The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-10-06
Governor Roberts Encounter With ID Sow
How His Excellency was Outdone.

nv" h@AtNAAthNJ WINS cutuohcs
Agood joke is told OF Governor Roberts,
by one of his law students, while the gov
ernor had charge of the law department of
the Gilmer high school, Upshur county,
Just after the close of the war All eminent
men, says our informant, like the renowned
Horace Greeley, at some period In their
lives, conceive the idea that they are
practical farmers, and on large or
small scale try their hands at tho bust
ness, So it was with Governor Roberts.
Attached to his residence, near the public
square, in the town of Gilmcr, was a large
garden upon which the governor was wont
to bcStow quite deal of his time and labor
in the way of planting fruit trees, cultiya-
ting vegetables, &c. Among other things
the governor had a very fine sweet potato
was, however, certain sow which ranged
the town commons that had taken a fancy
to the same potato patch, and had u habit
of breaking through the pickets and
helping herself to the potatoes. Tho
governor stood il very patiently for awhile,
but seeing that the SOW was likely to get
more than her share of the potatoes,
he set to work to put stop to her
doprcdations. Upon arriving at home one
evening after the adjournment of his law
class, he found the SOW in the patch at her
fayorite business For one time, during
residence OF over two years in that town, he
seemed to get thoroughly mad. He sum-
moned his venerable iather-in-law Mr.
Edwards, WHO lived with him, to
his assistance, to make war upon
the mschicvous brat. He first carefully
examined the enclosure until ne found the
aperture through which the animal entered.
He then armed himself with n fence rail
with which to deal the hog u deadly blow,
and instead OF taking position little to
one side, and in convenient reach of the
hole, he planted himself Immediately in
front of the same SO rs TO have, as he
thought, Il fair chance at the SOW when she
ran out, He then told his father-in-law to
turn his dog loose upon the hog and
"let her come The dog chased the
animal around the garden u
time or two when she rushed for the hole.
So frantic was the frightened animal that
shcdid not even recognize the distinguished
obstacle in her way, hut with The speed of
lightning she dashed through the hole, but
in SO doing was compelled to pass between
the legs of the governor, which threw him
five or six feet in mid air, with his rail vet
elevated in his hands. He was dressed in a
fine suit of black cloth, as was then his
custom, which was literally torn
of him. The SOW in making her
escape besides the damage done
TO tho governors person, demolished
three panels Of the garden fence and went
on her way rejoicing unhurt. Gathering
himsolfup as best he could, the Governor
declared that many'a time in the capacity
ola Judge he had had occasion to punish
men lormalicious mischief in wounding and
killing hogs, but if he always felt just like
he did then he would never do so again.
This incident, it is said, so amused Mr.. Ed
wards, the Governors fathcr-n-law, who
was ordinarily very sedatc man, that as
long as he lived at Gilmer, he delighted to
get crowd of the boys together and toll
them about the Governors rencontrc with
the sow, and most heartily would he laugh
over IT,