Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-10-13
8B & Q Q " s il.
An Amusing Story.

&4OCBIAg NAAS CAANC Va GtA Ai.tOCbiAAU ia lICtls 1
whose name we just now forget, but which
has almost always something in it to make
US laugh, tells the following capital yarn:
Shall | tell you a DIT of a story, having
no connection with politics, this hot, dry
weather. BY permission
odd Col. D, of the Mobile district,
was one Of the most singular characters ever
known in Alabama. lie was testy and &C.
centric, but possessed many fine xqualities,
which were fully appreciated by the people
Of the district. Many of his freaks are fresh
in the memory Of the old uns' of Mobile
and all of them will tell you that the Colonel,
though hard to beat, was terribly taken in
by a couple of legal tyros. 1t is George
Woodward, | believe, tells the story but
however that may be, it is in keeping with
others related Of the old gentleman.
1T seems that Col. D-had a misun-
derstanding with the two gentlemen alluded
altho' all Of the three were professionally RI
ding the circuit pretty much together. The
young ones being we'll aware of the Colonels
irrascible nature, determined,a AS they left one
Of the courts for another, to have some sport
at bis expense by the way. They accor-
%agjRRee4lHFy g; aatn d 4aet hits trey Aarrr1ed'ar a4o r6akd
dark stream, that looked as if it might be a
dozen feet deep, but which, in reality, was
hardly more than as many inches. Crossing
It, they alighted, pulled off their coats and
boots, and sat down quietly to watch for the
old Tartar
jogging along, at length ZANE up the
old fellow. He looked first at the young
sters, who were gravely drawing on their
boots aud coats, as if they had just had 3
swim-and then he looked at the broad
creek that rolled before him like a fuen'
translucent star. The Colonel was awfuIly
puzzled.
is this creek %swimmingF he growled al
ter a pause of some moments.
mo reply was made-the young mel
simply mounted their horses and rode o.
some little distance and stopped to watc
our hero.
The Colonel slowly Invested himself {
boots, coats, pantaloons and drawers. Thes
ne neatly tied up in his handkerchief an
hung them on the horn Of the saddle: the
he mounted, and as he was Il fat, short mai
with pauneh Of inordinate size, rather inac
eouate legs, a face like a withered appl
and a brown wig, there is no doubt he mae
an interesting picture as he bestrode b
steed, with the breeze holding gentle d.
lance with the extremities of his only ga
ment.
Slowly and cautiously did the old gent
man and his horse take the creek. Half
length-and the water was aot fetlock dee
Here the horse stopped to drink. A leng
and q balf-and the stream no deeper !
Thirty feet farther, and a decided shoalin!
Here Colonel D. refined up. The
must said he, be a h--of a swift de
channel between this and the bank. S
-h~-akIa-wsierruns We will dash throug
watery waste and another carried the hol
and rider safely to the opposite bank. I
creek was nowhere more than a foot deep.
a wild veil from the young uns amour
ed their appreciation ofthe sport as they G
loped away.
I'm catch you, you--rascals, was grou
between Colonel DIS teeth; and nv
he galloped in hot pursuit, muttering '
geance on his foes.
'On-on-they sped, pursuer and pul
ed. The youngsters laughed, yelled, /;
scroamed-the Colonel damned with mi
ty emphasis, while his shirt futtered
cracked in the wind, like a loose flying
'On-on-and the pursued reached
farmhouse on the road side. Their pass
startled a flock of geese from a fence corr
which, as the Colonel dashed up, met
with outspread wings, elongated necks,
Kisses dire. His horse swerved sudde
and the Colonel in a moment was upon
ground, in a most unromantic heap
his gown and wig by his side and bis
die of clothes scattered around.
The white headed children of the h
came out first, took a distant view of
monster-as it seemed to them-and
returned to report progress. After a
the father Of the family came, and the a
being explained, he assisted the Col
in making bis toilette; the Colonel swear
and the countryman laughing all the W
Dressed and mounted, our hero sta
off with a woful phiz, and was soon on
sight