National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-06-02
ALITELY ANECDOTE.


Bob Tooinbs and Senator Nor; on, of Indiana.
/ have heard General Robert Toombs tell
good story that will bear repetition, rs
illustrating his peculiar and exceptional
feeling of alleged hostility to the federal gov
eminent. In his lively moods the general is
II good story teller, and has great fund Of
apt ones that he can use effectively.
lie said he was in Washington, and dincd
with the late famous Senator Morton, of In.
diana, tho great leader of the republican party.
This was since the war, and the subject of
amnesty was discussed, and Morton urged
Toombs to make his application for the re.
moval of his disabilities. Toombs says he re.
piled to him that he would illustrate his
position in this amnesty matter by an anec-
dote of an old fellow that lived in Georgia,
named Peavy. In his settlement thoro was
an old maid named Miss Rachel, who had
squint in one of her eyes, and rs she was an
acrimonious old spinster, of sharp tongue, and
quarreled good deal, tho superstitious in tho
neighborhood got up the story upon her that
she possessed an "evl eye" and that said
| "ovil eye" did good deal of damage in
| making stock die, and the children sick and
mslortunes happen to people. Old Peavy
| especially disliked the old maid, and believed
| religiousy in her evil eye. He had ono of his
| cattle die when she was about his house. and
| the old chap got enraged, aud telling her she
had done him enough harm and it had to stop,
| he kicked her out of his house. The enraged
spinster brought the matter before their
| church, OF which both he and she were men,
| bers, and nearly every Saturday for year the
church council had this remarkable case for
trial. This, of course, did not make old Peavy
any better disposed to Miss Rachel. Peayy
was good churchman in the main, and a
| liberal fellow and his church did not want
to lose him. So, effort was made time and
again to make him express regret aud con-
triton for what he had done, and they would
| forgive him and drop the matter. But Pcavy
was memorable, and the more the thing was
pressed the moro implacable old Peavy became;
and the more he hated the "evil-eyed spin.
ster for her apparent persecution of him.
| At length one good old brother wrought
upon him so oilectually by earnest appeals
that he got him to consent to get up and use
the simple expression that he was Sorry
| without saying what he was sorry for or
using any further explanations. 1t was
difficult to get him to 90 even this far, but
he finally consented And he did get up, and
in peculiar snappy and curt way he said the
single words, " am sorry"
The preacher was venerable, pious brother
named Mercer, was not altogether satisfied
with the manner nor the words of old Brother
Peavy, SO he told him with great solemnty
that he felt it his duty to ask Brother Peavy
what sort OF sorrow he felt for his unchristian
action, and desired to know if it was such
Cody sorrow as u child of the church like
him should feel and express. This knocked
the fat in the fire. The brother who had in.
duced old Peavy to say he was sorry groaned
in spirit oyer the unreasonable severity OF
Paison Mercer. Old Peavy's last scrap OF
patience was gone, and the repressed fire OF
the old man broke out ungovernably. Looking
around defantly, he shot out tho words that
lie wished to put the church upon notice that
he was going to do what he hadn't done in
forty years, since he first joined the church.
He was going TO curse At this the women
screamed out in horror, and begged him not
to do it, Unmovod, old Peavy turned to the
preacher Mercer, and with Undesirable
emphasis, said:
I'm tell YOU what | am sorry for. l am
sorry l didn't break her - old neck, -
- herw and stalliod out of church in a
roaring fury. And it is said the old fellow
from that day couldn't find curses enough ia
heap on his once beloved church, and finally
died an inournble swearer.
Toombs told Morton that old Peavy's sor.
row in connection with tho old woman was
his sort OF sorrow for the federal govern
ment. Senator Morton and his companions
broke into storm of laughter. and General
Toombs said that Senator Morton told him
if he would make his application for pardon
and let him toll that story as coming from
Toombs, as illustrating his repentance, he
would guarantee that every republican sena-
tor would vote for his amnesty.
Toombs liked Morton very much, and speaks
of him with great kindness.