The Hazlehurst signal., 1884-01-17
Neither Pig Nor Puppy.

A dear friend Of minc, who has ,
never-failing fund Of anecdotes. was
telling the other day how the expression
OF "neither pig nor puppy" originated.
During tho Known Nothing campaign In
Virginia. James Lyons mot Henry A.
Wise, his kinsman, on the stump. Mr..
LYONS accused his antagonist Of having
changed from one party To another with
ludicrous facility. Wise. In turn, re-
'tortcd in kind and said further on: In
my ncighbOrhoOd dwell two farmers.
One was hospitablc and the other un-
sociablc. They were differently consti-
tutcd by nature. Tho first ha,lan inii-
nation that Hon. Abel p upshur. then
Secretary Of the Interior, would spend
n day ut his house while visiting tho
cou ity. Mr.. Upshur was Unfortunately
fond of roast pig. but his eSpcciant host
discovered that this dainty was not pro-
cu-able, so far rs hc knew, In time to
crafty the appetite Of the Secretary.
The other farmer happened to hear OF
this and, in generous moment. or
dcrcd negro to catch one of his finest
pigs and carry II to his friend. Tic boy
did rs he was ordered and forthwith
proceeded on his journey. Half way
there was public house and Sainbo
stopped to get drink of whisky. The
bag containing the pig was put behind
door for fancicd security. Warmed
with the liquor, the negro told the
whole story of his mission. Some wild
fellows heard IL and determined to have
bit Of fun. They removed tho pig
from the bag and introduced n puppy
In its place.
The negro slouldcred his load, rc-
sumcd his journey. and finally ap-
pcarcd with his burden before the de-
lighted farmer. who was pro'nsc in
thanks. He told the boy To unite the
bag and let him sec the present. To
the CONSERVATION of tho negro and ragc
of the farmer the puppy dartcd ont,
with lively bark. The negro WAS
wrathfully commanded To put tho
puppy back and 20 home to his master.
who would be seen later. Reaching
the tavern on his return trip. the young
scamps who had previously tricked him
invited him to drink, and while some of
them piled him with whisky, others
hastily removed the puppy and restored
the pig to his old quarters.
The negro again took mp his bag and
trudgcd homcward In n state Of mel.
low but utter perplcxity. Confronted
by his master. he told how hc had start
ed with n pig that hal turned to q
PUPPY and could not account for 1t
short Of diabolical intervention. Tho
farmer sworc that there was no puppy
about his place. and cmphalically or
dcrcd the poor negro to unite the bag
and let the dashed thing go. Ubeying
the order. out rushed the pig, with u
grunt of delight nt dclivcrancc. Tho
master famed out at the negro for his
lying propcnsitics aud threatened him
with condign chastiscmcnt. The as-
tUInsuC'. -Si,t. ~ y "uuS- 'P ~ =. -. -
desperate protcs,a,'on, wildly cjac'ilat-
ing: Fore God, massa. when first
started that was u pig. and II turned to
puppy. and when | started again II
was u puppy AMI turned toa pig! The
burned thing can turn to n pig or
puppy whenever IL clooScS!'
Mr. Wise had no occasion To mako
the application To his opponent. The
crowd took il In unanimously AMI bore
the speaker of on their shoulders in
triumph. -iuynSid (Gd.) ChrOnicfc.