The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-09-18
THE FLYING JENNY
And a Few Facts Pertaining to the
Same.
BY THE DEVIL.

The editor has directed the devil to
write something about the flying
jenny. Although it be task, the devil
will obey, as he always does when the
editor, in stentorious tones, tells him
to do this or that.
To begin, the devil is at loss to
know where and how, but will make
a blind leap by telling the people
what they already know-the last
mothers son-that the flying jenny is
here, and while this is being written
the riders are in the saddle. Not be-
ing addicted to the habit of handling
the truth carelessly, the devil hesitates
to say that the people do not know OF
its presence In town, for the paths
from the business apd private houses
to that dear creature, the flying jenny,
are travel-worn and plain, decidedly SO.
In fact, his aversion to smothering
the truth is great, trait characters
tic of all Office devils. They a0iH tell
the truth. Without desire to do him
self praise, however, by Haunting his
love of truth in the face of the public,
the devil feels impelled to venture
the assertion that they have seen the
flying jenny, which proves what the
devil at first said-that everybody
knows it is here. Yes, it came to town
more than two weeks ago, and most
of us know how many calculations or
revolutions it makes in five minutes,
and what it requires to ride around
that number of times in that length of
time. For that purpose it takes but
the paltry sum OF five cents lone
nickel. The devil tried it once, twice,
thrice, and when he betook himself
off in secret and seclusion to investi-
gate, after paying the price OF his en-
joyment, he found that his pocket
book had been knocked as fiat as a
pancake, not copper left to buy
COOLERS with.
The editor, like good many others,
thinks it nuisance, and that it ought
to be downed by those holding the
reins of government, while others say
that nothing has ever come to this
town in the shape of good thing but
the flying jenny, and swear that if it
leaves by force of the authorities, or
what not, they will leave with it. The
devil is on the fence, where he in all
likelihood will remain, if there be not
wonderful revolution in his feelings.
When the flying jenny arrived it
was a novelty and afforded amuse-
ment for all who liked it. 1t is now
growing not only old and tiresome, but
draws by its attraction, which seems
to be magnetic and irresistible, the
young Of the good to mingle and mix
with the young and old of the bad of
both sexes. Young men are there
seen night after night the champions
of low and and depraved characters of
the opposite sex, and there is not
night, where all this gaiety and these
m;rthful doings are carried on, that
drunken men are not plentiful, both
on and off the horses.
On last Saturday night murder
was avcrted only by the timely inter
vention- of Bob Remine and Henry
Ray, two worthy police of our town.
A pistol was flashed in the face of one
man by another, and in just mo-
ment more the trigger would have
been pulled and Clate Moore lain dead
on the platform of the flying jenny
all this about a paramount of one or the
other of the two men who faced each
other in such defiant attitudes. This
brazen miss the while sat upon her
horse in the very heighth of merri-
ment and good humor, utterly careless
of and Indifferent to the direful con-
sequences about to be wrought as the
result of her so-called charms.
The above is only one of the many
disgraceful scenes that are being
nightly enacted there. Drunkenness,
debauchery, ribaldry, in all their hid
eousness, with bare and uncovered |
head, with cheek the sight of which
would pollute a blush of the slight |
est, fainest tint, stalk hand in hand at |
the flying jenny, while the air is rife
and reeks with obscenity from the
lips Of those who are mourned 10y
fathers and mothers, old and gray, as
lost to chastity.
These are facts. The devil has been
there. He saw and heard what he has
Now, if the editor will re-
lease him, he will leave his task and
prove a galley"
P. S.-The devil has written what
he believes to be the editors views, and
not his own, because the men who
own it have paid the required license
TO run their fy-horse, and those who
the issuance OF such license
should see that they and the public
ire not imposed on by drunken dead
beats and dissolute women. Mean
while, the devil remains on the fence,
ooking over In the direction of the
ly-old warehouse.
Another Opportunity.