Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-02-19

tory, Sapt' ouSgs turns land speculator-
of course without capital or credit-and
the following is given as his first "ope-
ration.'l
Shortly after the land office had been
opened at Montgomery, a perfect mania
for entering government lands prevailed
through the country. Spectators from
Georgia and Tennessee, and from the old.
er settlements of Alabama. c'c't be seen
dashing along at halEspeeu, aImos; any
hour in tweuty-four towards Montgomery.
Many long and hard race was run by
rival land hunters, intent on the posses
sion of the same "first,rate eighty" or
"tip-top quarter" All those were "lhe
times taat tried" horse flesh. But as we
were going to say, there was a public
house on the road from Captain Suggs'
neighborhood TO Wetumpka, about fifteen
miles from the latter place, and double that
distance from Montgomery. At this house
the captain stopped once, in the hope Of
finding prey among the numerous specu-
Iators who thronged it almost every night,
going to or returning from, the land office.
1t so CHANGED on the occasion to which we
refer, that supper-time brought with il no
additional guest to Mr.. Doublejoy's table /;
and the captain having nothing better TO
do, retired early to bed He had hardly
fixed himself snugly between the sheets,
however, when two persons ride up to the
house almost simultaneously, and put up
for the night. One of these persons came
from the direction of Wetumpka, the other
from the Georgia end of the road. Ii was
not leng before the new corners, who pro
we'd to be old acquaintance, had despatch
ed supper, and taken bed together in a
room adjoining the captains. Their bed,
however, was close to his, and the chinks
of the log partition enabled him 10 catch a
part of the conversation which occurred
after the strangers had laid down. From
ii, he gathered the facts that one of the
parties was bound for Montgomery, and
that his object was TO enter a tract of land
upon which was very valuable mill-shoal.
He listened TO hear the numbers, but the
SPECTATOR only incidentally mentioned
that it was part of section 10, leaving the
captain entirely In the dark as 10 the town
ship and range.
"If", muttered he, 81 could only get the
township and range, I'd make a cahoot
business with old man Doubleday, get the
money from him, and enter that mll-shoal
with the twenty-foot fall, before ten o'clock
tomorrow" But though he listened close
ly, he could obtain no more accurate de-
scrption OF the land than that it was part
Of section 10, in the eastern part of his
own county, near Dodd's store, and valua-
BILE as a location for set Of mills. He
learned further that the stranger was very
apprehensive that the agent of certain
company would be at his heels by morn
ing, and give him race for the land
This determined the captain how 10 act,
and he rolled over and went 10 sleep.
By day.break next morning the mill
shoal man was off. The captain was
"wide awake" but said nothing until his
intended victim was fairly gone, He then
ordered his own horse and dashed down
the road at half speed. BY the time he
had ridden half mile, he overlook the
land-seeker, whose horse seemed very
stiff and slightly lame.
"--Mornin', mister" was the captains
salution, as he rode up by the strangers
side. "Sorter airish this mornin'-iudge
that horse O. youin is fetched with the
founder.o
"lm afraid So" was the reply.
"Oh, I'll be id if you need be dfeerd
of it, mister. rs jest So" said captain
Suggs. ain two hours more he won't be
able to step over the butt cut Of broom
straw"
81 hate it worse," said the stranger,
!" because Pm justnow now i'll a particular
hurry to get to Montgomery on important
business. | would give any gentleman"
he continued, cycling The captains old sor-
rel, San excellent trade, to get nag that
would do few hours hard travel"
"Oh, l understand-but you needn't
view this here old animal like you thought
so much on him. | tell you what, mister
- what did you say your name happen
ed TO bel''
"Jones."
"Jones, eh?--well, squire Jones, III
tell you on the honor of gentleman, if
you was to light from your horse and lay
the purlest hundred dollar bill that ever
had picter on it, across your saddle, !
wouldn't take 'em both for old Ball, at this
particular time. In four hours must be
in Montgomery
"You certainly must be going 10 enter
and, from your hurryl"
"a body would think so, that looked in
% the matter rightly. And what's more,"
laid the captain, "li's quite likely there's
else after my land from what
nave hearn-so | must push. Good morn
NJ to ye."