Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-27
An Old National Pike stager.

Another survivor OF the Olu PIKE Is
Samuel Nimmy-a patriarchal African,
who "plaved tambOurine' for General
jackson, aud drove on the road for
many wears. He is an odd mixture of
shrewdness, intelligence, and egotism.
His recollectiOns are vived and detailed
in point of names and dates, although
he is eighty-six years old, and he de-
scribes his experience in a grandiOse
manner that is occasionally made de-
licious by solecisms, or sudden lapses
into negro collOquialisms. He lives IN a
comfortable cottage at Hagerstown the
walls OF his parlOr are hung with certifi-
Gates of membership in various societies,
and with various patriotic chromos; the
centre table is loaded with books, prln-
cipally on negro emancipation and the
events Of the civil war. He continues a
narrative in formal phrases and meas
ured sentences for a long time without
hesitating, aud then, perhaps, name
slips him, and he murmurs, Billy,
Billy, Billy; Tom, Tom, Tom; Jack,
Jack. Jack" until the elusive cogno-
men is caught.
West of Cumberland the road was
bordered by an extraordinary growth OF
pines, the branches OF which were so
intermershed that they admitted very
little daylight, and from its prevailing
darkness the grove was called the
shades of Death" Uncle Sam MINI
my and Others declared that on the
most etfulgent day not ray ever PEN
etrated it, and that it was absolutely
black, which is piece OF pictu-
rescue exaggcration. 1t was very dark,
however, according to the statements OF
more exact observers, including NJ. b.
f. Reinhart, the well known painter,
and il afforded favorable opportunity
for highwaymen. Il had a very keen
team, Sir" SAYS Uncle Sam-"a very
keen team indeed; and nobody knows
more about a horse than | do. | drove
that .edm, Sir, nine months without the
least sickness TO the horses, and tlatter
myself that we had some rough service
The tlattery that Uncle Sam applies to
himself is immense. "Well, Sir, one
night | was driving through the Shades
of Death with a few passengers; it was
darker than usual it was Cimmerlan-
C,umgrial, Sir; and one said to me,
Don't YOU hear the sound OF horses
walking" | listened, and listened, and
listened | did hear the sound OF WALL
ing, and seemed to see, although 1t was
so dark, several figures in the wood.
Some one then opened the pistol aud eN-
amined the weapons; the flint had been
removed from each pistol, and about thdt
time, Sir, my hair began 10 get curly. The
passengers,didn't like the way affairs
were looking; and thought that ii big
men were scared, there was no reason
why a little one shouldn't be scared too"
Uncle Sam is very diminuitlve; and al
ter acknowledging his trepidation, he
repeated, in a manner OF great candor;
al admit it, Sir, | IrdS scared; and l Just
assure you, gentlemen, that made every
horse tell until We came to a
tavern. But | wasn't naturally
tjmid: / was puzzled as to
how the fliuis came out of those pistols,
aud We could never unravel the mys-
terry. I've had a varied life, Sir, and al
ways took an interest in general travel,
To see If any one was bigger than | was.
| started a company OF volunteers IN the
war, and then started a lodge, and
bought mp all the blue cambria there
was in town for sashcs. We had a pa
rade, and Hagerstown never seen the
like since she became a tavern. Next
| STATED the Sons Of Freedom, and came
in contact with the law, because it was
supposed We had an underground rail
road in hand. | was indicated, Of
course, and was as big as a dog at hog
killing. was born on the Goth OF Au-
gust, 1898, and am just as bright rs
1 ever was. I've been frozen on the
box; but | never allowed anybody TO
compose upon me; can't JUMP as high
as | used 10 could, and that's the only
difference between me now aud twenty
years ago, Gentlemen, | make you my
most humble obedience" he said; and
as we left he called alter us, Don't for
get the date-August %, 1898. w. H..
RIDEING, in Ha,pcr's Magazine for No
Ugmber.