The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1912-04-26


utes the doctor was seen driving hur-
riedly out the Powder Springs road.
He stopped at country home four
miles west of Marietta, now owned
by Judge Sam Atkinson, Of the SUI
preme Court. On his return a few
hours later, ne was asked by some
ladies, Anything serious?" The doc
tor answered, "No, just an ordinary
Georgia Cracker about nine pounds.
Mother and boy doing we'll"
The father of the young lad at that
time, together with every man and
boy in this country that was large
enough to shoulder a rifle, was with
General Johnston stubborDly resist
ing General Sherman in his march to
the sea.
AS the years passed by and this
young Georgia Cracker got to be boy
about ten years old, it fell to his lot
at his country home to drive the cows
to the pasture in the morning and
would run up and down the road and
into the fields instead of going
through the gate This caused the
young Cracker" lots of worry and
considerable pain, for he stumped his
toes on every rock on the premises
running after the cows.
One day his good mother saw him
with a wheelbarrow, pick and shovel
at the edge of the lot nearest the road
digging away with all the energy he
could command, She approached him
and asked him why he was digging
the hole. He looked up at her and
said: Mother, nearly every one Of
my toes have been sore all the sum
mer from stone bruises, running after
the COWS. ! am digging a tunenl from
the lot, under the road, into the pas
ture, so the cows can go in and out
without me driving them" He COM
pleted the tunnel. That was his first
engineering feat.
This young Georgia Crackers"
good mother gave him one of the male
calves for looking after the COWS. AS
time rolled around, this calf got to be
q full grown steer. The young man
found an old wagon that Sherman had
left in his march to the sea, and at
leisure times and rainy days, he would
bring them back in the afternoon The
COW lot was on one side of the public
road and the pasture on the other. The
COWS were very contrary at times, and
chop wood on the farm and haul il
to town with his OK and sell it, He
could only bring a small load He
was very ambitious to secure another
OK so he could bring a larger load and
sell il for double the price He saved
every penny, and was very happy
over having accumulated about
enough wealth to buy another OK. He
was not certain that his OK would
work double, so he decided one Sun
day afternoon TO try him out He fixed
pole 70 his wagon put one end of
the yoke on mis- OK and securely fas-
tened the other end on his own neck
and started down q long hill at the
Clay place, in this manner The OK
got frightened. started down the hill
believing and running at fun speed
This young Cracker" was securely
fastened 10 the OK, so he had to 20
with him, and 90 fast After they had
gone about quarter Of a mile ia this
way, he discovered some men at the
foot OF the hill and he began yelling
with all his might: Head US, Head
us! Darn our fool souls, stop US"
The men finally stopped the boy and
his OK. They ran around to unyoke
the young Georgia Cracker" and he
very eXcitedly said, What the devl
you unyoking me for? ! win stand.
Qpyoke that blamed ox!'' -..
a" This ended the Young mans career
on the farmA he sold his OK and
wagon, TOOK what money he had ac-
cumulated, Went straightway 10 the
nearest railway station and asked the
agent the name OF the biggest town IN
the United States, lie was told that
New York City was the largest city
on the North American continent. He
purchased his ticket 20 New York and
boarded the train. He was dressed
in brogan shoes and a suit Of CoppeTs
clothes made on an old loom by a ne
gro slave.
When the train stopped at Jersey
City ne asked the conductor if that
was New York, and was told that it
was not, but TO follow that crowd
getting of and he would get there.
He joined them. They went short
distance and took seats in what the
young Georgia Cracker supposed was
a depot. IN a few minutes he felt
what he supposed 70 be the depot
rocking. lie jumped up and ran TO
the end. and discovered that he was
on boat which Was fast moving away
from the shore. lie ran up to the
CAPTAIN in very excited manner and
says: Captain, what in the thunder
do you mean? Stop this blamed thing
and take me back 10 shore. / don't
want to 30 10 Europe want to 90
to New Yor6.' The captain assured
him that be was not taking him 10
Europe, but was taxing him across
the Hudson TO New York City.
ne then asked he Captain WY
they didn't 1uild q bridge across that
river, and was told that it was too
wide. he then ASKED the captain why
they didn't tunnel it. then. The cap
tain laughed at him. With assurance,
the young Cracker said. "Wen. /