Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1878-04-09
MIscELLARE GUS.
JACK SPROUTS CONVERSION.

Il. ACK SPROUT swore terrible OATH
- In fact, he swore quite number of oaths,
for he was very angry. 1t was nothing won
derful for Jack Sprout to swear, even in the
presence of his wife, for he was sadly given
TO the habit of protane language. And yet
Jack was good husband, an indulgcnt faith
er, an industrious man, an accommodating
neighbor, and he possessed many other ex-
cellencies of character which had marked
his course from childhood. His parents had
been careless and profane before him; his
father had been a tough, rough custom er; SO
Jack naturally enough came up in the same
track. But he was good>looking, and kind
hearted, and genial, aud social, and SO he
had gained for wife one of the very best
maidens of our town, as we'll as one of the
handsomest
Master Freddy Sprout, aged FIVE years,
stood by his mothers side, with sadly be-
grimed aud tear -streaked face, and his story
was, that Solomon Gorden had whipped him
with stick, and the boys legs still bore
few slight tokens of the cas,igatiou. Two
Other boys had come home with Master
Freddy, and their testimony corroborated that
which the sufferer had given. Freddy. with
some of his playmates, had been throwing
stones at Mr.. Gordon's dog, and one of the
missiles hurled by Freddy had hit the ami
NAL and caused him to howl with pain. OF
course the stone hurled by such tiny hand
could not have inflicted much injury upon the
brute; but Solomon Gordon loved his dog,
and when he cav what had been done, he
caught Master Freddy and gave him thrash.
ing; for be it known that Solomon Gordon
was just such another man as Jack Sprout-
warm hearted, generous and Deighborly, but
Al
pulsive.
to sally forth. His lips wcre pale and tight.
ly com pressed. and the huge muscles on his
arms worked like bundles of rope.
Dear jack" pleaded his wife, "don't 60
now"
Let me alone, Abby. No man shall
strike a child of mine without having chance
to strike me. / shall 60 and see Sol. Gordon
aud I'll give him such licking as he won't
forget in hurry - And Jack closed the SEN
tence with terrible oath.
"No-no-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; snd I'll give it to him be-
fore the sun goes down."
And as Jack Sprout looked at that mo.
meut he gave awful evidence thst he was
able to make good his word. for more mag
n 'fcent structure of fran, and muscle was
not TO be found in tho town.
Dear Jack" cried the wife. taking her
hu-bInd by the arm. "Oh, do listen to me
one moment. Freddy is not much hurt,
and he ought not to have thrown stones ut
GOrdon's dog. You know both Solomon and
his family set everything by his dog. and no
would not bark at the boys If they did not
plague him. II you go and find Gordon as
you now are you will 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.
"Oh. Jack, if you would only try the effect
of kindness upon Solomon. He is good
man at heart"
Jack interrupted his wife with derisivo
smear
Don't laugh at me, Jack. I 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 case that calls for your
strength and muscle. There is a higher and
nobler strength thst you can use now"
20 no " uttered JACK, you are preach>
ing. You are giving me some of your Sab
bath-school lessons. But don't want 'em.
You may experience religion much as you
please. bu. you mustn't preach stuf to me-"
Jack" spoke up his wife with q stern
solemnity, ''have been any worse sinceI
begun to take an interest in religious
things?"
mo, Abby, you were good always"
He had sworn that he would thrash Solo,
mon Gordon, be would keep his word.
His temper was at = boiling point, and he
was fairly aching to get his hands on 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 tie
house. sIamming the door after him.
Away went jack Sprout with rapid. heavy
strides. and had Solomon Gordon fallen IN
his way just then he most sssuredly would
have been severely beaten; for though Solo
mon was a strong, bold man, yet Jack was .
verv Hercules. II
But Jack was destined to get pretty well
cooled off before he met the object Of his
wrath As be approached tie bridge that