The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-02-24
JOE CALL THE MODERN HERCULES.

There incidents in the life of every individual,
however insignificant his station may be in society,
which if fairly written out, would be looked upon
by the sneering wiseacres of this sceptcal age
little better than sheer fiction But the true philos-
opher, with deeper vision, truth stamped upon
them, and only wonders at the mysterious Provi-
deuce who has thus fit to the beautiful
flowers of romance in the dark woof of ordinary life.
The life of the late Joseph Call, of Lewis, Frank
lin County, NJ Y, was rife with such incidents and
although is foreign to purpose in the present
article to play the part of bographer TO his memory,
yet we have thought an idle hour would not be un
proftaby spent in rescuing from oblivion few des-
ultory instances in which displayed the great
and almost incredible strength with which he was
gifted.
OF his early childhood we know but little, except
that he was the leader and champion of allthe boys
in the neighborhood. One incident however. has
been related to U.S. which, although it does not show
hero in very favorable light a scholar, dis
plays that peculiar trait of humor for which he was
so remarkable. It seems that upon certain occa-
sion, Joe had been guilty of breach of the rules of
school, aud accordingly the worthy pedagogue call
ed him up to administer the requisite correction.
Joe, indignant at the idea of being publicly whipp-
ed, no sooner mado his appearance the floor,
than, seizing upon the astonished knight Of the
birch, as Uncle Toby did upon upon the fly, he in
continenty flung him, neck and heels, of the
window, amidst the uproarious shouts of his COM
panions.
As he grew older, his natural jovalty of dsposit-
ion led him to frequent whimsical displays of his
physical superiority. At one time he would lift a
barrel of cider to his lps,-nnd, after having salts
fed his thirst from the bung-hole would grave
ly offer to pass it round to the company! At an
other, stealing silently behind teamsters wagon,
he would seize hold of the wheel, and suddenly
bringing the team to halt, would quietly remark
A breathing spell to your nags, neghbor."
At period Of lis life, when tearnster himself,
nc used frequently TO find his immense strength of
great service for whenever his team happened to
get set in a mud-hoe, he would crawl under his
wagon and, placing his braad shoulders against the
bottom, would raise the wagon load and all, grad
ually up until his horses were able to drag it forth
aithout difficulty.
A celebrated wrestler from Albany having heard
of Joe's reputation, once made him visit for the
express purpose, as he declared, of giving him n
touch of the fancy" Joe, with his usual modesiy,
discaimed all knowledge of the exercise but upon
the strangers pressing him finally consented to
take hold Accordingly they grappled-the sran-
ger throwing himself into the most scientific post-
ion /; while Joe, pretending utter ignorance of all
rule, assumed the most careless and exposed at-
tudcs They had scarcely got fairly hold, when
the ger, placing his foot Joes toe, attempt
ed with sudden yerk to throw him by what is
termed the tOe-lock.' But Joe, anticipating his
movement, quietly permitted him to assume the
necessary poston-and then, as he stood for "a mo-
mcnt balancing on Joes toe, gravely raised him in
10 the air. and danced him about as. mother would
her child.
On one occasion, Joe happening to spend night
at St. Johns, as he sat in the barroon of the hotel
where he stopped, the conversation turned upon
wrestling. Joe, being an entire stranger to the
company collected, sat listening to the conversation
participating but little in it. AT length one ndvid-
usl, after relating several wonderful cats which he
had accomplished, finally wound up by roundly as
serting that he had thrown Joe Call Joe, as might
readily be supposed, not little surprised at
this assertion from entire stranger; and in that
spirit of fun which always prompted him, exclaimed,
"Why, you'd swaiio,c a common man / should
like to take hold of you myself, if you would prom
ise not to hurt me-" The braggadocio instantly ac-
cepted the proposition, and they took hold. Joe,
with scarcely an effort, raised him from the floor,
and, holding him out at arms length, said to him,
/" There, UrcstLe" The as,onished wrestler could
only cry, Whoo-who--the devil are you 2"
1.-The man you threw-Joe Call, at your service,
SIR"
But the most remarkable feat which Joe ever
performed was the occasion of an incidental
wrestling match occurred between himself and an
other individual during the late war, at Platsburyh
1t seems that in the British camp was celebrated
English bully, whose immense strength and grea,
skill both as pugilist and wrestler made him the
terror as well as champion OF the army. Joe, hap
penng one day to be in the English camp, on some
errand or other, il was soon noised about and some
ofthe officers by chance getting wind of it, and al
90 hearing of bis great strength determined to bring
about match between the Yankee Hercules ant
their own bully. Accordingly, having brought them
together, II was proposed to Joe that they shoulc
have a set-to.' But Joe, who was any thing bu
quarrelsome, and whose natural nobility of clarac.
ter placed linn altogether above any thing of In,
opro mod he
st the same time, that he presumed the Englishmar
would throw him with the greatest ense as he pro-
fesscd mo- skill whatever. To this the baly sneer
ingIy replied that he could not only throw him, bu
sny other d----d Yankee they would bring ON
This ding ct the Yankees ne.tlcd Joe at once 70
although CONSCIOUS Of his own strength, he care,