The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-09-04
BY DAVIS g. IIOLLINGSWORTII

| J u
buckingham county.
One day, while working in his garden,
he was accosted by n stranger, who rode up
TO the fence and inquired if he knew where
Il man by the name Of Francisco lived?
Reaching himself up from his work and
eyclns his interrogation, who appeared to be
ono of the "half horse, half alligator" :"
breed Of kcntuckians, he replied, "WclI,
stranger, don't know of any other person
by that name in these parts but myself"
"Wcll, l reckon you ain't the man |
want. want to find a great fighting man
I've heard tell SO much about; the fcllcr,
they say, can whip all creation, and old
kantuck to boot"
81 can't tell you, stranger, where you
will find that man. don't know such !,
man," said Francisco, rcsumins his work.
us Il hint 10 the other that the conference
was ended. But the kcntuckian was not
TO be "Lluiit,l oif,' rs lc would term it.
Look ere, stran@cr,' said he, returning
to the charge, "wlat might your name
bc?"
"My name is I'cLcr Francisco, at Your
, service"
"-Ah,' returned tho other, "you'rc just
the man want TO iind," at tic same time
riding inside the fence; he lismountcd anil
tied the aninal-a rough, un:;ainly Indian
T h.,
My name is Big Fill Stokes, all the way
from Old kcntuck. l am the Kentucky
game chicken, am. c:,n outrur, oulLop,
ouijump, knock down, drag out, and whip
amy man in all them distsginss. So, rs l
heard tell Of 4 fcllcr down hcrc5outs WHO
could whip all creation, thought I'd sad
die old blossom and just ride over and sec
what stuff hes made Of, and here am.-
And now, stranger, I'm most starved for Il
light, and ana bound TO sec wl,o's the best
man before I SO home. It's I'LL in good
i,elln&, you know; and if you lick nc,
why I'm satisfied. But -
"Slop minute, stranger said Fran
cisco; "youvc mistaken tho man entirely.
I'm no fighting man at all; and ii | WIS,
I've nothing against You TO fight about"
"WclI, don't know; is there any other
Peter Francisco in these parts 2"
No, not that know Of"
Well, then, you're the man, and YOU
must fight. I've come all the way from
old Kentucky, and | amt going back
without Knowing who's the best man."
"Cut wont fight. Tvo nothing 10
hsht about, and tell you won't fight"
"Darn'd if you slant fight, slrau-cr.-
lm bound to lick You if can; if don't,
you must lick me-
1'y this time, Francisco had become an
gry ut the importantly Of his visitor, and
determined TO put an cnl to the scene.
Scizing his antagonist, therefore, by the
scat Of Ills buckskin brccchcs and the col
lar of his hunting shirt, he threw linn over
the fence.
The kcntuckian raised himself from tho
ground, perfectly dumbfounded Ly such IN
exhibition Of strength and after rubbing
his eyes as though hc thought lie might not
have seen clearly, lie mounted tho pony,
remarking-" We'll, stranger, reckon you'll
do. reckon it's about time for me to
make tracks. II anybody asks you about
that great fight, you can tell Sm you licked
Bill most conloundcdlv."
francisco WIS powerfully built man,
standing six fet and one inch in height,
weighing two hundred pounds. Ills mus
cuIar system was extraordinarily developed,
and ho had been known to shoulder with
case, cannon weighing eleven hundred
pounds and n gentleman of un,loubtcd
vcracity, still living in Virginia, who know
him well, says :" he could take mo in his
right hand and pass over the room with
INC, playing my head against the ceiling as
though had been dollbaby. My weight
was ono hundred and ninety -fvo pounds"
His wife, who was woman Of good
size and fair proportions, ho would talso in
his right hand, and holding her out at
arms length, would pass around tho room
with her, anl carry her up and down stairs
in this position. Ito would take barrel
of cider by tho chimes, and holding it to
his mouth would drink from the bung
long and hearty draught without any ap-
parent cxcrtion.
Yet with MI his strength, he was very
peacefully disposed man, and never mado
use of his power except in case Of necessity,
about his usual vocations or in defence of
fho right On occasions Of outbrcakings
at public gatherings he was better at rush
ing in and preserving the public poace than
all the conservative authorities. on the
ground. sts,4z