The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-16

reply, but cleared his throat again in
more emphatic manner. Jones took that
second clearing of his throat TO mean
new resolve to avenge personal insult,
and he asked us If we had not observed
that it was q custom of Johnson to clear
his throat when new purpose had en-
tered his mind. After a moments re-
Election, we told Mr.. Jones we thought
we had
Both the combatants were our intimate
personal friends from school days through
life. AS boy and man, Tom Jones was the
most lovable and beloved person we have
ever known, and in the mysterious Prov
idences of God. the most afflicted. Both
bore the blood of Revolutionary ancestors
of great distinction. Both were chiyal-
rous, brave and determined. Johnson
was proud and somewhat naughty man,
pride, ancestral and personal. Jones ma
ture was more kindly and benevolent.
Without being demonstrative he was
markedly sympathetic, but when reused
he was lion rampant. His was the most
evenly balanced nature we ever knew He
was slow to anger, but when wrought up
by some supposed injury his enemy
might beware of him. But he was pla-
resentment melted before the proffered
hand of friendship as the early frost be-
fore the morning sun ray. Johnson was
austere and tenacious of his enmities. We
had been much with Johnson in our early
school days at Edenton and at his faith
er's elegant, hospitable home at Ban
don, {" on the Chowan river We boarded
together in the same family when at
I,c,. 4 of
and after we entered the arena of life
we were confidential friends.
In passing through Hertford where
Johnson lived, from and to Edenton, our
native home, it was our general custom
to stop awhile and call at Johnson's Of
fee We never heard him allude to Mrs
Jones but twice. Once, during conver-
sation he expressed his admiration of
Mrs. Jones lovely character and added
that "he was afraid he loved Mrs. Jones
more than - man should love another
mans wife" At another time. on the
morning when the child was born to Mrs.
referred 10. in his will made long after,
as "his unfortunate daughter, we met
Daniel Johnson and he announced to us
the birth of the baby. and said that 1t
was 1.-THE largest and finest baby Mrs
Jones ever had. and that Mr.. Jones was
delighted over it.
On the morning that Jones passed
i sthrough Elizabeth City 70 meet john ~
at the fatal field Of Badensburg, we rode
to town from the country in which we
then lived. Soon after we stopped at the
| Leigh House, now the "AloemarIe
House" we met Zion Cupepper. with
whom we had friendly relations and he
asked US il we had heard the news. We
asked what? He said that Mr.. Jones
came down from his home in Hertford
that morning to take the stage for Norfoik
on his way to fight a duel with Danlei
| Johnson at Bladensburg, near Washing
ton. ID. c.. and that he had left about an
hour before. We replied that we were
sorry to hear it, that Johnson had every
advantage, that Jones sight was very
much impaired and that he could hardly
recognize a man ten feet from him; that
Johnson was the best shot with pistol
rife or a shot gun in North Carolina;
that he had cultivated pistol shooting at
a target as fine art and could Split
tape string at ten PAGES every time, ana
that if he fired his pistol at Jones Tom
Jones was dead man. Oh no. said zion
| "Cod will not suffer a good man, VINO mas
been so greatly wronged, to be killed by
1.-THE man who has wronged him. zion
forecast was right. In less than week
from that time news came to us, that
Johnson was killed by Jones at the lrst
fire by a pistol shot through the head
Grief followed the sad tragedy. Fami-
| lies who knew not sorrow. were made
wretched for life by the dread circum-
stances and their tragic winding-up The
| chronicles of Dr.. Dick billiard furnish the
following painful incident:
"Charles Z. Johnson. Sr. the father OF
Daniel f. Johnson, was a wealthy fisher-
man and farmer whose residence at Ban
don" on Chowan river was seat of lux
ury and elegant hospitality. The old gem
tleman who was stately in person and
distinguished in life. was never happier
| than when he relaxed his dignity upon
some festive occasions in his happy house
| hold. At such a time. when mlrth ana
happiness ruled the hour, steamer,
with mourning flags at half-mast landed
at his wharf on Chowan river. and
mournfuI cortege Unexpectedly bore a
corpse to the door Of the gay and festive
party at Bandon. II was the body of the
unfortunate son who fell mortally wound
| cd on the bloody field of Bladensburg.
| LET us draw the veil over that scene OF
family anguish. The body was sent home
| for burial few days after the sad event,
and we have heard that new grave was
dug for it in the yard near the window
at which the old father commonly sat
| And we have also heard that the old
man was never known to smile after
| ward.
Now what is the SEQUEL to this sad
chapter in the history of the Albemarle
section? All the actors in it and all con-
nected in any way with it have passed
away. and none can be panied by this ar
ticle of an event that once gave tremb-
ling to pallid lips. Some we trust to that
better land where strife and mourning
are unknown.
Jones never was himself again. Blind
with poor health. miserable, he fingered
on, beloved as of yore. respected by an
without an enemy in the world and with
the pity and sympathy OF numerous
friends.
Some time in the fifties we went t6
Hertford from a farm we had in ChoWar
to take the stage TO Elizabeth City Wt
we're detained in Hertford for .severa
| hours az night in waiting for the stage