The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-06-14

WEDNESDAY MORNlNG, /.
led demons, 30 fercely did they 60 at each
| other T. was of but shortdhration, however,
for the. Edqeield bird. burst a blood vessel, and
Commenced throwing up the crimson tide
from his throat In a great black stream. He
fonrht. however,. 10 the very last, and his ex-
piring kick was a strike at the enemy's head.
New6erry was, OF course, declared the victor,
and now ewberry was ahead in the main.
Sheriff Tom Paysiuger was IN OBSTACLES, and Of
fpred 10 bet ali he Was worth considerable, by
the way that Newberry and Columbia would
win. sThere were no takers.
UNCLE JOSEPH AT q COCK FiGHT.
While the heelers were preparing the cocks
fur ihe next fight, I looked around The crowd
+ for acuuaintances. l hadn't long to look.
Lover in q kind of an out.ofthe-way place,
quietly observing the scene, sat gentleman
+ snooth-faced man of about sixty. He had on
a Iair of yellow nankeep troWsers reaching
ah1rt halfway down from his knees; q swal-
hwtail coat Of blue cloth with brass buttons,
a buff vest, and pink Deck-tie. He aaD'wore
a rufie shirt and silk stockings. Upon his
head rested a broad trimmed panama hat and
upon his feet we're lQw-quartered shoes. HIS
truwsp-s were cut very wide and were pre-
YER I'D from slipping above his knees by straps.
The old pentleman's face wore q sweet and
l.1,acid smile. Ttook a second look and ut Once
recoppized him. 1t was Uncle Joseph Crews,
lhe member from Laurens, and the greatest
poker.player In South Carolina. This was
EOp0e Joseph's first appearance M pub
lie since his official. visit, to the lnssfe
asylIm. Uncle Joseph received q shock
on that occasion that came near unfCtlng
him for public duties, aud since then he has
remained in = slate OF secfasion. II seems
that Uncle Joseph is chairman Of the board of
regents of the insane Asylum. The board
consists Of nine negro members OF Inc Lesls-
lature and Uncle Joseph. Two or Three weeks
ago the board went on lis anaual tour OF in
sSection, with its president, Uncle Joseph, at
lis head. Uncle Joseph marched his QegrO CO.
| h1inturs into the Asylum grounds, aud led the
way to DR.. Ensor's office. On the way he was
saIilted by Mr.. c., an Inmate OF the instl-
luton. Now, MIR. C--is a very Intelligent
gentleman indeed. His present misfortune Is
| The result of too much brain work. Mr.. u
knew Uncle Joseph years ago, long be-
lore he (Mr. CT became insane or Uncle Jo-
semi became q great statesman, He knew
Uncte Josepf's- business then, and OF course
his disordered Intellect Is unable TO graep The
! TACT shat Uncle Joseph has abandoned bis sin
| lul and wicked pursuits aud become q high
| toned and strictly virtuous politician
"Cood morning, Mr.. Crews" said Mr..
c., advancing.
'CUUu luOIlthEt' uks
Uncle Joseph, us he extended his hand and
| smiled most sweeuy.-'
II is a very line morning, Mr.. Crews" said
Mr.. c..
..very fine Indeed, sir. smiled Uncle JOS
eah. ca
Now Uncle Joseph did not understand this
question, but he suddenly recoliected mat Mr..
. WIS insane, so be did not nQlice 1t.
Here Mr.. C-looked very ineentlyal the
BOARD OF regents. He took hold ot their arms
and limbs, aud tuA oil them all over, whieb, o.
course, not one OF the board noticed, knowing
Lle unfortunate mans condition. he CUES
toned them closely az to thetr ages. health,
had formerly: lived, and indeed behaved OBJ
the board thought, In a very singular manner.
He then reapproached Uncle Joseph.
well, Mr.. Crews" said ne, ~ must say
that / never before saw you with so likely q
lot Of niggers. They certainly ought 10
bring good prices. | have seen you, Mr..
Crews, take some Of the demonstrating mig
gers to the auction block that ever were sold
in1he South. tGreat CONSERVATION on the
Mr.. Crews, that you are picking up Q better
stock. Now, these are really hHe-looking
nigsers. They are well dressed, and They
loUk happy aud .contented. Very different,
Mr.. Crews, from those you used to sell down
there on the Broad River Do you remember,
Mr.. Crews, the tint when you sold q nfgser
that had the small .pox 10 old Uncle-?"-
,.Great God! what are you talking about
man ;" shouted Uncle Joseph, unable.l 10 stend
1t any longer. '"Let us go, say" as MIR.
> gfasped hts hand as ifto detain him.
Don't you see that we are the board OF re-
gents come 10 visit the 'Sylum?"
And alt at once The shattered mind Of Mr..
C. seemed to gather itself up and under.
stand that the COED old days to which he had
the past. With o peculiar look at the disgust
ed regents, he turned on his heel and walked
sorrowfully and mournfully away. Uncle 10.
seph was angry. For the first time In his lite,
it is said, his face lost Its sweet expression
and became clouded. When he greeted Dr..
Ensor, he did 1t with so unusual o manner
that the doctor thought Uncle Joseph had
made a heavy loss at poker, and he questioned
him about il; but Uncle Joseph denied that ha
had lost anything at poker, and SOON his, lace
resumed its wonted smile. But the story came
out aud then Uncle Joseph went in. He did
not come into the street again for several
days, and his appearance at the chicken hght
was a matter Of wonder to oil. Uncle Joseph Is
VERY FOND OF co~ck-FIaHTINa.
He thinks that next to poker it ia one OF the
most eleyating amusements oil the Southern
aristOcracy. He was very much lnterestedln
one Of the hack fights that took place, and
said that the meanesL looking cock OF the TWO
would besure to win. When asked his reason
for having such an opinion, he SAID that IL
wasn't always the best-looking cock that wins
the light. He said c~ock-ighllng was In TINS
respect like politics; the meanest and most III
favored in politics always come out 6rst best,
and he believed 1t was so IN c~ock-tightlng.
Uncle Joseph said he had q very fine game
cock in Laurens that he Intended bringing
down, but be. didn't have lime to go Tor 1t
then. When Uncle Joseph sail this several
young men. who locked as ii they might.be-
long 10 the XII Kluy laughed oul loud. They
evidently thought that Uncle Joseph was
afraid to 20 TO Laursns.a
THE HANDLERS.
But The most Imaginable feature ot these
chicken fights was The Dir with which the han
dlers performed theirduties. Those duties are
analogous TO those performed by ,bottle'hold.
ers at q prize fight, At the end Of each round
each man gathered up his chicken, stroked his
feathers, aud de1terously slipping his hand
under the fowl between his legs, sat him down
directly opposite to and within a few feet oil
his adversary. Together they take their hands
away, and then the birds ny. at each other.
There is nothing particularly amusing in this,
but the way la which they do IL Is killing.
Both the handlers ct these fights were old men.
One of them had a long white beard, and his
face was a study for q painter. Never q smile
crossed it during The whole three days.
Tournament. To look at him as he went
about his duty YOU would have thought the
fate of empires depended upon the skill with
which he executed his task He saw nothing