Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-08-11

burg that "the Yankee orator had Deeh
challenged and refused to fight. According.
", he was generally denounced as coward
"a word which at that day, aud even now'
might he considered rs expressing far deep
er scorn than either robber or assassin. AS
he passed through the streets, he was aston
ished to witness the colIncss manifested ny
his old acquaintsnces, and even proiessea
friends, while the great mass of the people
seemed to regard him with netfablc con.
tempt. "Yankee white.livcr," boastcr,"
"poltron," were the sounds most frequently
rung in his ears, especially when near the
groceries, and there was one then on every
terrace Of the broken hills.
The matter grew still worse. About q
week afterwards, johnson met his victim IN
the public sqrarc, presented cooked pistol
at his heart with one hand, and bcabored
him numerically with cowhide which he
grasped in the other. Resistance at the
moment was altogether out of the question,
for the slightest motion would have been the
signal for immediate death. He thought Of
| Emma and her sweet babe, and bore the
castigation in silence.
Alter this, clients deserted his Office, and
gentlemen refused to recognize him or re-
iurn his salute in the thoroughfares of bust
ness, or during his morning strols over the
hills. Had his touch been contagion, or his
breath pestilence, he could not have been
more carefully summed.
Another week passed, and the degraded
| e. ot,
insanity; and yet all the while he concealed
the mental fortune from his alfecii' nate wife.
One evening, in more than comm OH bitter
and gloomy mood, as he walked through the
public square, he was again accosted by
Mike Johnson, with his cooked pistol in one
baud and uplifted cowhide in the other. The
assault was the more aggravatirg as the
place was thronged with spectators.
| "Coward and villain r' exclaiu ed John
SON. "did | not tell you that | would cow
hide YOU ever week; until whipped :sie
courage of man and a gentleman into you'
Yankee hide I"
al am not a coward" rctorted Thomas
in hollow tone, so uncarthly fierce ane
wild that it caused every hearer to start. A
the instant, his lips were livid, and clenchee
between his teeth till the blood ran. Hlt
ewes were red as mad dogs and the mus
cIes Of his face quvered; but his body ane
limbs seemed to have the rigidity of marble
He will fight now" rung in an eager
whisper through the excited crowd, as they
saw the terrible tokens Of the fend aroused
the fiend which turks, at different depths
in all human nature.
"If you are not coward, why will yo'
not fight" asked the duelis', somewhat struck
in spite Of his thorough desperation, harden
ed in the hot gore of dozen murders.
"I will fight, if you wish it." was tn
loud ringing answer.
"Then you accept my challenge"
81 do. Will any one present be so goo'
as to act as my seconds" inquired the law
yer, addressing the spectators.
For minute or two no one spoke, s.
, great was the dread of the arch-dueiist, Mix
Johnson.
; "Will no one in such mass Of generou
EN- be my second" repeated tho lawyer
in louder tone.
al WILL" said shrill, trumpet.l'ke voice
on the outskirts of the crowd, and tai
commanding form, with bravery written o.