Old Jack Ringbolt
by
Had been spinning old Mrs. Tartaremetic any quantity of salty yarns; she was quite surprised at Mr. Ringbolt’s ups and downs, trials, travels and tribulations. Honest Jack (!) had assured the old dame that he had sailed over many and many cities, all under water, and whose roofs and chimneys, with the sign-boards on the stores, were still quite visible. He had seen Lot’s wife, or the pillar of salt she finally was frozen into!
“And did you see that–Lot’s wife?” asked the old lady.
“Yes, marm; but ’tain’t there now–the cattle got afoul of the pillar of salt one day, and licked it all up!”
“Good gracious! Mr. Ringbolt!”
“Fact, marm; I see’d ’em at it, and tried to skeer ’em away.”
“Well, Mr. Ringbolt, you’ve seen so much, and been around so, I’d think you would want to settle down, and take a wife!”