The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-12-04
Old Ben
THE SCOUT OF THE TENNEsEE MOUNTAIN.

. How old Old Ben was no one knew exact
= iy--not even Old Ben himself He had bee
'e called Old Ben so far back that the memory G
ia the oldest inhabtant served not to remembe
ann by any ether designation. Ben said b
must have been born DID, for he had din rcol
lection Of his mother calling him All odd fash
toned Teller" before he was big enough TO weeC
:. The garden When he arrived at mans estat,
The girls invariably called him either Old Bach
eior Ben, or Old Ben So he made up his mint
TO one thing, and that was he never was young
Ben. He was never known to have been sick
except when lie had the 'cussed shakes ano
fever a spell With that exception he had
never invested mucn in patent medicines OF
other doctors stuff, aud was consequently Wig
orou> man, standing firm in his boots. lie was
tall and had not much flesh 10 spare, but he OF
ten remarked that it TUX lean boss for long
race aud he was one of em. He knew the
Mississippi. Cumber and aud Tennessee rivers,
ne said, better than he did his Testimenr, and
had acquired considerable fame fer his skill
at The oar and wheel He was the matt to take
craft safe through a shute or over dangerous
places, and Tor that duty was sill preferred to
others many Years his junior. AS for old Tenn
essee he knew every inch OF her sile, and on
that point he wouldn't yield notch to any man
living or dead. His courage was known 10 be
ut the righ stripe and he was set down as
LUIGI OIG EuOL tUaI "Oulu tuIJI VIC CdSS VI
uany bright ak ii an attempt was made to
split him.
AT the time the hurricane of rebellion swept
over the Stale, O d Ben was on visit to Knox
vile, where he was we'll known. The many
Outrages perpetrafed upon those who retus
20 succumb to the rebel sway so aroused his Ire.
that he al length va id that he believcd he WAS
beginning to turn 'injun, and that he couldn't
die until he had revenge upon the scalp ver>
mlnts who, he asserted, were mean enough to
! cuL their graudmothers throat for the sake OF
getting what the old woman had IN her stock
! lug.
One night he had been listening to a chap
whom he knew az briefess law er from Clarks-
vile haranguing u crowd in bar room, and
growing indignant at what he considered the
fellows insOlence. he interrupted him with,
See here, stranger, yer kin talk just like
clock-Work about them cussid abOlishniSts-
and every one knows that | hates 'en as | do
p,zen-but Al bet yer drinks for the crowd that
YOU never owned uigger for 'em to steal
This challenge from Old Ben, which some~
what staggered the speaker, was received with
much secret satisfaction by several Union men
Of the g'oup, who from necessity were obliged
! to conceal their sentiments, and creating
general laugh, it was few minutes before The
lawyer could recover his sef-possession. He
then drew himself up to assume great de-
gree Of dignity as possible. and fixing what he
Intended as whitening look on Old Ben, while
4 cOntemptuous smile played around the corr
Ders of his mouth, he said:
Old man, | suppose you are some OF the
Union rubbish that has not yet been swept out
Of the Ststr.'
Thar yer right. I'm Union clear through
10 the marrow and if had my way I'd hang
/ up Il lew chaps as you are, who never work but
are everiastln' smen' around for office and
who are now gon' about decrivin' honest peoE
pie -teliiu' 'em that The whole North are goin'
/ To turn niger stealers, and that the only way
s0r Southern men 10 protect thar property is Tor
ON @ dissolve the Uuon aud establish 2ny-
boss concern, with such one boss chaps rs you
/ are at The head If it. I'd hang yer up without
judge or jury. That would be the quickest way
| 10 settle the mischief yer have made
/ loud brGyjug from some Of the converts to
the new doctrine greeted the Iemarks of Old
Ben. But nothing daunted thereat, ne excan
| ed
! yer kin bray much as yer mind to-
But yer may remember that 4ckasses do the
same thirg. And auy one who lines the seces-
slon crew, aint Gt TO be named the same d'y
with 'ckass. Them's my sentiments, and
don't care who knows EN-
Look out, Old Ben. Yon'il be talkin' trea
son yet, and then you'll be arrested, said one
Of the crowd who sympa affixed with the rebels.
get wac very f.icnd y with Old Ben
Treason J! ejacuiated the lawyer He has
been DOING nothing else but talking tleaso& and
shruld be arrested forthwith
Oh no Old Ben won't do auy harm said
another aeccssioniss, who did not wish to see
the old man molested.
4 You've arrested good many honest people
who never harmed any one and ! expect my
turn viii come one OF these days, replied Old
Ben.
You may depend upon thatn exclaimed the
lawyer. 1T won't be long before you are eIe-
Vated, and here he gave peculiar Jerk with
the hand which he bed near his neck If
you cont mend matters you'll 60 up soon old
man
Old Ben was about to reply, but was inter>
rupied by th { enhance of a man, followed by
\ number Of others. Who called the lawyer O one
side anb then entered into low but earnest
conversation with him.
The new conner was thick set, brntalook~
ing man. with face we'll covered with heavy
back hair lie was generally known as Black
Dave, aud his business had been that oi a me-
gro ttader but he was now at the head of
band OF ruttians who, under his direction had
been guilty of many acts Of barbarism. The
lawyer was sort of lieutenant and adviser TO
tie band.
Old Ben pointed to the spot where they stood
and said:
'Sume dirty business is afnat, reckon, when
Two such chaps gei together. One of EN- who
never owned d Niger nor mubey enough to
pay his Ickei bill, talks about North stealiu'
Om niggers! Them's his words The other
one has Jun OIL more uiggers, and sold EN-
down Suu;h, than the a0olishunists have these
zen yeats. II them are the chaps what are go
III I" be yer leaders, ye II smell so bad that he
devil won allow you to come within rlfe-shor
VI me front door OF his domui0ns He will
, ave yer all pitched down the back way .
After giving utterance to these sentiments,
. Oid Ben turned on his heel and stroled leisure.
" out OF the room He had not gone far ere
he wa, overtaken by one of the party from the
Darroom, whom he knew to be sound Union
man, and who SAID in low tone:
, You will have to be very careful of yourself
l atler whaI You have said. | overheard B ack
4 Dave Tell the other that your case would be at
: tended to shortly,
lney'il attend to me shortly will they. eh {?
calculated Old Ben. Then say let 'em come
on. III CT ng to the Union as long as there's
"a splinter LEFT l Gait live much longer, any
= way, but while do live I'll live like man
. 4'u are well acquainted with the FOUNTAINS,
: are YOU not"
i reckon
YIN know that great many Union men
no have been driven from their homes have
DC, Obliged to seek hiding place there anil
4 such times as the Union army gets this way
: y IS, know it and What's more I'm soln' to
i make one oil 'em. ,ch to have ll!tIe Vsn,
{ geauce on them scaly varmiuts Ii he Union
U .sler ABOUT here had little more OF the Par
IA sons stuff in 'em wed make screechin' work
e about them turkey buzzards.
But you can't expect all men to be Brown
lows. His very b,Idness aw ed them for while
II but you see th ) re getting over that now
: Men have 10 be P:udeut for the sake of he'll
q ram,Ies Ii you will come to my house to-mor
= row night you will hear of -omething that vii
Is 10 you good, and how you can be OF vast ser
: wee 20 De Union men Of this vicinity. VIII
you come y
: YES, I'll be thar
% Old Beno companion noticing Black Dave
aud the lawyer approaching. wak-d quickly