Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-20
PAwNED A CORK LEG.
Resort of a Oepraved Husband to get
Money for Drink.
From tie Mean York star.

Money for Drink
From tie Mean York Star.
Atthe corner OF 18th street and Madison
avenue, perched high upon a pinnacle
rock wherein the enterprising advertise
ing sign man has writ wierd legends,
stands the home OF Mrs. Mary Johnson.
People Whereabouts who live in brick and
mortar residences denominate Mrs.
JohnsoH's abode a shanty. Anyway,
she made 1t with her own hands. and she
IS proud OF it. She is also proud OF her
goats and her cork leg. The leg is a
greater care to her than all her other
earthly possessions-Mr. Johnson in
GUIDED, for the county takes care OF hlm
eleven and half consecutive months out
Of twelve.
Mrs. Johnson's other leg grew there and
Is consequently fast. Most Of the good
old lady's time is taken up in hunting
the other, for when the genial Mr.. john
son returns to the bosom of his family
after one Of his rustications be invariably
detaches Mrs. johnson from her artificial
llDD and drinks it up-that is, he paWns
1t and lays out the proceeds in liquor.
When the leg first came home it was re-
garded as a bigger thing than the tele-
phone or the monograph by the neigh
hors, and was exhibited on the parlor
mantel shelf 1t created envy in the
breasts OF several ladies who had to get
along with their natural members, and,
the neighbors dividing on the subject,
q bitter teud resulted; but time. which
meals all wounds, cured this dlHlculty,
and the tact that the patent leg was a
Job lot, several sizes too large, and real
impeachment to locomotiOn, helped the re-
cancellation amazingly. II is related
that the railway company which ampu-
tated Mrs JohnsOn's lee bought the new
limb a. auction and presented It to her.
IL was quite shock to Dir, johnson
when he returned from BlackwelPs Is
land and beheld for the first time the cork
leg grazing the mantel piece. lie inn
aglned y was the plaster fac-simile OF a
ballet girPs implements, and asked his
gentlemen friends TO step in and admire
ii. Then he wrapped il carefully in a
newspaper, and lett it at a pawn-shop,
and wentov to the island thar night.
1t cost Mrs. johnson the proceeds OF two
weeks washing to redeem the ornament.
When MIR. johnson, VINO by the bye, is
known only as Jack sport" by his in
Inmates, came home again the leg was
strapped TO Mrs. Johnson, but he sat
upon her while he removed it. Now
Mrs. Johnson only wears her limb while
her amiable husband is in jail. When
his time is about up she sends it over to a
neigho boris and gets along on crutches.
Two OF Mr.. JohnsOn's friends sought to
emulate his example the other night. They
didn't take the trouble to come in at the
door, but kicked hole in the side Of the
shanty, and proceeded, after Mr.. John
sons well known plan, to remove the
artificial limb; but as Mr.. Johnson was
expected home she had left it with the
custodian, and they were disappointed.
They were displeased, very naturally,
and said so so emphatically that Mrs.
johnson could not get out of bed for two
or three DAYS, and when she did she com
planned to Justice German in the Harlem
Court. and had owen Kane, Dennis Ker-
ley and William Brown, all friends of
Mr.. johnson, put to the inconvenience of
explaining the matter to his honor, who
insisted on locking them up for want of
81, 800 bail.
Mrs. JOhnson's cork leg has caused her
so much annoyance that she contemplates
selling it al a discount or swapping it for
a dog. II is sand that MIR. Johnson is in
clined to discoun;enance the familiarity
of his friends, Kane, Kerley and Brown,
toward Mrs. Johnson.