Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-08-09
John Happr,s hobbs, Hat,

Early Friday morning, several years
ago, John Hobbs, who lived in he SUI
burbs of Roseda1e, hitched up his car
ryall and ..creeter" and started to
Nashville for the purpose Of exchang-
ing his marketing for currency. His
marketing consisted of two chickens,
ffylB slxe enc waternelou. three
cueumbers. and two quarts of black
berries, and yet Fhel seen1ell 3 ut
terly Indifferent about the financial
arrangement his extensive sales were
likely toproduce in the metropolis; so
Indifferent, indeed, that in passing Mr..
Jamlson's orchard he crept slyly over
the fence and filled his peck measure
with apples, and, thus reinforced, he
resumed his journey Having arrived
at the eity and disposed Of his pred alce,
he found himself the possessor Of one
dollar and fifteen cents. Little cared
he for the empty pockets of his Gus
toners; his greatest anxiety was to
secrete his money about his person, so
that IN case ofrobbery it could not be
found. He had heard how dangerous
1t was foe men to carry large sums of
money, and he was determined to be
careful. Selecting his time when he
felt sure no one was watching him he
deposited the money in the lining of
his hat, and then whiled away his time
along the road home SO that twas
dark when he reached Mr.. Jamison's
orchard so he concluded to gather
load for the next day. Selling apples
he found was a profitable business,
when the apples cost nothing. He
erept over the tense again, and was
soon gathering the fruit, and thinking
how much quicker he could get rich
at that than working at fifty cents
day. 4 But Mr. yamison'ss sen was
down in the orchard with his gun.
loaded with mustard and shot, and
when he heard o. Hobbs shaking
the trees, he let drive at the
noise in the dark, and the
shot found poor Hobbs and stung
him some and scared him great deal
more. There, was no. creeping now.
He cleared the fence at one leap. but
failed to clear knot on the top rail.
which got entangled with his pants
and stayed his fight fora moment. II
was only for a moment, however. for
one vigorous jerk and he was clear of
the knot, and also of the back portion
of his pants then bounding into his
carryail, he urged his "creeter" to its
utmost speed, and feeling himself safe,
he thought of his money, and felt for
that, but his hat was gone. Then he
stopped and listened. No one was
pursuing. Jamison's son was afraid
he had killed somebody, and had hur-
ried of, thatthere might be no evidence
against HIM when the dead man
should be found. So Hobbs thought
he might venture back to hunt for his
hat and his money. He felt sure it
was the jerk he got by being caught
on the knot that had Knocked off his
hat, and that it must be lying outside
of the orchard by. the road side, and
as houses were thick he would stop at
one and borrow candle and hunt for
his treasure. But as bad luck would
have it, in the darkness and confusion
he stopped at Jamisons house and
rang the bell. JamisOn answered the
bell in person, and his dog, which he
petted great deal, came along to see
what was the matter Hobbs stated
what was the matter, and craved the
loan of candle. Jamison wanted to
know why he couldn't get candle as |
he was getting apples-steal one, in
fact. Then Hobbs recognized Jami:
son, and thinking he was in the wrong
pew started to leave. Jamison quiet
ly said, Sick him, Tige," and ''Tige"
bounced out and took hold where
Hobbs pants were missing. Hobbs
bounded forward and tore the holt |
loose, and the dog bounded forward |
to get better holt, but soon gave it
up in disgust, evidently Illuminating
that though distance may lend enchant- |
ment to the view, yet, in that case it |
too fast for his taste. Hobbs
was not seen in that neighborhood any
more, and it was conjectured that the
Kuklux had killed him, but it has
been ascertaind that he went to Dan
bury and hired to the editor of the
News for Office boy,