Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-07-04
PLAIN SAM JONES.
A Macon Letter Writer Gives a
Graphic Sketch of the
Evangelist,

1t is no common thing, says Ma
con letter to the Philadelphia Times,
for a man not worth a thousand dol
lars, who lives in a small country
town in a plain house not fully paid
for, to refuse the gift Of ten thou
sand dollar house in large city, and
yet that is what Sam Jones did the
other day in Nashville. And who is
Sam Jones?
Written on the conference minutes
it reads: Samuel Parkes Jones,
agent Orphans Home" but nobody
writes him reverend and everybody
calls him Sam. He is 36 years old,
was born in Alabama, and was
brought up in Georgia. His father
was a lawyer, and his mother SEN
sible, intelligent and excellent wO-
man. Sam was a precious boy. He
was always ready for a lively time,
a dog fight, a fishing frolicOra speech.
When he was five years old he was
booked for a speech at school eXhi-
bition. He ended his speech with
the prophecy:
Some day you'll hear in thunder tones
The famous name of Sammy Jones.
He went to the best schools and
took in what he learned by absorp-
ton. Nobody saw him study, but
he knew more than any Of his fell
lows. The teacher loved him, laugh
ed at him and lathered him. He
was full Of mischief and was about
rs years old when he began to fall
into bad ways. He was no vagabond,
never a gambler, thief or a coward,
but he would get on sprees, much to
the grief of his good mother and
father.
His father took him into his office
and Sam soon was rs. p. Jones, Esq,
attorney-at-law." He had no practice
and no money, but he met a bright
Kentucky girl and married her. He
ran an engine and drove a dray to
make a living. One day Sam, who
was employed in running an engine
which was connected with an ore
crusher at furnace, was much an
noyed by those who fed the crusher
putting pieces Of rock in the hopper
and throwing the whole of the ma
chinery out of gear. Sam declared
very emphatically his intention to
knock the head off the next man who
did it. 1t was done directly and by
a burly Irishman. Sam seized a ham
mer and knocked the Irishman down.
Next day Sam was coming from his
cabin and in an open space, some dis
lance from his cabin and some dis
lance from everybody, stood his an
tagonist of the preceding day.
eye struck me Yesterday" said
Pat; "no mon ever strikes me onct
who does not strike me again.
"Now, Pat" said Sam, 1--WE are
about even. You did what l TOLD
you not to do, and l knocked you as
l said | would; | don't bear malice
let's drop the matter"
But the Irishman declared his de
termination to have a fight then anG
there. The Irishman had only one
eye, Sam looked at him with perfect
cOolness."
"Pat," he said, 81 don't want t.
fight you, I can't; you could whil
me in minute; but tell you wha
l will do, you've got but one eye anC
ifyOu lay your hand on me, 1 viii
gouge your eye out, and you will bt
as blind as a bat"
That settled it. Pat knew hi.
man, and muttering: "The nor
that will gouge is a coward" lief
Sam alone.
One day Capt. Jones fell sick, anC
in a little while the prodigal San
stood by a dying father. He wa'
broken with remorse. The fathe
died and a great change came owe
Sam. He gave up his bad habits
and in two weeks he was gettiny
ready to preach. That fall saw 70
the first time a sallow, thin-faced
slouchy little fellow, with a keel
black eye; he came to the coferenc
for circuit. He got one, He wen
to it. He didnot know much abou
theology then, in truth he doesn'
know much now, but he knew me-