The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-06

"Yes" said Mr.. Joyner, I knoWed
a man, once who got into the same
habit, and he kept up the haolt' tne
habit kept growing on MN, anu He
vent growing on the habit; and, ABOUT
the time he found out what ms h1ol.
was doing for him, that haolt, Iot
to be outdone, got him INTO ~,
spree and he died drunk. lll s.. i &C.,
killed him. He had five or SIN poYs
who thought they'd try the habit pus-
iness-they got to drinklng-Just "
habit. YOU know-and it was no lliile
fore habit knocked out the Oldest one,
Then the second one thought ne
show habit what he could 90; ou'
habit soon downed him too. men
the three or four other boys Went llIIo
the habit business-sorto dubbed To-
gether. YOU know-thinking they'd 40
lust as they pleased with old haplt'
but he downed 'em every one. es,
they got into the habit of dying-Just
a habit you knoW-and so the ora
man and al his sons went the same
road-gat in the habit of gong; ana
they kept on going. Just habit you
know. Funeral every year, until they
got into the habit of having funerals.
The young men, all this time, were
listening, and had not tasted of the
liquor.
a man and woman-husband ana
wife-who got into the habit of keep
ing a bottle, and that habit got EN-
into the habit of duarrelng-Just
habit YOU know; and almost any Tune
YOU went by their house you'd hear
D fuss worse than a dog fight-Just
a habit YOU know And one day. 40
I was going by there, q was IN the
habit of going by because they llVcd
on the roadD | saw them stahollS
out at the wood pile qparrellng over
how they should kill Il chicken. Ihere
he stood with the chicken IN ms
hands and there she stood with the
ave in her hands. He wanted to
wiring the chickens head off, and she
wanted to chop it off. She said: ~
Won wiring that chickens head Off II
bust you open with TINS axe ne
said: "Ill wiring your neck Tor you
if you say another word. WIN my my
he wrung the chickens head Oh, a h
at the same moment she let fly the
axa at him. The axe and the chicken
hit the ground at the same time. Just
habit they had of killing chickens
that way; and they killed chickens
tbat vay because they were IN the
habit of drinking from the same pat-
tle Just a habit. you know. .o
BY that time the young men NJ
had the bottle began to look like they
neciallv sorry they had SAID anythlhS
about habit. -
am SIRE | have not done Mr.. JOY
nor i,1stice in the effort to repeat what
he said; but l have written as L re-
member. To enjoy the story one must
hear him tell it.
While ! am thinking OF Mr. JOY
ner. | guess l had as we'll tell stoIy
he told me on my friend Capt. w.
Of T
hospitable home ] recently spent seN-
eraI DAYS most delightfully."-.
During the war Captain Pleasants
houeht no all the gold and silver ne
could find; and hearing that MT. WI
lis Joyner had silver laid away, the
Captain lost no time in paying MN
q visit: and. after talking aWhlle OF
other matters, he finally asked NJ l.
Jovner if he had any silver
"Oh. yes" said Mr.. Joyner.
Would you like to sell it?" the
Captain asked. g, I'll.
sell after awhile, but | don't wish 10
do so Just now"
The Captain being a thorough buSi~
ness man, knew it was pest not 10
press the matter; so he simply sald:
"When you do get ready 10 sell
hone Mr.. Joyner. you'll give me q
him he would but said in the wind up
he rcckoned he had better keep ms
silver for hard times.
THAT remark made the Captain more
anxious to buy. and to coVet more
than ever. that old bag OF nara dol-
lars he felt confident Mr.. Joynef hau'
which would make things so easy III
case of a final break UP OF the con-
federaCy.
yes" said Mr.. Joyner, 81 saw him
right often. When I'd go to town
he'd be sure to ask me if was ready
ia sell vet, or tell me he was coming
out nv way soon. a bird hunting or
fishing. or something; and he'd come
foo. | knew he was after my silver,
but | was determined not to be hurried
into a trade. so / continued to put
him off / do not remember JuSt now
long we'd been on that trade, but
kent him off a year or more, and L
puass no had ridden about five humid
red miles first and last, hunting, lSil-
ing and seeing me about my SILVER
SO | made up my mind ,One DAY, WheH
! was thinking about it, all to myself,
that if he offered me my price q
sell The next time he came 80, one
dav not long after that, he drove UP
and said: eve come to trade Mr..
.Tovncr, for you silver. If you are go
ing to sell it, you must do it today
for I've ridden after it long enough.
Il think so, too, Captain, ana IN
ready to SELL | said.
"How will you sell 2" the Cap
tain asked. running his hand into ms
brooches pocket, which stood out like
there might have been million In 1t.
"a hundred for one" said |, "and
not a cent less"
I'll take it all" said the Captain,
pulling his hand from his pocket
bringing out roll of bills big enough
for a pillow.
you can have it," | said.
"How much have you?" the Captain
asked, as he began to unroll his humid
"Ten cents!" said /.
"W-h-a-t!" exclaimed the Captain.
"tF-e-n C-e-n-t-s?"
yes" said 1, that's every cent I've
got"
The reader can better imagine the
tableau than / can describe it with
my pencil. l first had the story from
Mr.. Joyner, and afterwards from
Captain Peasants; and they concur in
| the opinion that, first and last the
| Captain did not travel less than three
| hundred miles in pursuit of that ten
| cents. The Captain considers it the
| best joke ever gotten off at his eX-
| ~ and he lows If