The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1902-06-06
TALES OF PLUCK
and ADVENTURE.
Jack Jouett Saved Jefferson.

days when the present entente be-
tween England and America was a
thing undreamed of. Worthy to rank
with it was the adventure of Jack
Jouett, young Charlottesville innkeep-
er, who rode thirty miles to save
Thomas Jefferson from capture. The
story is told in st. Nicholas by r. 7.
w. Duke, Jr.
Jack shrewdly guessed that Tarle-
ton would follow the highway into the
main road that led by the country
seats, the homes of the gentry. Jack
knew a shorter route, ar old disused
road that would lead him to the river,
thence to Monticello, and then to
Observation-Disclosures "a pleasant road
to ride or drive. though as picturesque
a route as one often sees; for Oh either
side grew great pine trees here. and
massive oaks there, while dogwood
and sassafras and sumac filed the
spaces. The road had once been
buffalo track. then an Indian trail,
then wagon road for a while, but as
no one ever worked it or changed the
grade, it rapidly washed into sue
cession of red gullies and became we'll
nigh impossible. So 1t had been
abandoned many years. and nature
had covered up the cars made by the
animals and men. and only In few
places could one have known that 1t
had ever been used as highway.
Broom-sedge grew wherever there
was an open space; ferns of hun
bred varieties clustered ia every h0l-
low where water ran. and the wild
bramble ran riot everywhere in the
shade. Into this old road Jack pushed
his horse, and soon was dashing at
full speed over hill and dale. 1t was a
dangerous ride, even at slow gait.
Deep gullies lay concealed under
treacherously smiling wild flowers.
Gruuna-hOg holes offered pitfalls liza
BILE to break the leg of his steed; over
hanging limbs swept him in the face.
and the wild brier ever and anon
caught him in a painful and harassing
embrace His face bore for many
years the scars left on his face by
this brier, which. you know climbs up
trees and seems to throw itself from
one to another. But Jack had no time
to consider these things. He knew
that in a few hours the enemy would
be in Charlotte willie. and make the
Governor and Legislature prisoners
unless he could give them timely
warming His mare was sure of foot,
sound of wind and no other fox hunt
er got the brush when Jack and she
were in the hunt.
So away he went touching her light
ly with the spur now and then. but
often cheering her in the race with
merry whistle or encouraging word.
He had thirty miles to make. He
could have as easily made fifty on a
good road as thirty through this will
derness. at one point the disused
road entered a field in sight of the
highway along which Tarleton's le-
gion was passing, and few strag-
glers saw Jack when he dashed into
the open. They followed him with
loud shouts and a pistol shot or two.
but when he dashed into the woods
they abandoned the pursuit. Once his
bay mare fell, her foot having caught
in a mass of brush and brier and half
rotten logs, but up she scrambled and
away she went, as If she knew that
the fate of a commonwealth depnded
upon her. In two hours Jack rode his
thirty miles and paused in the ford
just opposite the little hamlet of Mil
ton, two miles from Monticello. Only
a IDOuAll VI Ol wafer HS hllOW
gallant bay to sip, and then he dashed
up the river bank and on through the
streets of the village, stopping not at
anxious halls of men and women, but
merely shouting: The British are
coming! The British are coming
In ten minutes he drew rein in front
of a quaint brick house on top of the
now famous mountain. He was u
sight too the darkieS said His face
was torn and bleeding from the wild
brier thorns, his gray blue suit Gov
cred with mud and dirt his mare Gov
cred with sweat and foam and pant
ing as if her heart would burst through
her sides. Down from the porch in
front of which Jack had halted came
tall, thin man, dressed in suit of
nankeen, lace at his wrists and shirt
front, and with a little sword-cane in
his hand. This man had clear, spark
ling blue eyes, and IA thin skin under
which the blood almost seemed start
ing His hair was thin and curly and
covered with white powder For a
moment he did not recognize the
rider. Then, as he drew nearer. Why
Mr. Jouett," he said, what brings you
here, and with your good horse Sc
wen-nigh spent"
Jack could only gasp, The British
Governor! Tarieton and his men
r,osSaH Cr11plS 'raypl.n n * O'Clock this