The Arkansas banner., 1845-04-23

parson came. The sexton left off tollinp the bell, and indeed it was quite time, for he had nearly wore the rope of. The people all came out of the church, having after two hours debating upon the matter, came to the conclusion that there would be no sermon, and that there was good ground for alarm as 10 the fate ol the minister. They sent off par ties east, west, north and south, to explore lhe country, and presently lchabod discov- cred crowd advancing along the road head cd by the Deacon and the Sexton. Ichabod mustered all the strength of his lungs and paWied out to them like seven watchmen up- on a lower The whole party came to a aitand gazed around with astonshment and lear at length they spied something snugly roosled Ill the apple-ree; they took it at first for huge black turkey cock, but on nearer approach they found it to be no other than the Rev. Parson!
 Now the bull just at tha, moment hap- pehed 10 be paving and snufling with his nose to the ground on the other side of tho tree, so that he was hidden fom the party by thorn bush at its foot The people seeing lchabod perehed on high in tha. same manner, were struck dumb with amazement for few moments. Was the poor maa be- wtchcd2 or had he run mad, or what had possessed him to spend the afternoon dang ling like scare-crow on the bough of an appe-tree instead of holding forth godly discourse ill the pulpits For some moments no one dared advance a step further or speak a single word. At last Bill Muggs the Sex ton plucked up courage and advanced to tho stone wall. He was an old sailor, who with m few years had taken his land tacks aboard and settled himself up in the bush; he took up the trade of sexton because it consisted ! m pulling rope.-On this occasion he un- dertook to be spokesman of the party, for the Deacon was absolutely frightened. Bill put his head over the wall, clappcd his hand | up to the corner of his mouth and sung out
 .Parson, ahoyp
 Ichabod lifted up his voice, like an owl in the desert, and exclaimed Come along! save me! save me!'
 Blast your eye-balls,' said Bill, clawing a huge quld of tobacco out of his mouth, and throwing il slap upon the ground, why don't yau save yourselfi'
 can't, can't said Ichabod Drive him away--drive him away
 By this time some of the party, and the Deacon among the rest, had got over. tho wall, and were advancing towards the. tree staring and wondering to hear the parson talk in such an unaccouutabe manner.
 Come down, come down. said the Dea- con. What have you been doing all t'le af- ternoon, in Col. Shute's orchardp
 sAy, av,' said Bill, what are you about there alolt without your hat and shoesl loud- ing for all the world like starved monkey sitting on Ice baekstaya
 Al this moment the party had got nearly up to the tree. Look out look out ? cried lchabod, slle's comingp They had no timo to ask acho il was that was coming, for before the words were fairly out of his mouth, they heard furious below, and bounce, and in- slantly the bull was amongst them Heavens. what scamperng! The wlrole squad took flight quicker than flock of wild ducks on hearing shot. The deacon lost his hat and WYE and captain Blueberry ran out of his boots, which were a little too large for him. Divers other accidents happened The grea- test catasrophes were those of Squire Snake root and Lieutenant Darling. The Squire being pursy and short -winded, was oyertaken by the bull, and received tremendous butt in the rear which disabled him SO that he could not sit down without double cushion for fortnight. bull after knocking him over ran ol1 after the others, and the Squire made shift to climb up into the tree and take sides with the parson.
 The Ileutenant's was more Irightful case. ! He was q short fat, thick set, duck legged fellow, and happened to be dressed in pair of stout, old-lashioned leather bretches. The bull having Aoored the Squire, came in the twinkling of a bedpost right upon the Lieu tenant, who was waddling of in double quick time The bull hit him poke behind, in- I tending to serve him as he did the Squire, but one ol his horns catching in the waist band of the Lieutenant's incxpressibles, he was taken of his legs in an instant and whisk- ed of upon the bulPs horn. Away went the bull securing after the fugtives, with the un- fortunate Lieutenant dangling by the waist band, and fairly out of his wits with terror. His capers ill the air were only brought to an end by the bulls bringing up, butt, against the stone wall, and pitching the Lieutenant completely over into the road.
 The rest of the party got over the wall without anyNhelp, and escaped the fury of the animal. And now commenced regular l Spp-to' iiC Iui Wiui stones and clubs, and began pitched battle with the bull, for the deliverence of Ichabod. Humps, bangs, thrusts, pokes and missiles of every description, were showered upon the hide of the furious beast, who shook his re- doublable horns, fourished his tail, and ran putting and believing here and there, where eYer the attack was hottest. Iehabod and the I Squire meantime shouting from the citadel in the apple tree cheering on the assalants, and attacking the bull in the rear by peltng him with small shot in the shape of winter pippins. @e
 This holy war lasted for three quarters of an hour, and the bull seemed likely to win the day. Ichabod lanced himself already reduced to the necessity of takingup his quar- ters in the tree for the night, but luckily, at this moment reinforcement arrived, and the bull began slowly to retreat the assailanis, headed by Bill Mugs, pressed their advan- tage, carried the stone wall by escatade, form cd sollid column, and in a short time, the bull was driven from the field without the
 Iocs of q eiDoIn man And lhus the victory