The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-03-03
THE FORCE OFHABIT.

IL tie from afar, arch their necks, paw
the earth and Wicker. The mean
me ing of it all is. there is to he an cleo
= ton in November next for members
to the General Assembly of Ten
: nessee, and these risky nags are
J, preparing themselves for entrance
: as experienced racers. Some of
n them are biennial candidates. They
have run and run. until the habit has
grown upon them to such an extent
as to become natural. Phey couldn't
keep from running if they were to
try. They remind US of story:
In the days of slavery there was
Y an old fellow living in Marshall
D county, in Middle Tennessee. named
+ John Thompson. Mr.. Thompson
was the owner Of an Old negro nam
ed Jack. Now Jack was a good
enough old negro in most things.
He was hostIer and gardner, and at
tended to his work well. He was
as honest as any Of hia tribe, and
only tuck" few chickens or other
small articles from his master oc-
casionally, and only did this 10 keep
his hand in. But Jack had one seri.
Gus fault, of which he could not be :
cured. He had contracted one bad 9
habit, from which he could not be I;
broken. Jack would ruu off. Reg n
ularly every year, about the first OF 7
July, he would slip away from home O
and remain in the woods for five or o
six weeks. when he would return O
and resume his labors as a faithful +,
servant. His master tried every n
means to break Jack of the bad hao. r
it. He whipped him, he talked TO al
him and tried to persuade him, but =,
all to no purpose. When the time m
came he would go. So one day, in NJ
June, Mr.. Thompson called the old or
fellow to him and asked: n
Jack, are you going to run away N
this year?" to
q don't know, Mars John, but an
guess l will" DIV
What makes you run away? NJ
Don't l treat you we'll? give you ge
plenty to eat, good clothes. a COM wb
Portable bed, snag house, and in "b
fact furnish you everything you need ev.
and make you work but lttle?" -
g Oh, yes, sur; amt got nothing 81
to complain at, but you see is jest -
got in the habit Of running away and
[ cant help it. Dat is what is de nc
Well, then, Jack, have prop Ad ~
osition to make to you. 1t is this: By By
When you get ready to start this H. H.
7eac, let me know, and 1 will run
away with YOU" y
The idea struck the old negro as ed to
'eing decidedly original, and he nurt
greed to it on the spot. One night New
| week or two later, Mr.. Thompson III
heard a knock at his door and en-. steel steel
Iulred, Who's there?" sonr
" It's me, old Jack; I'm off. If 4 Do 1nS
'ou wants to go wild me be quick F F9F1,
md come right along can't wait" laT On
Mr.. Thompson hurriedly dressed m ina q
himself, and went out. He found f copy
ack at the door waiting for him, 10Th Ih
md master and slave run off tOgeth- ecg ute
r. They camped in the great hol- E ssn1i
Jw Of an immense sycamore, stole count 1n
hickens and roasting-ears, gathered Unite
erries and fruit and had general To
God time out in the woods for six the 81
'eeks, when they returned together stant
nd resumed their respective duties. full !
he next year the same thing &C. 0E,
urred. and the next, and the next,
-fter years of this kind OF life, Jack
lok the influenza one winter. The
isease soon run into typhoid fever p,
nd in spite of ali the doctors could I'D
o the poor negro died and was r
uried. Mr.. Thompson's wife and I
lildren and friends all thought he
ould stay at home, now that Jack M
as dead, but not so. When the forme
'gular time come round the old large
an run away by himself. The hab- are pr
had grown upon him until it was Hides %e
resisLible. And so it is with some s E9s "a I
en- in this matter of being candi. DIES TS
ltes for office. There is a fascina. every cry
On about it. The more a fellow SHOE no.
MS The more he wants to run. If patent @a
is beaten he says he was cheated patron
t Of the election by wrong Aug
ent, or somebody reported on the
y Of election that he had died or
knows the people pre- SO'
: him to any one else and he Just
u ran. There are plenty Of this m.
al OF men all over Tennessee, and r.
ey will be swarming when the price; E.,
ather gets warm like ia bugs. Eyes, !
ell, This is a free country. aud it is Cures
glorious thing to go 10 the Lagis q R9f,
ure.
p, it of tn
THE United States Government 0BAJ