The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-11-17
JACK SPROUTS CONVERSION.

JACK SPRoUT swore terrible oath. In
fact, he swore quite a number of oaths,
for he was very angry. 1t was nothing
wonderful for Jack Sprout to swear, even
in the presence of his wife, for he was
sadly given to the habit of profane Ian
guage. And yet Jack was good hus-
band; an indulgent father; an industrious
man; an accommodating neighbor; and
he possessed many other excellencies of
character which might have made him a
valuable member of society had it not
been for certain loose habits which had
marked his course from childhood His
parents had been careless and profane
before him; his father had been tough,
rough customer; 50 Jack naturally enough
came up in the same track. But he was
good looking, and kind hearted, and gen
ial and social, and so he had gained
for wife one of the very best maidens
of the town, as well as one of the hand
soonest. .......
Master Freddy Sprout, aged five years,
stood by his mothers side, with a sadly
begrimmed and tear streaked face, and
his story was that Solomon Gordon had
whipped him with stick, and the boys
legs still bore few slight tokens of the
Castigation. Two other boys had come
home with Master Freddy, and their tes-
timony corroborated that which the suf-
ferer had given. Freddy, with some of
his playmates, had been throwing stones
at Mr.. Gordon's dog, and one of the mis-
siles hurled by Freddy had hit the ami
NAL and caused him to howl with pain
OF course the stone thrown by such a
tiny hand could not have inflicted much
injury upon the canine brute; but Solo
mon Gordon loved his dog, and when he
saw what had been done he caught Mas.
ter Freddy and gave him a thrashing; for
be 1t known that Solomon Gordon was
just such another man as Jack Sprout-
warm-h hearted, generous and neighborly;
but rough, uneducated, strong-willed and
impulsive.
Jack Sprout put on his hat and 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" plead his wife, "don't
go out now" ........
Let me alone, Abby. No man shall
strike child of mine without having a
chance to strike me. l shall 60 and see
Sol. Gordon, and I'll give him such a lick
ing as he won't forget in hurry~ And
Jack closed the sentence with terrible
oath.
Mono, 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 drubbing and I'll give it
to him before the sun goes DOWN.
And as Jack Sprout looked at that
moment he gave awful evidence that he
was able to make good his word; for a
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, ooh, do listen
to me one moment. Freddy is not much
hurt; and he ought not to have thrown
stones at Gordons dog You know both
Solomon and his wife set everything by
the little animal, and he would not bark
at the boys if they did not plague him.
If you go and find Gordon as you are
now you will only make matters worse.
Oh, wish you would drop it."
Jack only shook his head and smiled
one of those smiles which are so terrible
upon the face of an angry man.
80 Jack, if you would only try the
effect of kindness upon Solomon He is
a good man at heart"
Jack interrupted his wife with de-
risive sheer.
Don't laugh at me, Jack. tell you
it would be better to do so than to resort
to blows. If you were attacked | would
not blame you for fighting to protect
yourself, but this is not a case that calls
for your strength of muscle. There is a
higher and nobler strength that you can
use now" .a.. ......
"Oho!" uttered Jack, "you are preach
ing. You are giving me some of your
Sunday. school 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
solemnity, "have l been any worse since
] began to have an interest in religious
things2"
"No, Abby, you were good always"
"Then why will you not listen to me-?
If you will stay with me now-if you
will wait until your anger is cooled-and
then go and speak kindly to Solomon
Gordon, give you my solemn word that
you will feel 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 Gordon, 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 had dared to
strike his boy; for Freddy was his pet,
and every blow that had been laid upon
the child's body had been 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,
heavy strides; and had Solomon Gordon