Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-03-23
MEMPHIS, TENN:
MoRALVPowER OF MUSCLE.
BY JUDGE CLARK.

In peril the puDhc lie ana limo Delore
or since. HNftbNg tf4tlh w
1t was Saturday afternoon, and We
were to reach Jericho at some indefinite
hour that evening, time not being Of
the essence of the contract"
Alta place called Blueruin we stopped
fifteen minutes to liquor. ~ There hac
been a cock-fght, and several Other
fights, and a big crowd there that day
and everybody was in high glee.
The New. Jericho delegation returned
by our train, and rougher looking
samples Of rustic rowdydom it would
have been difficult to find, even in thai
favored region. Among them was a
six-footer, a very Hercules in proper
tions, with a cock-o' -the-walk sort oi
swagger about him, who took possession
of two seats, depositing his body on one
and deadheading his legs on the other.
One cheek was puffed out by an under
lying quid while ever and anon, with a
back-action jerk, he would send near a
Tgill of tobacco juice over his shoulder,
which those within range had the privi-
lege of lodging or taking the conse-
quences Of, as they liked. As for his
conversation, the curse of Ernulphus, or
the table-talk of Flanders mess-room
in Uncle Toby's time, in point of maledic-
tory power, was weak in comparison,
At the next station young lady came
on board, beautiful as Venus and modest
as Dian. How so rare flower came to
bloom in such wild, was a question to
puzzle over. But there was no time to
settle it. The lady was standing and all
the seats were occupied. liwas on the
point of offering mine, when youthful
looking gentleman, Of prepossessing
manners and appearance, stepped for
ward and addressed the eouchant Her
eules
"Allow me- he said politely, ito turn
over the back of this seat. i, "a, er ~
1Hey2p the other grunted. ~ Va -
The request was repeated.
"See you dod darned first" was the
gruff response. ~ ~ ftDMA
"But sir" the gentleman began to
dLookee here youl" clustered the
bully-don't you offer for to go for to
rile mel--thats my advice, on | gives i
free gratis, cause / feel intrust in you,
| ''But this lady is entitled to a seat,
the stranger persisted. f0l asAm u %
Give her your own then, dod drot
you'll an stop your chin-music, or, by
Hoky, you will rile me- " -. ri .,J..l qs,f.I
| AS last resort, the gentleman ap-
pealed to the conductor, who CHANGED to
be passing But the latter declined to
interfere. Such things must be left to
courtesy. Besides, it wasn't his place to
take part in the disputes of passengers,
So saying, he went his way, punching
tickets, and taking no further heed.
| "Dod blast you, you hev riled me
shouted the bully, springing to his feet
and striding up to the young man, who
didn't seem quite sensible of his danger;
"you've gone an stuck your nose into
other peoples business, an Tn goin' to
pull it'll "
An attempt was made to suit the action
to the word; but before the metaphoric
ally offending member had been SO mucf
as touched, something-it moved sc
swiftly | couldn't DE positive it was tht
gentleman's fst-took Hercules directly
between the eyes, and sent him sprawline
to the other end of the car. He didn't
get up Immediately, and when he did, he
seemed little bewildered as to whether
he had been knocked down or the train
| had run off the track He had had
enough, at all events, wherever it came
from, as was evident from the subdued
air with which he took his departure
for the smoking car, whittier his com
panions soon followed, no doubt secretly
chuckling at the result as usually do the
chums Of whipped bully.
Pap Kilderkin, the proprietor of the
New Jericho Rest, was the most commu-
nicatiye of hosts. Before bedtime that
night, l was thoroughly and accurately
up in all the gossip Of the place, and
had its scandalous statistics at my I'm
gers ends. .HNgI9 o. fllt
Among other things, learned that
stated preaching had hitherto been
among the wants Of the community, but
that supply had bean at length OBJ
tanned, and the new minister was expect
Ito enter on his duties on the morrow.
rAnd refreshin' season he'll hey OF
it, said Pap. hl i 3hI ty ~,
"Why so?" I asked.
T0hI Bill Grinkey an t'other chaps
goin' to brake him in tomorrer; an Ell
you want to see fun, L d edwise you to go
thar. .t. 81.
And did go-not ITO see fun as
Pap Kilderkin suggested, but, / trust,
from better motives. Pap went too-by
what prompted, / prefer not judging.
When we reached the church, the
minister had not yet made his appear
anee, though goodly number Of hear
ers had already assembled. A few min
utes later, yesterday delegation TO the
Blueruin cock-fght, headed by the van
quished bully, with both his eyes in full
mourning. sauntered In, aud walked
noisily down the aisle. f..
"Thats Bill Grinkey," whispered Pap,
"an them's tother chaps.
MAKE way for the mournersl" sang
out Bill, crowding, with his companions,
into front seat, where boisterous con
versation was struck up, mingled with
an iucessant cracking OF peanuts. ai
"a kin tell you thar progranny, Pap
continued; " a pack o shootin crackers
III be fetched off doorin' the fust hyme,
an a pair o game chickens as a couple
o them chaps got in thar pockets, II
be sot fghtin' as soon as the tex's gin
out, arter which gen'ra Ned i'll be in
order" fI|.. |nwTfr# MOS
A sudden silence fell upon the con
gregation. Not a murmur was heard,
and the peanuts ceased to crack. Look
ing up, j saw the new minister in the
pulpit; and guess my surprise at reeog-
nizing him as the young man that bad
struck out so deity from his shoulder
the day before
With a clear, manlyvoiee, he gave out
hymn, which was sung through with
out interruption. A prayer was offered
ND amid profound and decorous silence.