The daily gazette., 1879-10-11
Am Old National Pike StaOe1

Another survivor of the old "pike" Is
Samuel Nimmy-a patriarchal African,
who "played tam mbourIne' for General
scksOD, and drove on the road for mauy
years. He il sn odd mixture of shrewd-
ne =, intelligence, and egOtism. His re-
collections are vivid and detailed 10
point of names and dates, although he Is
eighty-six years old, and describes his
experience in a grandiose manner that
Is OcCasi Onally made delicious by sole
cisms, or sudden lapses into negro col
loQuialsms. He lives In a comfortable
cottage at HagerstOwD; the walls of his
parlOr are hung with certificates OF
membership in various societies, and
| with various patriotic chronOS; the
centre table is loaded with books. prin-
cipally on Degro ems ncipatlOn and the
events of the civil war. He continues
narrative in formal phrases and measur-
ed rentences for long time without
besitating, and then, perhaps, name
Ships him, and he murmurs, Chilly Billy,
Billy; Tom, Tom, Tom, Jack, Jack,
jack" until the elusive cOsnOmen is
caught.
West Of Cuberland the road was bOrd-
cred BY an extraordinary growth OF
| pines, the branches of which wera SO in
termeshe1 that they admitted very lit
tie daylight, and from its prevailing
darkr ess the grove was called the
'Shad.s of Death.' Uncle Sam Nimmy
and others declared that on the most
efiulgent day not ray ever penetrated
1t, aud that II was absolutely black. which
is a piece of picturesque exaggeratiOn.
1t was very dark however, according to
J the statements of more exact observers,
including Mr.. b. f. Remnant, the well
: known painter. and it afforded favor.
able opportunity for highwaymen. ~
had very keen team, Sir" says Uncle
I | 20 knn tx.a Sv,Ao oa1. md N m,
, body knows more about horse than
do. l drove that team, Sir, nine months
without the least sickness to tha horses
. aud ! hatter myself that We had some
rough service"
| The fiattery that Uncle Sam applies to
+. himself is immense. swell, Sir, on'
!, night was driving through the Shades
a darker than usual; it was Cimmerian-
. Cimmerian, Sir; and one said to me
Don't you hear the sound of horse
walKing?' l listened, aud listened. dit
J, hear the sound Of walking, and seemed
to see, although 1t was SO dark, severa
e figures in the wood. Some one theI
opened the pistol case and examined III
from each pistol and about that time, 81
Z my hair began to get curly. The passen
gers didn't like the way affairs wer
looking; and l thought that If big me-
ie were scared, there was no reason why ;
G. little one shouldn't be scared too" Ut
Gle Sam Is very diminrtive; and after a.
m knowledgiDg his trepidatiOn, he repea
=, ed, il a manner Of great candOr: 81 az
init it, Sir, 1 as scared; and [ just a
70 sure you, gentlemen, that mado ever
lie horse tell until we came to tavern. Bl
IL wasn't naturally timid; was puzzled
N to how the fiints came out of those pl
* tolls, and we could never unravel th
" mystery. I've hal varied life, Sir, an
70 always took an interest In general trave
to see if any one was bigger than wa
\ started a company of volunteers in tn
war, and then started q lodge, an
Is bought up all the blue cambrlc thei
re was in town for sashes. We had p;
;" rade, and HagerstOwn's never seen tn
ne like since she became a tavern. Next
10 started the Sons of Freedom, and cam
in contact with the law, because 1t wi
:, supposed we had underground railroa
~ in hand. was vindicated, of course
10 and was as big ss dog at hog KILN
p was Oorn on the 29th of August, lI9
and am just as bright as ever wa
er Pve been frozen on the box; but new
id allowed any body to compose upon m
can't jump as high as 1 used to coul'
aud that's the only difference betwee
:, me now and twenty years ago. Gent
~ men, I make you my most humble 90
&c dience," he said; and as we left he CALI
after us, "DOns, forget the date-Augu
th %, 1793."-W. H. RIDEING, in Hdrpe'
u. Magazine for Ncucmber.