Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-07-08

lodger but to stretch himself upol
the floor; which he at las It did, bu
with sundry groans and complaints
lpiIlowing his head upon his saddle
bags; in which position he lay unit
bis fellow-tra avellers, myself with tht
re st, had all dropt sound sleep,
| We had not slept, / imagine, more
TIL an a quart er of an hour, when VIZ
we re all, at the same moment, reused
up by terrible voice crying in TIA
midst of the room, IF there's ne
other way with them, cut their lis
tocratical throats!"
| The words and voice were alike
alarming; butjudge our astonishment
when, starting from our beds, we be
held the Yankee, rising half naked
from the floor, as grim and gaunt as
Don Quixotte himself, holding a bow
ieknife, to which the Mississippian's
was as a pen-knife to razor, and
brandishing it with looks of blood
and fury. "By snakes and niggersF
cried the braying gentleman, with
something like alarm, che dream BIS
harder than | do!'
| "Wake him up, he'll do mischief
exclaimed others; for we all thought
the poor fellow was suffering under
some frightful dream.
| The Tennesseean, bolder than the
rest, seized him by the arm; upd n
which he dropped his knife, and bis
fcountenance changing from rage. TO
trepidation, immediately exclaimed,
q give myself up, l am your priso-
ner. But take notice, gentlemen,
and bear witness for me, l yield to
superior force --give me five minutes
to say my prayers"
| "Death and thunder!'' cried the
yarmint of Tennessee, starting back,
"the man is mad!'
And so indeed, it seemed to US all.
|. @Give me FIVE minutes to say my
prayers" quoth the Yankee; who,
however, instead Of dropping upon
his knees to pray, burst into tears
and harangued us in somewhat the
following words: Il am an honest man
and patriot, a democrat and man of
the people; l have fought the battles
of my country, and | die a Roman
hero. You are too many for me,
gentlemen-twelve hundred men
against one, and a regiment of scalp
ingsavages behind you! Isurrender,
and l am ready to die. ] am. a dem
ocrat. But What is one democrat
among twelve hundred hired myr-
midons of power? | know you'll
kill me, but I don't care: all l ask Of
you is to do justice to my memory,
to bear witness before the world -
(here his voice was almost drow ned
in sobs, bear witness that | die
like a man-die like a hero-die like
a patriot-the victim of despots, and
the martyr of Ifieedoml"
Great was the CONSERVATION and
confusion that now prevailed. The
man was mad--rnad north-northwe EST,
and all round the compass, politically
mad-a mad patriot, nobody doubted
that. Some asked what was to be
done: others would have argued the
madman out Of his frenzy; OTHERS,
again, slipped out Of the door, and
stood ready for a run.
In the mean while, the maniac,
re-inspired'by his own eloquenceI or
the pusillanimity of his enemies
which even a mailman might perceive
lifted up his voice again, but lift ted
it in tone of defiance. |
"You are the hired myrmidons of
powerl' he cried, "purse-proud, rich !
men-tyrants that grind the faces of
the poor-that live on the sweat of
The poor mans lab pr, and rob his
hungry children of their food!
I'm a poor man, and the poor mai h's
riend, | hate you, l defy you, l dali
you to the reckoning. Yes2" he
,oared, snatching up his knife frbm
he floor, and tn en- waving g it aloft, las
f to unseen hackers; "your triumph
S now over, your hour has comeI I
all you to the reckoning-io the
of blood! Advance, men
If the people, and cut their tyranhi-
al throats!o
And with that Iheadvanced himsdlf,
lourishing his ferocious weapbn
gainst our aristocratic breasts =
There was no vithstanding that ter
ific charge: pen-men we went, ohe
yer the other, out Of the door, whiEh
re es esteemed ourselves fortunate lnl'