, 1859-11-25

without single imaginative flourish The char.
acter have sketched above, had not given his
real name and soubriquet, win be instantly re-
cognized by every one who has been resident
Of central Mississippi during the period Of 1885
to 1846, and the hero Of the following incident,
10 whom shall here give the name Of George
Lester, is gentleman now engaged in large
and successful business In this city. ~
TWAS in the winter Of 1S41 that Lester, then
young man Of about eighteen, lost . situation
he had some time held as second clerk upon
small steamer plying between Vicksburg and
Yasoo City. Business had unusually slackened,
and his services were no longer necessary, and
before be left the boat, the captain, who enter
tanned warm friendship for him, engaged him
in conversation upon his future prospects, and
ssid-
"Lester, II you can command few hundred
dollars capital, can place you ina way to make
. small fortune ina few years Can you raise the
meansH
al can, sir," replied Lester. "if tits plauai-
bic undertaking."
"With your energy and tact you cannot fail
to make It such. Some Eve years ago ! discover
ed one Of the largest ash brakes lever saw,
and It is located within few hundred yards Of
the river at Big Bend. No one, believe, has
any knowledge Of Il but myself or Of ell events,
no one has yet taken advantage Of the discov-
cry. Now, II you viii bring here eight or ten
men. and purchase the necessary Out-httng for
woodward, you win have fine landing, and with
the business Of my boat and that Of others can
influence in your favor, you viii be enabled to
sell an the wood you can cut while your timber
resources viii last you for yearA"
This was too good an opportunity to be LOST, and
Lester soon procured the necessary amount 10
make the settlement with dozen as good wood
choppers o. could be engaged. Alarge log-house
was built for himself ont high elevation Of ground
near the river bank, where he had . landing,
and In this was stored the goods and provisions
necessary, while the wood-choppers had their
log cabins in the midst Of the sash brake,
where their labor was. These men were paid of
in specie as fast as they corded their wood on the
landing, ready for the boats, and this required
that Lester should keep constantly on hand from
one to two hundred dollars. He well knew the
character Of the men he had to deal with, and
besides keeping himself well armed and ready at
any moment 70 quell trsachery, be took good
care to hide his specie bag, and TO constantly
change its place Of coneealment Though life
Of constant watchfGlness and suspicion was har-
assing to him ct first Q few months served to &C
custom him to IL while the peculiar position be
occupied had much Of novelty and even . ro-
nance In it that seemed TO weave charm about
his wild life. His time was taken up entirely
with hunting or shooting at target on some g.
gAntic ash-tree with his long TiHe-barrelled pis-
tolls The latter was his hvorite pastme, and 70
such perfection Of aim did he come with the trusty
weapon, that the woOd-coppers, who were good
marksmen themaelves and Judges Of shooting,
declared him Ia be one Of the Gcrack-shots" Of
the Mississipni.
I.T..-,I -. .....,. Aoad h;,, h. had
AS - ~ 80 49,, ~ hr.Lss
~ ~ -. y " ~ Ais:. -js s.i -, - -
~ .Is r:se., sna ne "As a I. "a o~l- III ;nst
sAS..os = ~ ~ hsd ~ rsCSrIsr
t..Sa oS a....i - M 80. - ..nhoidsns5 hS Ne
y ssve, 49,, nv 49,. 80 - .c-a.
s.sS 49,. :. ss.,'S,',S.s;on ~ rnod Rnt
IenOs1 ~ .S.sau ~ go ..-Ss ~ ~
t1e memorable nign wafer O. lSa1 C1mss cno ". w
1a1oo Ilver mono.ted neL OAnsS 49, i. -
senens ~ % on PSu ~. o,,,s:,,, sorrsJ
Sw LS nve. Ca 81. ~ S.'s ..asi" t.t;n~ Il n.
Sk. sno rSu,.s s"hi,." ~ Sess, hun
III ss,, e. pP S.S .oS ,;th sS"s
S,sc,,',o" "a ~ y tn .horrSrs thems.lves
Sn..I.. ~, -;.h ,h.;s,sss y ~ h;ch cronrd
hs.y TsstPs. inhn,,s. .,coS sr6 NJ lost eve
rv.hrc eScsnt AZ h,,rSred aoIlsrs which he
IA - Ia n ~. ..shL.~ Pavin1 the men
N ,.hi.S to"L sho,t o,,s hTrd,ed n tRe amount
shsv Ia ~ ! sseSmho"t ,rhIch pessed M earlv
:; ~ .eor.,;,' ~ T'ss..r d;srr;ted a kis Ioss
"a - e.a-s s"-s-s stt,cL n faver and a0uS
\. - ;,s1 .a.e,.-.S a.. determinad n Iesve
svsrvtb;nS a. n wss .rd taks the ARD boat which
n.sssS d. ~ ~ - V;ctshnr0. His clothes.
s.onsS s,s 80 n,sSois ~ uScked h a stron0 mort.
,,snty,, ~ h.-jS,- ~ ~ aone ~ ~ 4 skeam.
ho.t c"-,s N s;Sht Tha rivar was swollen
sn6 rnsh;r~ y-;th res;.sleas current. fled with
immsrse lo,s and trees and aitho' Lester waived
hiS hsndkerchief and csIIed ont Ior her 70 round
~ tha hoSt d;d nj seem v;IIin0 10 undertake