Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1885-07-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
Rev. Sam Jones.

MISCELLANEOUS.
Rev. Sam Jones.
Macon CGa.) letter.
1t is not common thing for a man
not worth thousand dollars, who
lives in small country town in a
plain house not fully paid for, to re-
fuse the gift of ten thousand 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 thirty-six years
old, was born in Alabama, was brought
up in Georgia. His father was n
lawyer and his mother sensible, in
telligent, and excellent woman. Sam
was precious boy. He was always
ready for lively time, adog-fight, n
tisticuff and q fishing frolic, or n
speech. When he was five years old
he was booked for speech at school
exhibition. 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 fellows.
The teachers loved him, laughed at
him, and lathcred him. he was full
of mischief and was about sixteen
years old, when he began to fall in
bad ways. He was no vagabond,
never gambler, thief, or coward I,
but he would get on sprees, much to
the grief of his good mother and
father.
BR1EFLEss LAWYER.
His father took him INTO his office
and Sam soon was IS. 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 dray to
make 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 into 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
burly Irishman. Sam seized a
hammer and knocked the Irishman
down. Next day Sam was coming
from his cabin and in an open space,
some distance from every one, stood
his antagonist of the preceding day.
Ye struck me Yesterday" said
Pat; ''no mon ever strikes me onct
who does not strike me again."
Now, Pat" said Sam, we are
about even. You did what 1 told
you not to do, and I knocked you as
l said would. Idon't bear malice {;
let's drop the matter. %
THREAT THAT PROVED EFFEcTuAL.
But the Irishman declared his de-
termination to have fight then and
there. The Irishman had only one
eye. Sam looked at him with per-
feet coolness.
(" Pat" he said, "I don't want to
fight you, 1 can't; you could whip
me in minute; but tell you what
1 will do, you've got but one eye and
if you lay your hand on me, sure as
you are living, will gouge your eve
ont orI 1,o,, ILL -. -.
That settled it. Pat knew his man,
and muttering: "The mon that will
gouge is coward" left Sam alone.
One day Captain Jones fell sick,
and in little while the prodigal Sam
stood by a dying father. He was
broken with remorse. His father
died and great change came over
Sam: He gave up his bad habits,
and in two weeks he was getting ready
to preach. That fall 1 saw him for
the first time-a sallow, thin-faced, ,
slouchy little fellow, with keen black
eyes: he came to the conference for
circuit. He got one. He went to
it. He did not know much about
theology then, in truth he doesn't
know much now, but he knew men
and he knew their needs, and he be-
gan to preach what he knew. He
made men laugh and he made men
cry and he made men angry, and one
day he lost his temper and came very
near whipping blacksmith who an
gered him. He was rather unmerci-
full to men whose religion was all
mouth or all tears.
Is THE CONFERENCE
In two years we took Sam in the
conference, and settled it that he
rouId do Cipca Lo L,,,. 49,. =.