The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1837-05-19
II m Random Sketches Of the West"
AN ARKANSAS LAWYER.

Several wears since there came young
Virginisn into one Of the villages of the
Mesi-the county seat Of county--and
ann unced himself to the citizens as
LAWYER, who intended pitching his tent
among them. II was but q short time
before the sitting Of the court. and our
young debulsnt had the modification To
enter upon his legal passover without
single case. This state Of things would
have been rather dIscuuraging under any
circumstances. but il was still more So,
since il was accompanied with an alarm
ing emptiness III the region Of he pocket.
Rui our hero was not man gwen 10
Jurisprudence: and he began forthwith TO
cast about him for Inc purpose Of better
ing hls condition. Right over the way
from his lodgings stood what Is called,
in Western parlance, grocery. alter. a
"grng shop" Ineed not say it had iIs
full allowance of worshippers. From this
deilghIiul purlieu, amidst a Babel-like
concord Of drunken jsrgon. The ears Of the
briehess lawyer were struck with the
notes Of violin.
He saunlered csrelessly over, and
entered this scene Of rude jovialiiy. To
possess himself Of The fiddle, winch was
in the hands Of a Justly wood.chopper,
wa the work Of a moment; aud II was but
another moment before the thrnng we're
croa ding around IT, listen. After giving
them sweat wuh % Dell up the gum
BUSH" Lord Mcdonald" Sugar in
the gourd." i" Krlkrsnkie," L" The
GrsndSpy," aud several other good old
Srotch reels and slrsihspeys, they percel-
we'd thai the instrument vas played BY
master, ard they ali voted incontl emily
thu the 0rpheus Of the Rrog. shop was
perfectly eclipsed They we're delight
ed: hut when the unknown visitor added
hIs voice to the notes. aud burst out into
a ccmical negro song, the whole compa-
nv were uproarious IN their rsptures. l
mnsl except The musical woodculter: he
took il in high dudgeon, that ans one
should presume to compete with hum on
his "wn dunghlll.
" Harkee. Mister" said he, going up
10 our hero in a threatening manner,
:. sou may bes, me on The fiddle. bur III
b. Id II I can't oul-jump. throw down
AVID If II comes TO ,haI--whip you in
the bargain"
"Iaccepl the challenge" said the law
yer: and throwing down the violin. the
company repaired to the front Of the
grocery. There. al the first effort. he
dis,saeed his antagonist some SIX inches.
"He Jumps like greyhound" said
he OF the axe. scratching his head. and
somewhat mortified: but if CAM throw
him III be DID, ....
But the success Of the poor woodcutter
was as bad IN this trial of manhood as IN
the first. He was perfectly enraged by
his discom6tures. and stripping off his
eos. 50 ore he would fog him at any rate.
But The company. who had taken quite
a. affection to our hero lnterfered, aud
,hey all adjourned to the grog-sh"p 10
DIX each Others heallhs, and to smoke
the calumet.
In. LAWYER in the meanwhile kept
cracking his jokes, and singing his songs,
and telling his stories, 10 the great DIVER
siup of the company.
L. Was not long before some Of the to-
pers began very naturally To talk sbou.
thsn eases IN court. The lawyer then
eonmenced giving them advice, and
sd, L. very lesfnedly upon the subjeci.
va mast ~ 1arszf .an a. did
ma VINO had been listening to him very
ja!ently.