The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-08-15
A Sucker down South.

A Sucker down South.
The Matamoras correspondent ofthe
New Orleans Picayune, gives the fol-
lowing account Of a Texas Volunteer:
Race nags may be found among the
Texas volunteers, yet the funniest fel-
low Of all is happy-go-lucky chap nam.
ed Bill Dean, one Of the Chevalier's spy
company, and said to be one of the
best "seven up players in all Texas.
While at Corpus Christi a lot of US was
sitting out in the stoop Of the Kinney
House, early one morning, when along
came Bill Dean. He did not know a
single soul in the crowd, although he
knew we were all bound for the Rio
Grande: yet the fact that the regular
formalities of an introduction had not
been gone through with, did not pre-
vent his stoping short in his walk and
accosting us. His speech, or harangue,
or whatever it may be termed, will lose
much in the telling, yet | will endeavor
to put it upon paper in as good shape
as possible.
tOh yes, said he, with knowing lear
OF the eye, "Oh, yes; all goin' down
among the robbers on the Rio Grande,
are you? Fine times you'll have, over
the left. Eve been there, myself, and
done what good many Of you won't
dol come back: but if | didn't sec
natural h-ll-in August at tina tt am
a teapot. Lived eight days on one
poor hawk and three blackberries,
couldn't kill prairie rat on the whole
rout to save US from starvation. The
ninth day come, and we struck small
streak of good luck--a horse give out
and broke down, plump out in the CEN
tre of an open prairie-not q stick in
sight big enough to tickle rattlesnake
with, let alone killing HIM. Just had
time to save the critter by shootin' him,
and that was all, for in three minutes
longer he'd have died a material death.
1t didn't take US long to butcher him,
nor long to cut off some chunks ofmeat
and stick'em on our ram-rods; but the
cookin' was another matter. | piled
up heap of prairie grass, for it was
high and dry, and sot it on fire it fash
ed up like powder, and went out as
quick. But
"But," put in one Of the hearers,
sbut how did you cook your horse meat
after that?'
"Hows'
eyes, howp'
"Why, the fire caught the high grass
close by, and the wind carried the
flames streakin' across the prairie. l
followed up the fire, holding my chunk
Of meet directly over the hottest part
of the blaze, and the way we went it
was caution to anything short of To-
comotive doins. Once in while a lit
tie furry of wind would come along;
and the fire would get a few yards the
start, but I'd brush upon her lap her
with my chunk, and then we'd have it
again, hip and tuck. You never seed
such tight race--it was beautiful"
every, we've no doubt" CALCULATED
one of the listeners, interrupting the
max wag just in season 10 give him a
little breath: "but did you cook your
meat in the end"
mot bad didn't. Ichased the did
fire a mile and half, the almightyest
hardest race you ever heer'd tell on,
and never gave it up until run her
right plump into the wet marsh; there
the fire and chunk Of horse meat came
out ven ia dead heat, especially the meat
"But wasn't it cooked!" put in an
other of the listeners.
"Cooked! no!--just crusted over
lItte-you don't cook broken down
horse flesh very easily, no how; but
when 1t comes to chasing up a prairie
fire with chunk Of it, don't know
which is toughest the meat or the job.
You'd have laughed to split yourself TO
have seen me in that race--to see the
fire leave me at times, and then to see
me brushin' up on her again, humpin'
and mo vim my sell as though was run
MIN agin some Of those big mile un hour
Gildersleeves in the old States. But
Pm goin' over to Jack Haynes to
get cocktail and some breakfast -I'll
see you all down among the robbers Of
the Rio Grande' r