The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-03-05
TWO DOLLARS PER ANNUM.]
BYEDAvIs e. HOLLINGswORTH.
From Porter's Spirit ofthe Times.
UNCLE BILLY's RIFLE FIGHT.

Not long since, happened in one o.
those requisites to country town, com
monty called n 'doggery,' hut a faded sigr,
over tho door. lcttcrcd with pokc-berry juice
told that it was dignifed with the title Gro.
sery,' rle icing of course turned hind
part before) A small chunk Of a fight
made in 2:40, had just come off near the
door, and it was not strange that pusilistic
encounters were the subject Of conversation
rs entered. I WAS a silent and interested
listencr-as eacl, one related the different
light places he, or some Of his particulars
friends had been cxtricatcd from, either Ly
tniracles or superluman cxcrtion and, it
any doubt remained OIL the minds of the ea
ger listeners, after the imprecations which
each speaker called upon himself to suhstan-
tiate the truth Of his narrative, such doubts
were instantly removed Ly the innumcraLle
scars exhibited 10y the different narrators.-
Ono fellow Ind had his thumb twisted until
y cork-screw was straight in comparison to
it; another had had his nose chured until
it would have elected the admiration of the
most fastidious sausage maker; third :
had 'cacl, particular hair so neatly extracted
from LIS head bv the roots, that lie had to
produce another capillary crop 10y grating.
II. such was the case, thought that the
grating had been more assiduously attended
to than the subsequent training, for lie had
evidently been listening to the tale the Ghost
Of Hamlet's father could unfol.l,' and it had
made
! - each particular hair 10 stand on end
!. Like quiIls upon tile frrtfi,l porcurine "
It is impossible to relate or even remember
the innumcraLle 'l,airbrea'lth 'scares' cac
one had made, l,nt presently, when II pause
in the conversation afforded an opportunity,
tho we'll known voice Of Cd Billy Harya,n
was heard emana,iug from his accustomed
seat behind the stove, where lie had been
sitting for tic last half hour, apparently half
asleep, and totally unnovcd l'y auy Of tue
periIs which had been SO vcl,cmcntly related
in his presence.
4 tell YOU, boys began Uncle Billy, (as
he was called par ercelience) IL tell you.
l,oys, l.aint none of you ever secl II fight
'yit! No, none Of you! Now, If any Of
Uncle Blly's auditors had taken this remark
literally,sthey would, no doubt, have l'een
disposed TO join issue witt, him forthwith;
but all understood him AS lie intended they
should that is, that the little affairs in Which
they had been engaged, when compared
with something lie had seen, amounted to
ao fight at all!
Uncle Billy accompanied his remark with
siguiicnn, shake Of his head, as though he
had upintentionaly called up some painful
remembrance. 4 momentary silence fol-
lowed, probably i'll the vain hope that Uncle
Billy would assign some reason for his re-
mark, Lut as he seemed 10 have finished, i,
a'ecn,ne necessary to politely request linn to
tf.yof the audience with the yarn. "Let's
lave it, Uncle Billy" said one fellow; tut
nm omiiious shake Of the head was tie only
symptom tile old man evinced of having
Heard the request. "Spit it out, old man.
.---"'-I'i,sh in, Uncle Billy =" Give us the
: yprn." These, and about l.afa score Of i'll
vi,ations to proceed, all in the same slang.
only elected from the stubborn narrator an
other negative Of the head, but from a sort
ef intuiivc frecmasonry among them, one
of the crowd detected Uncle Billy in mel
ancl,oly look towards tlie trio Of dccanters
on tile bar.room Shelf.
"Iets have liquor boys, and then Tuclc
Billy will tell his yarn. Come all Of you.
take some@liquor. It's my treat" A vol
1atary treat, in country grocery, is not as
might be supposed, III every day occurrence,
aud xll hands seem to feel it incumbent up
on them to. respond tothe rude invitation.
Albeit, those who were really the kee"est to
iayaif themselves oftlie treat, hung back un-
Alt they were asked tie third time. 4 few
;,nitnteps epssuficed for the Whole crowd to int
gsrbibe; the bar kcepcrrcstored the wcll.suck-
.v ed quart-cup 10 its place, came round to tl,p
fSssoyeisand all anxiously waited the COM
sRIeneeln nepfolI Uncle Billy'sistory, which was
ihslbslance, rs follows:
.a Wien first came OUT from the Huiu-
stask purchase, il was rather sfarscly settled
about here, aud tlis irst Fall arter come
en-, sun out Of wltiakeys;; not man in
!ystl,s glIlerlldod had adr6p. What 10
"a = ~ ss3;1 t,h, H.: r,h, -.