Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-07-22
For the Journal.
THE SKELETON FINGER.
4 LEGEND OF TVILILNGTON IN
THE OLDEN TIME

more tDAn seventy years ago com
menccd The practice OF medicine In the
then little town of Wilmington. My office
was in a small wooden building on Front
street, on the corner of the lot now occu
| pied 10y Myers Grocery Store. There
were no stores there then, the building
at the other corner of the square known as
Hoard's house being the only one then
| erected.
1 have said the then little town Of vii
mingtOn, for small it really was, having
| more the appearance Of village than a
commercial seaport, though considering
the size of the tlace great deal OF bus1
ness, and very profitable business too. was
carried on with the West India Islands,
and also by direct communication with
| the old country, as it was called III those
days Most OF the supplies. and noarly
ali the articles Of luxury required by the
planters on the river, were imported from
| England. They were gentlemen IN the
true sense and meaning Of the term. Pos
sossing large estates their doors were open
| to all whose character entitled them to adj
mission, where q generous, nay, almost
profuSe hospitality was most laviNhly dis
pensed OF polished ddress aud courtly
manner, chivalric in their bearing and
proud of their lineage, they would scorn
the man, it mattered not how high his
rank, who did not come fully up to the
DAYS. O1icE to resent an lndlRnlty, either
fancie or real, :hey were equally prompt
to make atonement for wrong or any act
Of Injustice however unintentiOnally CON-
mitted They never learned the art, nor
would they have stopped to acquire 1t, OF
rising to distinctIOn-I mean political posi-
ton by appealing to the passions OF the
multitude or practicing the arts of the
demagogue. Such things were unknown
i'll those days. they were reserved for this.
our day Of progress, and grand moral
ideas. They were, in short, "nOble
breed Of bloods," and We fear we shall
never look upon their like again.
At the time of which | write there was
but one hotel, or rather tavern, rs it was
then called, IN Wilmington. This was
kept by an old gentlemen OF the name of
is related. When President Washington
passed through Wilmington he stopped at
the Dorsey tavern, where, OF course, he
was most sumptuously entertained. Wish
ing to inform himself Of the pecuiiarities
of the place, its business, the character Of
the soil, population, &c., he made many
enquiries of his landlord to that effect,
who promptly gave him the desired infor-
nation. At last he enQuired, "How long
have you lived in Wilmington, Mr. Dor
sey ?"
"Forty years, SIR" he replied.
What is the character Of the water; are
there many springs about the town and IS
the water pure and wholesome ?"
"There are good many springs, sir, IN
the place and a town pump also" said the
landlord. ''but L don't know anything
about the water"
"Why, how is that, Mr. Dorsey. did
not understand you to say you had lived
here for forty years"
"You did sir, and it is as l have stated,
replied the old gentleman, little confused,
but yet cannot tell you anything about
the character Of the water, for the rea-
son that / have never tasted it straight
in my life, but have always tangled it with
old Jamaica"
The Dorsey hotel was q favorite resort of
the planters on the Cape Fear, whenever
they were in town. It was really q most
excellent house, exceedingly clean, atten-
tive servants, and the table abundantly
supplied with comforts for tho inner man.
The landlord himself being "bon vi
vant," and something of an epicure, knew
how to appreciate things that were good,
and delighted in catering for the enjoy
ment of his guests. who generally die full
Justice to the entertainment provided for
them.
No one seemed to enjoy himself more
| (thCugh in his own way) at the hotel when
in town, than did old Col. n. The
Colonel was decidedly arissocratic in his
notions, had great contempt for things
| that he regarded as plebeian had no faith
| whatever in the virtue and intelligence of
the people, and was entirely satisfied that
man was incapable Of self-gOvernmont. He
was very tall, stern looking old gentle
man, proud as Lucifer, very digniied, and
very reticent The most marked attention
| was always paid him while at the hotel,
| nd lar lv ub Mt 10 IN iO
| seat at the table was always reserved for
| him, with his back towards the wall, aud
| he had habit OF leaning backwards III his
| chair for n short time before commencing
and after finishing his meal. One day as
the guests were enjoying themselves rs
usual upon the abundance provided for
| their creature comforts by mine generous
host, and every one had begun to feel that
| inward satisfaction, that peace of mind and
calm tranquility which the pleasures of the
table so richly afford, one incident occur
red, which for few moments threatened
serious consequences to one OF the numer
| GUS guests then present.
The 1olocel was in his uaual seat. mott
| cling 20 one, with three walters attending
him directly opposite. and Immediately
| in front OF him sat young man. stranger
to every one, busily engaged eating oys-
| tiers. 1t was in the month of December,
|
mously large. Suddenly sound, ns OF
one being suffocated, d smothered groln OF
agony, was heard, and looking up to as
certain the gauge, the strange young gen
tleman was discovered sitting upright in
his chair and gasping for breath. He had
attempted to swallow too large an oyster,
and was choking to death before our very
eyes his face had already assumed pur-
plish hue, and the glare of his eyes was
awful to behold. The suddenness of the
occurrence seemed to paralyse every one,
for not a soul moved, or raised finger fo1
his relief. Quietly, AMI without the Least
exhibition of feeling OR of sympathy, the
old Colonel after O glance up and down the
table, rose from his seat, and with military
precision, marched around to the chair OF
the unfortunate youth, who was apparent
ly in the last agony. Placing himself i'm
mediately behind him. he doabled his fist
and drawing back his still muscular arm,
let drive with all his force right between
the shoulders and plos.ered the oyster
| aoainst tha wall OOpOsite q distance OF full