Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-02-26
as he answered to the tavern en-

] wv Tldl was liC CASioh1oNOh -
the other. "Whatl you don't tel
me that you are Phil. B., the son 0
old Harvey B., of No.
settlement sat
"The very same," said the other
now turning full upon the questioner
"what do you know of him or mer
"What do | know about your
cried the other, with a shout. and
starting from his seat; "what don'I
| | know about the bloodiest tories in
the whole settlement?-Oughtn't | 10
know you. Oughn't yOu to know
me, and to fear me too? Have
you forgotten thisl" and dashing of
his hat, and thrusting up his hair as
he spoke, he showed a great scar
which traversed nearly The whole
line of his forehead. - ..
B. recoiIed, and started, as if TO
seek shelter in the tavern, but before
he could do so Col. k, with
tiger-like ferocity sprang upon him.
The other, now that the thing was
unavoidable, showed himself no ways
backward; and the two clinched, as
with talons Of steel, one hand Of K.
being wound in with the long, thin
hairs OF B., while the fingers of the
other were griped about his neck with
such a riviting frmness, that, in an
instant almost, the eyes Of the suffer-
er seemed to be startling GU. Of their
sockets. B., was meanwhile, by no
means imbecile or idle. He locked
his enemy in an smb:ace OF iron sin
ews, about the waist, and seemed
chiefly bent upon throwing him--a
matter more easily resolved upon
than done. And there and thus,
those two old grey-headed men
each more than eighty years OF age
were renewing the conflict Of half
century past, and presenting in a
real and terrific drama, the wrathlul
spirit of that fierce civil war which
had never died out in either bo-
som.
The whole scene was over in few
moments. AT first the company ia
ken completely by surprise sat mo-
tionless. But when their first aston
ishment subsided, they darted in and
tore away the combatants from the
terrible hug Of hate which they had
taken upon each other, and which,
by this time, had brought both Of
them down upon the pavement. 1t
was not so easy to separate them;
and after the lapse Of several min
utes, when X. lay down upon the
bench from exhaustion, while his
enemy had disappeared, it was dis
covered that the fingers OF the for
mer still clutched and held hand
ful of the long grey hairs Of B.
The latter was no'more seen at the
"King's Head" The proprietor
kept him out of sight till night, and
then sent him to a distant tavern,
where he lay perdu till X. had left
the city.
The cause Of this fierce momentary
conflict may be readily conjectured
by all those who have any knowledge
Of The history Of the tory ascendency
of South Carolina during the revo
luton. 1t involves a story, which,
from the lips Of K, whose digres-
sions were endless, and his episodes
numerous, was a very long time in
telling. | may dismiss it in lew
words. K and B. were
pIaymates in boyhood. They grew
up to manhood together, but se9ara-
ted, as their fathers did, and as was
frequently the case, taking different
sides in the great issue between the
colonies and the crown. The fuc-
tuation Of the contest found the two
parties alternately in the ascendant;
and Rt such periods neither exhibited
much forbearance in the exercise Of
power. Hate took the place Of for
mer Intimacy, and a wild spirit Of
revenge was begotten by frequent ex-
cesses. K. and b. we're scarcely men
when they came to blows. They
were separated without doing each
other mischief, in the separation OF
their several parties. K. was one OF
Marion's Men, B. became lieuten-
ant Of loyaIists, sometimes comman-
ded by British Colonel, or at other
times, particularly towards the close
of the war, being under the com
mand Of Cruger, Leslie or Cunning
ham, While on scouting expedi-
ton, with small squad under his
control, B penetrated the old settle
ment OF his boyhood. K. and his
father, the one with Marion, the
other with Sumpter, were both ab-
sent. When they returned, they
fonnd the family homestead in a heap
of ashes, and the mother Of X. was
murdered. The sister, who escaped
from the house, and who had once
been the object OF BIS passion
who was supposed, indeed, 10 have
regarded him with favor, in spite Of
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