Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-04-15
THE BIG BUCK.


| met my friend Jack N. at a wedding il
South Kentucky. 1t was a rol licking csrivity
held at the house Of a wealthy tobacco planter
who was giving away his last and younges
daughter to fresh, manly-looiing young teI
| low, who was, as usual, second, or third cou
sin: for your true Vrginian never marries .ou
of the family and every planter in South Ken
tucky was Nlrginian. OF course.
! Amidst the merry crowd very soon made
out the tail lank figure Of my friend Jack n
whom | had not met for several years. Indeed
1t would be difficult 10 mistake him in any
crowd, for he WAS is lean and as sharp as a
/ raIl.spIiner, with his beakllke nose, and pro
jectimg chin. There was about him, too. the
decided, haughty carriage of the high booded
| animal. and with his head thrown back in a
hearty, fox hunting guiaw, there was something
| indescribably keen, game and dashing in his ap.
pearance.
As expected, when approached him found
him in the midst Of a glowing description of his
last run with his dogs, and closely surrounded
by an eager auditory of young men, for Jack
WAS no great hand with the women.
Spot had inst seized Il big 'tenpr0nc' buck
on the bound, by the throat and brought him
to his knees, when Jack caught my eve. The
names of 'Music,' Sound and 'Rattler,' died
away upon his tongue, ln thick coming utter
ance, as he stared at NE for moment ofdoubt.
full recognition.
'flalloa. Charlie w! by old Bell -Mouth,'-
(Jack always sworc by his farorite slow-track
dog, Bell Mouth, who never gave tongue on 4
false trail) why, my boy, how are You! Just
in tIme-the bucks are Just in the blue The
dogs are as lean as am, aud as fierce rs star
we'd tigers for chase"
I'm YOUR man,-but lean rs Won are, Jack.
why, you make them carry weight in q high
wind, don't yous Glad to see you, by my faith
They say you've got the finest pack west of the
Al'eghanles, now.
West of the Alieghanies. P>haw, man. no.
thing to equal t" them, on top Of the sod!-
Twenty five, al told. with throats like the trump
of resurrection! When they open in full blast,
they uake the hill skip like young lambs-and
the trees bend before the sound, like in a hur-
ricane | tell you, the? make the Mississippi
walk up stream, and the catfish stand straight
up on their tails, out of the water, to listen to
them
That ii do, Jack. When do you 90 back
homer
Start in the mornng-you'll be all ready
Won't let you off under three weeks-we have
the cream of the hunting season nowr
Wont promise for all that time-but will
be ready for You in the morning"
That's good boy. bring nothing but your
rihe-ityou want birds | have guns enough,
and Ponto's nose is as keen as brier!'
A two days ride through the wild and pic
turesque 'Barrens' brought us to the banks of
the Mississippi River. Here we entered upon
long deep stretch of land covered with the most
tremendous forest ever saw. 1t extends from
Columbus, or the Iron Banks as they are call
ed, up some thirty miles, or so, nearly parallel
with the present course of the Mississippi
though greatly elevated above the present bot
,om-and constituting what is thought to be
the old bank of the river.
From seven to ten miles in width this singu-
lar tongue of land is without Il single inhabi-
tant, except the settlement of the Ms about
mile from Columbus-though composing some
of the richest land Of the State-from the fact
of its being an old military reserve, and cover
ed, as Jack said, six deep with ttles,'-which
had sutliced to keep at bay, even the unscrupu-
lous squatters-so that it was literally given
over to the possession of wild animals, and
constituted, at that time, the greatest hunting.
ground within hundreds of miles.
Here, the N.'s-who were wealthy and aris-
tocratic 'Old Dominion stock--had opened
large plantation, Immediately upon the river
bank, where it descended three hundred feet
perpendicularly to the water.
From the portico fthe Mansion House placed
upon this lofty perch you could command
clear view of the majestic river to its junction
with the Ohio, thirty miles above. This was
no insignificant sight, you may rest assured,
p}v h.,
tme-rolling like huge omnibusses along the
broadway of Creation, as Jack, who had once
visited New York, afterwards insisted upon call
ing his favorite river.
Such huliabuIloo, az greeted US when we
alt at the gate! The hounds had first diseov.
cred US, and to the shout of their master, gave
us reverberating echo. Then the picaninnies
came pouring in sooty Iegions out of the cabins
of the extensive quarter which hanked the
mansion in the back ground their black, shiny
faces, stretched in yes and grins, exhibiting an
ivory ecstacy OF delight at the return Of 'Massa
Jack'--whie the hounds nearly tumbed ms into
the dirt with their rude gambols. In moment
the whole plantation seemed alive, and Jacks
favorite hunter Lara, which ha the freedom of
the yard came prancng into the melee.
The ladies of the hosptable mansion met us
at the door, and was greeted with that gentle
and hgh.bred frankness, for which the true
Virginia woman has always been noted--whch
has that indiscribably mothery and sisterly
in it, which makes the stranger feel
at once that he has found home.
After his mother and three lovely young sis
ters, Jack next greeting was to his muatto
foster. mother, who stood with loving and hum
ole smile upon her good looking face in the
back ground, along with her son, Jacks foster
brother and body servant, Cato.
Then to supper.
All. that delicious supper the fresh, juicy
the cakes of grated green corn, knead.
ID in its own sweet milk by some mysterious
process known only to Virginia wonderland
coffee that is a redislllation of nectar, thick
ened with golden cream.
Then to bed.
Cato reused US with the dawn; and we went
out to see the dogs fed, preparatory for the
l.