Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-10-11
Dnmoruns 8eabing.
From the Marion, CMiss.,) Observer
EIRING AN OVERSEER.

s. who is famed far and wide for
his Feasibility of temper, and eccentricl-
ties of character. and these pecullarities
are the cause of many a prank being played
off at the Co!oncl'S expense, and much to
his annoyance. A great wag who kne"
the Colonel we'll, was riding along a few
years ago, o few miles from the plantation
of s.; when he met a rather verdant
specimen of humanity, who checked his
horse, as they came near together, with the
following query:
stranger, yer don't know anybody as
wants to hire an overseer, do yer?,'
Are you looking for a situation of that
sort" queried the wag.
yes sir-I am just about as anxious for
a berth as you ever saw a feller.'
Our wag Continued to interrogate the
candidate for an overseership, and elicit
ed from him, that he had been in the bus
mess about FIVE years, and while acting in
that capacity, had made prodigious 'craps'
and performed wonders as the tiller of the
soil.
WELL said the wag, 'I'll take you on
trial for a few days, aud if you suit, we
can 5000 strike a bargain. He then gave
him minute directions as to the road lead
ing to the residence of Col. S., and
added:
i have a crazy brother living with me
you will find him there, but do not fear
him, he is perfectly harmless. He has a
fancy that the plantation belongs to him
and strongly insists that it is so; but pay
no attention to him or to anything he says.
You will find a large tin horn hanging up
in the piazza ; take it and blow for the ne
groes to come up, when you can see my
force, learn their names &c., and make
them put your horse up, and tell the cook
to get you a good dinner. [ will be back
before night, and we can talk further about
the matter
On vent the overseer, and soon he rode
up before the Colonel's residence; dismount-
ing he walked in. After walking up to
the water pail and drinking, he took down
the aforesaid horn and blew a blast loud
and long, which reverberated far and
wide, over hill and valley. The Colonel
who was taking bis morning snooze, was
aroused by the sound and came bluuder-
ing out in haste, minus clothing save a
shirt and a pair of socks, and after gazing
upon the new conner a few moments in as
constituent, enquired
who are you, sir what the ID do you
mean-what are you blowing that horn foe,
sir-what -"
oh, 60 away old man. carelessly re-
piled the overseer 'your brother sent me
here to take charge of this place, and as you
are a leetle crazy, you musn't bother me-
Brother. crazy !, what DO you mean, sir ?
get out sir-leave y stormed the now ex-
asperated Colonel.
Your brother told me to lock you up in
the smoke house, if you got into one of
your mad fits, and I will do it if you don't
keep quiet replied the overseer. Yet,
still the Colone! ragged and tore around
like a real madman and finally the new
conner, fearing he would become dangerous,
seized a bunch of keys hanging near, and
then gathered the Colonel in his powerful
grasp, and bore him across the yard, and
finding the proper key, swung open the
door of the smoke house-shoved him in
and turned the key, remarking that 'he
should stay until his brother came back
In a few moments the negroes being sum.
moned from their labor by the sound of the
horn cam up en- masse to see what was to
pay. The overseer pro tenn, made them
defle before him, telling them at the same
time, that he was employed as oversecr-
enquired their names, ages, ETC., enquired
the way to the ~feld-where they were then
at work, and fnally dismissed the wonder
ing darkies to go to dinner The cook,
astonished and awed by the perfect sang
froid of the new conner, had accordingly
prepared a sumptuous repast, which our
hungry hero sat down to, and began to eat
v~oraciously. But the Colonel was not con-
tent to remain in durauce vile,' aud after
working maufully, he had got an opening
in the floor large enough to permit his es-
cape, and going round to an enclosure, he
Embossed FIVE or six large hounds and came
suddenly upon the overseer who had not
yet finished his repast. Seeing the savage
looks of both Colonel and dogs, he beat a
retreat through the house-out of the front
gate and began to make himself scarce !;
closely pursued by the Colonel, whose meth
er garment was seen dutteriug in the breeze
afar down the road, as he Kissed on the
pack, and cursed the ,impudence of the
stranger.
After a chase of several miles, the Colo
mel gave up the chase, and came parting
back, covered with mud, and swearing the
Teller must be crazy.
Late at night a pedestrian entered a
town about twenty miles of-tattered and
.torn-foot weary and sore, whose only en-
quiry was of the brother of a crazy man
who lived up in the prairies, yet no one
knew aught of the said brother, or could
tell of his whereabouts. The Colonel as,
serts that he made a horse by the crazy
man coming there, as the steed was never
called for, and the overseer, probably hunt
ed up another location.
AN IMMENSE PRACTICAL JoKE.-One
of the ~tallest practical jokes we ever heard
of was recently practiced on an ardent young