The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-01-15
GIANT JACK.

~SSo,
staying few days in a Missouri village,
that first saw GiantJack- Twas coated
on the piazza Of the only hotel that the
place could boast of, when I saw o large,
handsome man. accompanied by very
pretty woman, passing down the stzees.
He was over six fees IN height, with
broad shoulders, . deep. full chest
muscular and well formed limbs, glossy,
chestnut hair, and a huge besrd Of the
same color, which hung nearly to his
waist. He was about S5 years Of age,
and his companion appeared to be about
twelve years his junior. They were
seated in a handsome carriage, drawn by
a pair of beautiful, blooded horses; and
it was evident that they belonged to
wealthy class Of people,
'Tbat ere big feller?7 said mine host
in reply to my inquiry. "W'y, that's
John Norval. Ne N him has allus ben
chums ever sence we wuz boys When
ther gold fever broke out in 40, wewent
ter Californy tergether. It wuz while he
wuz thar that he got ther nickname Nv
Giant Jack-sn' ther name Jest fits him;
John is er giant in size, and his heart IS
big in proportion ter his body. Er better
feller than John never stood in two
shoes; an I, who've known him ever
sence he wuz knee high ter er grass
hopper, ken swar ter it. He owns ther
big grocery store thar erorost ther street,
an ther dry goods store jest beyond this
hotel; and ther bg house yer passed jest
before yer entered this village, is hisn.
'Me'n' John didn't make our fortm'
diggin' Californy gold, cz some did"
continued the landlord ''Arter we'd
ben thar erbout five years, we got kinder
honesick; an, ez we'd made er big
enough pile ter start Us in business here
in our native village, we concluded ter
pull out fur home
"But jest before we got ready ter start,
thar wuz new arrival at the camper
man named Horton, an his daughter.
When Giant Jack see ther gal he decided
ter stay erwhile longer, an, w course,
ez didn't want ter start fur home with
out him, stayed, too. Giant Jack had
fell in love with Clara Horton, almost at
fust sight, an couldn't blame him fur
it; fur she wuz purtier'n any picter !
ever see.
Horton pretended that be had come
ter dig gold, but we found out after
wards that that wuz only er blind. he
wuz professional gambler; an before
he had ben at ther camp ten days, he
had fceced no less'n half er dozen miners.
Such soomdrels WIZ very common in
ther California gold regions il them
days.
Giant Jack disiiked Horton from the
fust, but he made friends with him SO he
could git 'quainted with his daughter;
an before Clara Horton had Bon er week
at the camp, she an Giant Jack Wuz ther
best Nv friends
'sGisnt Jack had pitsed ther girl on
ther day when he had fust seen her
when ther stage had brought her an
her father up from ther city; fur she
seemed er lady, with her quiet ways an
her wistful eyes, an not tall fitted fur
ther wild, rovin' life, which it wuz plain
her father wuz .eadin' her.
"Pity is akin ter love, they say; an
mebbe it wtz ther cause Nv Giant Jacks
fallfn' in love with Clara Horton SO sud-
den; fer ten days from ther time he had
fust seen her, he azed her ter be his wife.
"sI Like yer better'n any other man
ever see,' she told him, an I would be
glad ter leave my father, whom can
neither I've nor respect; but, on her dyin'
bed, my mother made me promise never
ter leave my father, without his consent.
Eff he don't object, an you aren't ashamed
ter marry er gamblers daughter, will
be your wife; but I can't break the
promise I made ter my dyin' mother
"Horton no: only objected, but told
Giant Jack he'd put e- bullet through
him ef he caught him hangin' 'round
arter Clara any more, No one short Nv
er milioner. he said, could have his
daughter.
"Giant Jack drew his pistol from his
belt. thouglit erwhile, an then put it
back erS,in.
6 If Yer want Clara's father, said be,
'pG let darlielS through yer