Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1844-02-10

the big-hearet backwoodsnen who could a..
brook the shackles of fashion and, therein.
sought freedom ind sincerity in the wilderns..
We OF course thought him susceptible of p,,,
itude and that he would evince his gratitude +,
civil behavior. The party and plunder' wero
soon on deck and on we went. But our o,;..
was soon interrupted. Our ears Were assailsa
with the direst imrrecaiions ever uttered
civil war had broken out in the democr,,;,
portion of our little republic. We were an
interested in the preservation of peace and an,
Captain. like Captain Tyler, though, he had
right TO interfere, led Us to The scene of acto,,
Peeler and his party, wives, children and al,
stood on one side of The boat in battle sr,,v
Ben flourished butcher knife; his lieu,epa,,
shook club like Hercules. His lovely wivo.
had transformed themselves into furies, Re-
hind their matted hair, we saw their psrir,
eye-bals-lhey cleEched their fsts-stamnod
on the floor, and cried for blood and battle
As many hardfsted deck passengers stood on.
Posie, equally resolute, and well armed. The
sudden appearance of the Captain and suite
quelled the passions of the antagonists, like
Nepiune's trident Gains the raging waves
| A BENCH overthrown in The scufie, Law be-.
tween the combatants, around which were
sirewn-s spades. clubs, diamonds. and dollars.
Ben and his party were professional gamblers
In the exercise of their lawful calling, capi.
cious chance had decided against them. Re-.
snatched up The stakes, and this resulted in The
row first described. had a curiosity to kpou
the circumstances under which Ben had hoe,
"fotched up" He knew no more aboutA.R
c. than Black Hawk, yet be was profound,v
versed in gambling, was an inspired swearer
and possessed no ordinary talent for drinkins
whiskey. had never seen united in one in.
dividual, SO much Ignorance of science and so
much knowledge of vice. Ben was frank,
and gave me rapid sketch of his history. 81
am more of an alligator than landsmap.
have lived on the Mississippi, from one end
TO the other, followed rafting timber down
the river and cordelling keel boats up it,
Lord how the first steamboat believing and
splitting fire scared me-but | got to be fire.
man on board one of them. AS for schools
which you speak of, never saw the inside of
one-l never heard any body preach or pray,
though l have learned some of their songs a.
corn stockings. squalted in Illinois. a few
years. Sal, jim and tho children all grew fat.
| could kill three deer day, and lie in nv
shanty. Bot liquor then was very dear. The
cursed people soon drove me out Of that. They
settled near me, and filled SAILS head with no.
tlons. She wanted bonnet; then shoes.
could not stand it, A pedIar came along and
bansered her to buy clock. He told her he
could make it speak her name. He gave i,
the wink. and it clucked on, SAL SAL Sal
twelve times before il stopped. SO she gave
him twelve dozen coon skins-enough ; have
bought barrel of liquor, for the clock. was
out hunting that day, or would have taken
the worth ofmy coon skins, out of the ped
lars hide. Then smooth looking, powder.
/ ed dandy, came along, and insisted on me to
send my children to school. sa, down, and
asked him 10 'cut a deck Of cards. and he
commenced cutting them in two, with his
knife. The greenhorn didn't know how 10
gamble, swear or drink, and yet he wanted 10
teach my children! l suppose you have no.
ticed that children who chew tobacco. drink
| liquor and swear, can thresh or throw down
those that do not. Why sir, if you want to be
a match for swapping turtles and wild cats
you must swear-ihis, and drink OF grog,
makes lion Of a man. | have worn out my
fingers before now 10 unite knott would
swear at it, the cursed thing would jump apart
as though it was alive. Won't you take a
game Of ucre!" Ben had learned all the vices
Of civilization. 1 have of course but given the
substance, not the language of his story,
Wrong to him had become right, and his NOR
al sense conscientiously approved of wicked
ness. He was soon after engaged IN fight
with fireman. Whoever assaults one, as
saults the whole crew of a steamboat. They
closed in on poor Ben-he fought, but sank
like slow falling tree, under the peltings OF
blleis Of wood, fists, and stones. He fell 10
the water near the shore; it was deep enough
to cover him. We all though, it the last Of
poor Ben. But the cat had nine lives. The
boat was scarcely quarter of mile from the
wood yard where Ben and his family were
put ashore, till he rose from his watery grave.
and fourished his butcher knife, and vowed
he would annhiIate the crew of the Winneba-
90, unless they left the river in fortnight
; Well, the world has great many kind OF
people. }.
Lancaster, January, 1874.