The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1856-10-30
MiIrrllnnrbuG Rrn0ing.
Abe ia mbiefs Aiafmsa.

describes scene that actually took
place not many years since I'm a coun.
try village in the State Of Maine. ~ I'd
One evening i'm the month of De
'cenIbcr, lN34 a Number of at,,wI,sni, IN
had assembled at the store tf Mr.. Put
nam to talk over matters aud things. :,
smoke, drink, and in short to do sny.
thing to ''liil time"
Three hours had thus passed away.
They had l;:"S.led. and talk, and drai.hi..
and chattcd, and had IL good time gen.
orally; so that at about the usual llonr
of shutting up shop, 'eac, of the party
felt particularly first rate. aa. iri' 10
"C"ne," said Charles IIatcli--o,,e
ct the colnpany-"!et's all liquor, and
then have game of high low Jack !!
So | say" exclaimed another
''wh"'s got the cards 2" '+'' >'
''Fetch on your keerds," drawled
outa third. his eyes halt closed, through
the effect at ;he liquor lie had drank.
After drinking all around, anroltl
pine table was drawn up betor, the
fireplace where burned brightly a
large fire Of l,emlock logs, which would
snap and crack--tl,rowing large live
Goals ont upon the hearth. '-
All drew up around the table. seat.
ing themselves OH Whatever came
handiest. -Four of them had rolled
mp to the table some kegs, which f..om
their weight were supposed to contain
nails. .... u. -. ....
-.''Nsw," said Hatch, how shall We
play--every one for iimselt!'
"N", have partners" growled one
man. .' '.... .' "f.7
"No, hanged if I'll play So" shouted
the former, bringing his fist down mp
ON the table, knocking one candle out
OF the stick, and another upon tlie
floor. -n' ... 80 ,-rs
Come. come" said Hatch, s'n,,
qnarrelling'; all who say for having
partners, stand up"
"Ihrec arose. .-
"Now all who say each one for linn
sell, stand up" The remaining fou.
Immediately got up. . -, d.
"lou see, Barclay" said Hatch
the majority are against you.s Come
will YOU play!" .s.... Is p
well, as | don't want to be on tn,
opposite side, I'll play" answered Bare
ley, somewhat cooled down.
Mr.. Putnam was not in the store
that evening, and the clerk, who was
busy behind the comter, had taken
very little notice of the proceedings
About halfpast ten Mr.. Putnam
thought he would step over to the
srore, and sec that everything was safe.
As ie went in he walked up to the
fire. When within a few .setps OF
where the men were sitting, he start.
cd back in horror. Before hin, sa,
seven men, half crazy with drink and
the excitement of playing cards.
There they were, within u few feet OF
the fire just described, and four OF
them seated on kegs Of pO.oder. =.
Barclay--who was very heavy man
had pressed in the head of the keg
on whic!!:: hie sal, bursting the to- hoc;r.,
and pressing the powder ont through
the chinks. by the continued motion
of their feet, the powder had become
spread about the toor, and HOW cover
ed Il space nf ahont two feet all .rouu,l
them.
Mr.. Putnam's first movement was
towards the door, bnt recovering him.
self, he walked up towards the fire
Should either ofthem attempt to raise,
he Thought, and scatter iew grains
4 lirtle further into the re-place where
lay - large quantity of live cJal
At the moment Hatch looked up,
and seeing Mr.. Putnam with his fac,
pale gazing into the fire, exclaimed,
Putnam, what ails you2' and at the
salne time made n motion to rise.
"Gcptle ..en, do not rise" said Mr.
Putnam ''four of you sit on kegs 81
powder--it is scattered all around yoii'
--one movement might send You al
to eternity. There are two buckets oi
water behind the bar. But keep your
seats for one minute, and you are saved
move and you are dead men 20
In an instant every man was per-