Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1911 — "JONES OF ARK” [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

"JONES OF ARK”

By Lawrence Alfred Clay

In the northwest part of the county there was a swamp of 160 acres in extent, and though the land all around was settled up by thrifty farmers the swamp was still state la&d. For a score of years the question of draining It had come up at Intervals, and it had become the burning question in the county. A legislature had granted permission for the work to be done, but there was the question of expense. The farmers who would be assessed objected and the matter passed through several phases and was the cause of much ill feeling and trouble. There had been two years of peace when a thunder-clap came.

From farmer ato farmer the news was passed that, a young lawyer In Scottville had bought the land of the state and was going to push things. In other words, a drainage ditch five miles long was to be dug through farms and the farmers compelled to pay the cost. The news of the skirmish at Lexington didn’t produce greater excitement. No one knew the name of the lawyer, but he was characterized as a shark, and there was talk of tar and feathers if he dared to show his face in the locality. No one was familiar with the drainage laws, but it was resolved to oppose them with force of arms, if necessary. Meetings were called at school houses and fiery speeches made, and the only thing lacking to bring on a war was a leader.

Miss Fannie Melton, daughter of the widow Melton, through whose farm the ditch would first pass, arrived home from a distant school on her summer vacation as the excitement had become intense. For years she had heard the question debated, and now was immediately interested. Her watchword was fight. Her attitude

made an impression on two or three of the nearest neighbors, and when they had reported it to others farmer Gray, old but full of fight, called to talk the matter over with her.

“What 1 wanted to ask you Is did you study law at that school you went to?” he asked.

“No, not exactly,” was the reply,' “but of course I heard more or less about law.”

“1 see. In this case we’d like to. know whether the law is for us or again us, but we don’t want to go to town and pay some lawyer $25 to find out. I was in hopes you might know, havin’ been to a school where they charge S2OO a year for teachin’ and boardin’.”

"Did the patriots of 1776 ask about law!” demanded the girl as her eyes flashed. “Did they ask about law Or get up and do things!” “By thunder, they did things!” “Then let us do the same.” .

“By thunder, we will!” “We must rally and fight for our rights —fight until the last man falls!' “By thunder, we must and will!” “Finding us determined, the enemy may not appear, by.t if he does—!” “We’ll bust his supenders in great shape! Say, 1 want you to come over to school house No. 2 tomorrow and talk to us. We are goin’ to have a big meetin’. Wasn't there a gal once called Jones of Ark whq led soldiers and did big things?” “You mean Joan of Rrc.”

“Yes, Jones of Ark. The schoolmas ter was tellin’ about her last winter. You come right along and be our Jones of Ark. You can talk big words and we can’t. You come and tell us all about Bunker Hill and all that and get a thrill goin’.” The girl of nineteen would have declined any such leadership had the matter been a new one and the case any. other. She was encouraged by her mother to “do something to scare that pesky lawyer,” and after much hesitation she appeared at the meeting. There she was hailed and Introduced as Jones of Ark, and farmer Gray concluded his introduction with: '“And by thunder she’s the gal to make the splinters fly!” ——■ “Jones” was emtarassed and flfistrated, but she said enough to bring the thrill hoped for, and it was decided to guard that swamp day and night with shotguns. The first Hes> sian to stick a spade into the sacred soil must die, and if the lawyer ap-

peared lx would be a bad day for him The county papers published the news next day and the fray was on. For two weeks the farmers waited for theenemy to appear, but as* noth, ing happened they went back to their corn and potato fields. They had put up a bluff to scare the lawyer and the county, and it had not been called Jones of Ark lost her job. 2 . One day, as peace reigned over the land and shotguns had been unloaded and put away in corners. Miss Fannie Melton sat on the shady veranda reading a book. It had nothing to do with Lexington or Bunker Hill or Joan of Arc. In fact, it was a cavalier story of other days, and me cavalier rode up to the gate in a buggy just at the proper moment. He wasn’t in but in a business suit. His visor wasn’t down, but very much up, and Miss Fannie .noted that he was a smart looking young man and had a business air about him. He was also smiling as® he opened the gSte and came up the path. “If this is Miss Melton I should like to talk with you a few minutes.” “Yes, sir." “My name is Winchester. 1 am a lawyer over at— ’’ “Why—why, you—you —!” “Yes, I ant the owner of the big swamp.” “Then 1 will call mother." “Not a bit of need of it 1 think 1 can make Jones of Ark understand the situation.” “They misunderstood and got it that way,” she explained with blushes. “Of course, but it rather pleased me to have such a leader rise up. We must not let patriotism languish in this country. We must be prepared to offer our lives any time the country wants them.” Miss Fannie blushed some more and half-rose from her chair.

“When King George oppressed us," continued the lawyer, “we arose in our patriotic wrath and drove his minions into the sea. When a lawyer buys a swamp we must do the same thing. Permit me to offer you, as the leader of this just revolution, arms and ammunition. About how many muskets can Jones of Ark make us Of?” r

His words were cutting, but his smile pleasant. The girl was so taken by surprise that she sat still. “And the tar and feathers, you know. You, Should figure on a whole barrel of tar, and at least one feather bed. Shall I send them out here in your care?” “Sir!” almost shouted the girl, as she sprang to her feet. “But I’m a bit sorry for Jones," said the lawyer as he shook hi,f hea<L “’. he swamp is not to be drained, nor have I had such a plan in view. I give her all credit for patriotism, but her efforts have been wasted. A part of the swami) is to be set aside for a trog farm, and the remainder will be a cranberry and huckleberry ranch. Respects to your mother. Good day!" And when Miss Fannie told Farmer Gray of it, and added that she should always hate the sight of the lawyer, he shouted out: “By thunder, but of course you will!” But she didn't. He not only drained the swamp at his own expense, and thereby gained a valuable farm, but he called at the Melton farm so often that the gossips said there must be something doing, and no one was surprised when the engagement was announced —not even farmer Gray, who said: "

“By thunder, but of course they’ll get married! Ain’t, everybody in love with Jones of Ark?”

She’s the Gal to Make the Splinters Fly.”