Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-08-29
WARQg TWs
Story of the Tin Peddlar and Sleepy David

work, ~ lanKe among the Nulllners,
purports 10 Ue ~ L, 10 another by South
Carolinian
"That Yankees rs / said before, are apt
TO be too cuto for Us in everything but
horse flesh, and eveD sometimes in that
II was this day three years ago, and on this
very spot that epteled my horse South
crn for a purse of two thousand. lie had
won little sum the year before with all
ease. In short he was tho best horse at
that time in South Carolina. There were,
TO be sure, two other liz ses, and very fine
ones too, entered against him, but they
were no touch TO Southern, aud | was as
sure OF winning as | am of sitting here this
moment--wheu who should come along
but Yankee, with a tin cartl Ho had
the shabbiest, worst looking horse | ever
put my eyes on. lie was lean, slab-sid-
ed, crooked legged, rough-haired "critter"
as ever went on -four legs He stood all
the time as if he was aseep-in fact his
owner called him Sleepy David, In short,
sir, he was such horse as would not have
brought twenty dollars.
1t was near the hour Of starting, when
the pedlar, whose exterior corresponded
mavelously with that of his horse, and
the astonishment of all, intimated a wish
to enter his horse with the rest.
our horse % exclaimed /" what, that
sleepy looking devil there You'd better
euter him for the turkey -buzzards."
Not as YOU knows on, Mister" resum.
ed the Yanhec, with some show of spirit
10 be sure the critter looks rather sleepy
as he stands, and on that account call him
Sleepy David, but he's jo,li'd smart horse
for all that. Hos like = singcd cat, darn
ed sight better nor 'ooks. should like
formation we'll to mn against some of
your South Carolina horses. TO be sure
dou'L come all the way from home on that
purpose, but rs was coming out this way
on load of tin and other notions, | thought
might time it so as to kill two birds with
one stone, for thinks to myself, if can
win the purse and peddle of my notions at
the same time, shall make a plaguy good
spec. But had to hurry on like the ma
ton to get here in time ; and that's one rea-
son why my boss looks so shabby and out
of fix this morning. But for all that he'll
perform days work, tell you"
Supposing lie had no idea Of running
his, and that all he said was merely to grat
ify his propensity for talking bade him
bcgone, and not trouble me with his Yam
kcc palaver,
"Why, mister" said he, "this is free
country, and a man has a right to talk or
let it alone, jist as he eau afford. Now I've
taken great deal Of pains to git here this
morning, in order to run Sleepy David agn
some of your Southern hosses. | amt iok-
ing, sir, I'm in airncst. understand there
is purse Of two thousand dollars, aud |
should like amazing to pick it up"
You ,all of picking up two thousand
dollars with that bit of carrion of yours =
Away with you, and don't trouble us any
further"
Well, if can't run, suppose can't
but It's darncd hard anyhow for man to
take SO much pains as have to come up
to the races, aud then can't run arter ALL"
It's too late now; by the rules of the
course the horse should have been entered
yesterday; however, if you'll plank the en-
trance ,perhapsyo may ge, in yet"
said This by way OF getting rid of the
fellow, having no idea that he could com
mand fourth part of the sum required
How much might the entrance money
be z" drawing out a purse containing few
shillings in silver and a few pence in cop
per. " 1t amt more nor quarter OF dol
lar or SO, I'll plank it on the nail"
at is two hundred dollars"
"'rwo hundred p exclaimed the Yankee.
{" BY gaulcy, what price Why they axcd
me only twenty-five cents to see the cle-
phant and the hnil caravan in New York.
Two hundred dollars Why you must be
joking now-bIess me my hull load of tin
ware, hoss, wagon and all wouldn't fetch
that. But, mister, don't you think could
git in for ten dollars Z"
Nothing short OF two hundred and that
must be paid in five minutes"
We now thought we had fairly got rid
Of the fellow; but he returned to the charge
and asked il fifty dollars wouldn't do, then
seventy, then hundred, aud finding he
could not make bargain for less than the
regular sum. he engaged to giveiL provided
he could find any one to loan him tue mon
ey, for which lie would pawn his wagon load
OF notions, and Sleepy Dave to boot. He
asked one, and then another TO accommo.
date him with the Ioan--declaring that as
soon as ever he took the purse the money
should be returned and he would give a
dozen tinwhistlcs into the bargain. He
however got more curses than coppers un-
til some wag who had plenty of cash and
liked to see the sport go on, lent him the
two hundred dollars out of sheer malice
Though as it afterwards turned out, the
Yankee had plenty of money about him,
and was merely playing "possum" all the