Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-05-08
Amnsing 8eaang,
A GOOD STORY.

A GOOD STORY.
Hooper one of the Editors Of the Mont
gomery Mail, perpetrates the following gooe
tale.
Shall I tell you a bit of story, having nj
connexion with politics, this hot, dry wealth
err? By permission:
Old Col. -, of the Mobile district, was
one of the most singular characters evel
known in Alabama. He was testy and &C.
centric, but possessed many fine qualities
which were fully appreciated by the people
of the district. Many of his freaks are afresh
in the memory of the " old uns" of Mobile
and all of them will tell you that Colonel,
though hard to beat, was once 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.
"It seems that Col. D., had a misunder-
standing with the two gentlemen alluded to
and was not on speaking terms with them,
although all of the three were professionally
riding the circuit pretty much together. The
young ones, being well aware of the colonel's
irascible nature, determined, as they left one
of the courts for another, to have some sport
at his expense by the way. They according
ly got about half an hours start in leaving,
and presently they arrived at broad, 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, pulling off their coats and boots,
and sat down quietly to watch for the old
"Tartar."
Jogging along, at length, came up the old
fellow. Helooked at first at the youngsters,
who were gravely drawing on their boots and
coats, as if they had just had swim, and
then he looked at the broad creek that rolled
before him like fount translucent star
The colonel was awfully puzzled.
els this creek swimming?" he growled,
after pause of some moments.
No reply was made-the young men sim
ply mounted their horses and rode off some
little distance, and stopped to watch our
hero.
The colonel slowly divested himself of
coat, boots, pantaloous, and drawers. These
he neatly tied up in his handkerchief, and
hung them on the horn of the saddle, then
he remounted, and as he was fat, short man,
with paunch of inordinate legs, face like
awithered apple, and brown wig, there is
no doubt he made an interesting picture as
he bestrode his steed with the breeze hold
ing gentle dalliauce" with the cxtremities of
his only garment.
Slowly and cautiously did the old gentle
man and his horse take the creek. Half a
length--and the water was not fetlock deep
Here the horse stopped to drink. A length
and a half-and the stream no deeper -
Thirty feet further-and decided shoaliny!
Here Col. D., rained up. "There must"
said he, " be a laundering swift deep chan
mel between this and the bank. See how the
water runs We will dash through"
4 sharp lash made the horse spring the
watery waste, another carried the horse and
rider safely to the opposite bank. The creek
was nowhere more than foot deep
A wild yell from the young, uns announ-
ced their appreciation of the sport as they
galloped away.
"Ill catch you, you grand rascals," was
ground between Col. DIS teeth; and away
he galloped in hot pursuit, muttering ven
geance Oh his foes.
On--on-they sped, pursuer and pursued.
The youngsters laughed, yelled, and scream
ed-the colonel cursed with mighty empha-
sis, while his shirt futtcred and cracked in
the wind like loose flying jib.
On--on-and the pursuer reached the
farmhouse on the road side. Their passing
startled flock of geese from fence corner,
which, as the colonel dashed up, met him
with outspread wings, elongated necks, and
Kisses dire. His horse swelvcd suddenly,
and the colonel iu a moment was upon the
ground, i'll ii most. d" unromantic heap" with
his brown wig by his side, and his bundle Of
clothes scattered around.
The white headed children of the house
como out first, took 4 distant view of the
lnonster-as it seemed to them and then re-
turned to report progress. After little the
father of the family came, and the affair be-
ing explained, assisted the colonel in making
his toilet-thc colonel swearing, and the
countrynan laughing all the while.
Dressed and mounted, our hero started off
with woetul phiz, and was soon out of sight.