Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-08-26
MlisffAanRoHs 8&aafng,
TIE VILLAGE BRAVO.

Nearly every country village has its BRA
vo.' We do not mean tAn, Assassin nor
"A man murderer for hire as Worcester
explains the word but We mean the man
before whom all others must give way-the
man who can 'whip anybody in town'-the
great big animal who thinks his position en-
viable, and who il envied by men with lit
tie bodies and little brains.
Our village had its bravo, at all events,
and perfect type of his class he was, too
His name was Jonathan Burke, though I
never heard him called Jonathan but once,
and that was before a Justices court. Jack
Burke was his name, the world over,' as he
often said. He was big, burly fellow, six
feet and two inches tall with broad massive
shoulders, great long arms, a head like a
small pumpkin. His face was characteris-
tic. A low, recediug forehead, and o small
pug nese; thick heavy Hps, and broad,
deep chin: His eyes were Of light grey,
vergiug upon acat-like green, while his hair.
which was short and crisp, was of burnt,
sun dried color, neither red or faxen, nor
yet of dark hue The only feature Of the
whole man which tended to detract from her.
culean proportions was the fiat, or rather
hollow appearance Of his breast. To one
skilled in anatomy OF physiology, it would
have been at once apparent that be had but
little what is generally depominated 'bot-
tom,' and that long continued physical
effort would have reduced his wind, to
pant
Jack Burke was born and reared iu our
village, and even since he had begun to 60
to school he had been the terror Of all un-
lucky wights who had chanced to cross his
path. He beat his companions without mer-
cy, and took great delight in being feared.
AS he grew oldder be became more insoeut
and overbcariug, and at the time of which
we write he was disliked by all the decent
people of the place. His voice was loud and
coarse, and it broke in on all circles which
might be gathered near him.
And then this bravo did not possess the
spirit of generosity usually betrayed by those
who happen to be giants in strength. He
was, on the contrary, low and mean, taking
delight in tormenting the weak, and even
laying out his whole strength on those not
half his size. In short, he was coward as
we'll as bravo. He forced himself upon all
our little gatherings, and seemed to take de-
light in stalking about and realizing that
none of us could put him out. He was now
twenty-five, and forgetting all useful knowl-.
edge he had ever gained at school.
Among the recent accessious to the pop
ulation of our village, was a young doctor
named William CRANKY. He was small,
pale.looking man, not over FIVE feet ten inch
es tall and quite slim in frame, but the man
who studied him closely would have seen
that his paleness was the result of long oon-
fnement to his studies, and was more, after
all, delicate fairness of skin, than. want
of health. Aud it would also have been seen
that his slight frame was very muscular
one, and most admirably moulded and put
together.
William CRANKY was what the girls of our
village called handsome man, and none Of
the youth of our village envied him the fiat
tering encomiums, he received from that
portion of our community, for as we became
acquainted with him we loved him for the
manly and generous qualities We found in
him. He was warm friend and a noble
opponent.
And CRANKY had proved himself an able
physician, too for though be had been in
our village but year and month, yet the
confidence reposed in his skill was far greater
than had been reposed in the ancient bIisterer
and phlebotomist who preceded him.
One day some of us went into his study;
he was unmarried, but being only three.and.
twenty, of course was not q bachelor-we
we're invited in as we walked by his board
ing place, and were pleased to accept the
invitation. His study was gem of place
for comfort, and among the articles not alb
solutely necessary for the study of his pro-
fession, we detected rife, pair of foils, q
pair of heavy wooden broad-swords, while
upon the floor we're pair of dumb-bells. l
wondered what these latter were for; surely
not for the doctors use, for I could do moth.
ing with them, save to hold them in my
hands, and swing them about at an angle of
about forty-fve degrees, and I was much
heavier than he was.
I asked him what he did with them. 'Oh,'
said he, smiling, 4 exercise my muscles
with them,' and as he spoke he took them
up and raised them at arms length, and
there held them for some moments, his fine
breast rounded out like Roman cuirass.-
Then be threw them up, and out, and around,
handling them as though they were mere
toys. 1t seemed impossible that so small
body could contain so much strength, but
he assured me he had gained it all BY prae-
tice. He had labored for years to develops
muscular system, in which he had been lack
ing when a child. And he also said that
keeping his muscles we'll hardened and de-
veloped, be was better able to bear the ia
tigue of his profession, which called him
from bis rest often tor several nights in sue
caeaion