Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-03-12
SMITH & JoNEs.
SMITH & JONES,
Showing how they were in Partnership,
and how Smith didn't "Aot on
! the Square, about the Partner
ship Debts.
AN ALLEeoRY.


Not many years ago-no matter exactly
when-there lived in what is now West Vir.
ginia, a gentleman ,aaaed- Well! as we think
he has behaved badly in the story We are
about to relate, and as he is still living not
very far from where we are now writing, we
will not mortity him, and run the risk of
good cu,!3elling from his cane by telling his
real name but it perfectly answers the pur-
pose to call him simply John Smith. Hewas
s0eltto>do man in the world; his fortune
having been estimated at about S20,OOO:-
$4,000 of which were in negroes, and the re-
naming SIS, 900 in fine West Virginia land.
His tastes were simple; and such we're his
talent and energy, that he, each year, made
rather more than Sufficient to enable him to
live according to his own ideas of complete
comfort. At the time of the commencement
OF our story, there also lived in what now re-
mains OF the old State of Virginia, gentle>
man whose name-as we dislike personalities
we will say, is Thomas Jones. He had
moro property than Smith his fortune hav>
ing been estimated at $50, 200; $50, 900 of
which were in negroes, and the remaining
s5o,OOO in the poor, sandy, white land of
Eastern Virginia. Now this man Jones was
proverbial, far and near, for his honesty. and
his open hearted, generous hospitality; and
besides he had lived such generous, free
hearted life, that his friends, Messrs. Rioh-
liOing and Happiness, had given him
ga great big beIIv
That shook when he laughed, like bowl full of
jelly"
But with all of his amiability of character,
when he felt called upon to fight, old Jones
was as brave lion When he was very
young man, he had cousin of whom he was
very fond, named Mr.. Iyrant; and who lived
IN far off country called Europe. Now there
had been insanity in Mr.. Tyrants family, and
he must have been touched. with it himself,
when he took the notion into his head to de-
sn,aad as his right, from Jones, a miserable
little pittance of money. Jones, in the kind
ness of his heart, told him that if he really
wanted the money to supply necessary wants,
he (Jones) would willingly consent to give it,
but that he acknowledge no mans right to
ertort from him what he had never consented
to give. To this 1Wantreplied that, he never
asked to be given what he had the power TO
take; and he gave Jones to understand that,
!. he would soon be in Jones' land. and. when
there, he would ego for" the money. Jones
prepared himself; and when his big cousin,
: Iyramt, arrived, as might have been expected
adesperate fight occurred. To make the story
much shorter than the fight, Jones actually
killed TSrant; and with his foot on his dead
: cousins neck and his sword in his hand, he
exclaimed, with the heat of the battle still
upon him, and while the world looked on.
Sic SEMPER TYRANNIs. From that day to
; this-inHuenced no doubt by pardonabe
vanity at having fought so calamity against SO
big "a giant-Jones adopted those three Latin
words as his motto; and, picture of young
girls standing up with sword in her hand,
and her foot upon dead giants neck, he
adopted as his .fdmIy coat IF arms Even
now, whenever any of old Jones' children,
wherever they may be, see that little picture
with the three Latin words above it, they feel
the blood timyGe with pride in their veins;
and, they silently swear that, although Might
has sometimes overcome Right, yet, should
any giants, however many, ever attempt to
rob them of their liberties, they will fight in
way that will throw old Jones' battle far
into the deep shadow of History! Once they
have been tested, and right nobly did they re-
deem that silent oath But to return to our
friend Smith
Although, as we have said we think he
behaved badly in the story we started to re-
late, JUSTICE compels US to acknowledge that,
his reputation for honesty, and hospitality
were quite equal to old Jones'; and besides
he had the advantage of not being such a
wretched spendtArjtt, His energy was greater,
and such was his love of maiden named
FREEDoM-f that, he adopted, as expressing
the sentiments of his heart, the Latin motto.
MoNTANI SEMPER LIBERI. Now these two
gentlemen, Smith and Jones, were obliged,
every two years, to go to Richmond, the CAPT,
tai OF the State, to. wind up the business of
the past two years, and to make arrangements
for the two years in the future. Some how
or another, the reason for which doesn't
plainly appear, they always arrived in Rich
mond on the 1st Monday in Decembert and
were rarely able to wind up their business in
less time than two or three months OF
course, the two gentlemen, being nearly re-
lated, often met; and during one of their
meetings in Richmond they agreed to form
partnership for the purpose of manufacturing
saeook After an inspectionI /, it was agreed
= LIZ II.