Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-27
How the Governors Leg grew on.


An old fellow from Bear Wallow visited
the executive office the other day to talk
with the Governor and secure something
to elbow" about his neighborhOod.
"COme in" said a pleasant-looking
gentleman.
care you the GOvernor?''
Yes. sir.'
''Wall, then, Fve allus been mistaken
about you. had heard that YOU left one
of your legs on battlefield, but see
you've got two legs. How do you account
for that?'
easy enough. When l took my seat
as Governor / had only one leg with me,
having, as you say, lost the other one in
battle. A short time after l took my seat
noticed that another leg had begun tn
grow out. At first was alarmed, having
never heard of such a performance, but
after awhile l decided to await develop
ments. The leg kept on growing until the
ankle was reached. 1t stopped them for
a few days, and l thought that the resur-
rectIOn business was entirely suspended,
but | was wrong. The leg was only gath
ering material with which to build foot.
After awhile the foot began to make its
appearance. 1t reminded me of an old
woman knitting sock. 1t would have
tickled yOu to death to see how skillfully
and human-like the work of rounding off
the heel went on. Occasionally it would
drop stitch, but, SIT, it would hop back
and pick it up. was very anxious about
the instep, but my fears were soon allay-
ed, for it was shaped off as perfect as any,
thing you ever saw. At last, when the
performance reached the toes, hanged if
didn't think that / would itch to death,
but / cOuld't scratch, tor that would have
spoiled the work. When the job was COM
pleted | could walk as we'll as any man in
town. and even ran with au old old ne
gro down on the river bank"
did you walk around while the CROWN
was gOin' On?'' asked the man from Bear
Wallow regarding the Governor with
curious gaze
''Oh. no. l had to remain perfectly
quiet and allow my leg to lie on a kind of
cot which l had prepared for the Occa-
siOn."
Ibid you talk to any of the doctors
about it?"
Eyes, but they did not regard it as re-
| markable. One of our leading physicians
/ said that the election to office was very
] frequeotly the cause of legs and arms
| growing out, and gave it as his opinion
! that was the reason crippled men were
4 always after Offices"
''it may not have seemed strange to the
| doctor. but dinged if it don't seem mighty
! strange to me-"
'It did to me at first, but I soon got
used to it; and let me here remark that
when a man is elected Governor of Ark
ansaw he will soon get used to a number
Ct things he never heard of befOre.'
"NOw, when / go home an tell the folks
! that the Governors leg has grOwed out.
they'll believe it, for they don't think any
thin impossible with him, but when / tell
'em that Pve seed the Governor an sot
down an talked to him fimiiar-like, they
won't bevieye it. Can't you give me
| some sort of receipt shOwin7 that / have
seed you. Jest say: This here is to
certify that John Killpr9ne, of Bar Wal
Ter, has this day had a conversation with
me. l aXed John to set down an make
himself at home, which he done, an /
found him mighty entertainIn', an wush
| he'd come agin and fetch his folks Jes
draw up them words exackly am sign ZEN,
| please"
''Ill do it, sir" and the receipt was
dra wn up and signed. Greatly elated, the
man from Bear Wailow went down. Al
the State House gate he met the watch
man. who asked.
THAT feller gone down from up yondel
yet?'
"What fellerf7
'That feller in the Governors roomf'
''Ain't he the GOvernor?'
Governor, the dence. He's a jack-les
lawyer from up in the country and is here
| tryin' TO get pardon for a hog-thief. Tn,
| Governors been dodgin' him all day.