Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1869-02-12
& Aun1uruus gtnry.
BAYED BY BULLDOGS.
Yarn Of an Old Texan Hunter.

Among the many odd characters of the
old-hunter type with whom have come
in contact, I can remember none more
deserving to be called "queer," than Ze-
bulon Stump-or "old Zeb Stump" as
he was better known among his hunter
confreres
have been all my life fond of listen
ing TO tales of adventure, in which wild
animals played part; and. whenever op-
portunity occurred. have solicited the tell
ing of them. In my note book I find
more of these tales accredited to Zeb
Stump than to any other man; and per-
hsps no other man ever met by me was
capable, from bis own experience, of re-
lating so many.
will not answer for their being all
strictly true; though despite his queer
nets" Zeb had reputation for veracity,
and the worst ever alleged against him
Was little exaggeration. The truth is,
that he enjoyed the telling of an adven-
turous tale, as much as his hearers did
the listening to it; and he could scarce
have, excelled as teller. without
dealing in little establishment.
One day We we're turkey hunting to-
Rether in the Mississippi bottom. not far
from his own domicile, which was simply
the cavity of a hollow trees We had
enjoyed aforenoon Of tolerably fair sport;
and, seated upon log. we'll shadowed by
the overlapping cottonwoods. were re-
cruiting our strength wi b a .'pone" of
coru-bread and chunk" of boiled bacon,
that Zcb, ever proyident on such occa-
sions, had drawn forth from his wallet.
After satisfying the inner man. I bad
offered him q cigar. which be declined on
the excuse, that he ''allers purfurred a
pipe" He made no objection, however,
to joining me in stomachic, which was
wont to take along with me on these ex-
cursiops, in the shape Of flask of old cog
nae brandy. Although unaccustomed to
this peculiar spirit. Zeb pronounced it
good better q any corn he'd ever tast-
ed. i iesf'f 80 = u ,$.ti
After second pull at the "pewter," /
observed that it produced pleasant eff
feet upon him; and. seeing him in this
cheerful mood. determined on drawing
from him story-some adventure with
Wild animals. feline or ursine-of which
knew the old hunter to have his share.
Deity setting my trap soon had him
into it.
''Ye may talk bout ytqt bars" begun
he. ''an' iyur painters. an other wild
beests bein' dangerous. an SO they ur, uu-
ners sartin sarkimstances, ez this chile hez
reezun to know. But war oncest in a
scrape wi q anymal as air konsidered
tame. not smore'n six't part the size O
eyther bar or painter. An when say
scrspe.i1 mean q ugly 'un; perhaps the
ugliest ever chenced to this byar chile.
an be hev fit both bar an painter, to say
nuthin' O wounded buck. which air some
times wuss than both"
"A tame animal Z" " .
"a tame anymal; an not much larger
than . tom,cat. at thetp
II can't think of what animal you
mean" s'
Watt. young fellur. an you'll hear all
bout the critter I'm speakin' o."
The old hunter had the knack of telling
. story. ia such way as to bring out its
points in their proper places. knowing
this. | consented to be silent.
'.,Twar bout three yeer ago, on my
first trip to Texas. I went to see how
thet new country 'ud shoot me: an it
did, for / intends Sgoin' back there putty
soon. Wal; I landed on the island O.
Galveston. aa from fbtrI wept pp Buf-
falo bayou, to the town o. Hevston.o.,
a'Thsr war fellur at Hewston who'd
gone out from Tennersee. fused to know
him. when We war youngs'uns tbegitber;
*This Is NO exaggeration. When first be-
came acquainted with him, the old hunter was
living ia . hollow (standing) tree a sycamore,
or ,buttanwood if I remember aright-Aalong
with his wife, who was q character almost as
'.queer" a. zeh himself. The cavity that thus
sheltered them was large enough to contain q
oet-bed, and had q small 6re.plsce ingeniously
contrived for the emission of the smoke. This
primitive dwelling was In the midst. Of an ax-