this was not to
ho compared to tho agony l suffered, when
the eharp back of tho mule began to split me
upwards. Heavens and thunder, + prsyed.
cussed and sWo:e, as at every jump the muo
took he stove himself further an further to-
wards my iuuards-
Hero the Col who is great smoker, drew
in full Whit Of smoke, and spurtug it out
with slow deliheratiop, continued-sWel!,
gentlemen, the d--n mule cut me clean
through, Yes, gents, it did-and by the time
we reached ''head quarters was hanging on
both sides OF him, merely by tho collar bone.
My case was immediately reported to Gen.
Stevenson, the commander of the post, busas
was already hove in two, the general ordered
mo home for repairs"
At this point of the Coils ngonizing nara
tive, Joe 3. called tailor Joe for short, who
had slight stammering of speech, ventured
to interrupt the Col. by asking him whether
che came home wh-who-whole OF in ha
halves )"
Whole, sir, whole, said the Col. I Jus.
dragged myself round to cooper shop snd got
hoopcd.
As we have have already averred, no. hav
ing heard from the Col since the day of his
mule adventure, we had naturally concluded.
that he had never knit together any more,
and had long since sspassed in his checks"
We are therefore heartily glad to be assured
by his announcement for office, that che is
himself again" aud VIC can but wish him
every success. The people of ] Jefferson county,
by electing him to the Sherifalty, will secure
the services of trusty and true man for that
responsible position and we sbali not permit
ourselves to doubt his success by n handsome
majority.-art insJwg Statesman.
- One of the consequences of advertising
Tor correspondence 'with a view to matri>
mony, aud answering such foolish sdvertise-
nents, has been that brother and sister be-
longing In louisville lately fell in love with
each other by this ePistolary process, aud the
Gay had been named for their marriage
They had been separeted for some years, and
though photographs we're exchanged they