Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-05

greeted my ears constantly, there was q
sentence almost invariably added in an
under tone, "Wonder when Limber-Stick
lobe u be back9" l had heard that
name occasionally spoken among the
miners and gamblers, but now it was be-
ginning to be on everybody's tongue.
Limber-Slick lobe seemed to have an in
fluence in Dahlonega. 1t somehow at
once got into my head that this man, this
Limber-Stick lobe, was to be my rival in
one way or another. This kept me from
making any inquiries about him.
AS days went by occasionally saw the
glorious girl l had so long loved in my
dreams. 1t would 80 happen that she
must several times see me fighting. l
hated this. had got my beard and hair
neatly trimmed, and had been more care
full about my dress lately, all on her &C.
count. To save my life, couldn't see
her without having my heart go into a
foolish f1utter, and feeling my face get
pale or red by turns OH for that mat
ter, l may as well acknowledge that /
loved her as soon as / saw her, for l did.
''Whst young lady is that ~ said | to
my landlord, one day, as the object of my
admiration was passing along the street,
in front of the hotel
'That's Nettie Ballew," was the reply.
"Where does she live2"
SAT home.n
In less than twenty minutes the land
lord was entirely used up. The young
lady heard him bswling, and looked back
Just in time to see me put on the finishing
touch, by grinding a handful of dirt into
the fellows eyes.
Could it be9 ] thought-yes, was al
most certain she smiled, as our eyes met,
in that backward glancei
/ helped the Landlord up, and said to
him, in my smiling way
81 guess maybe you can tell me where
she lives now. Tell me in less than a
secondln -ra.s
''She-she-l1-lives j-just out of
t-town on the h-hill n-n-nOrth, in the
w-w-white house, among the pines" he
replied, out of breath with pain and ter
TOR.
knew where the place was. Had
passed it often in going to the "diggings"
of Col L.. 1t was the only really
comfortable residence l knew of any
where in that vicinity. A two-story
frame house (painted white, with nice
portico in front and large windows, with
green venetian blinds) was something
quite in the aristocratic line at that time
in and about Dshlonega.
Early on the next morning, after max
ing the discovery of the home of Nettie
Ballev, l called for my horse snd rode
out past the house. 1 had no object in
view, only faint hope that / might get
to see the young lady. 1 don't know
what made it so turn my head, but | was
really nearly crazy about that girl. Well,
didn't get to see her, and after lingering
in the neighborhood of the house for
some hours, started back to town in q
somewhat dispirited mood. l asked my
self what meant. What was to think
of loving this beautiful, delicate girl. |,
a rowing rake-a rowdy, bully, riot-hun-
ter, law-defer-a desperate Could l
ever make myself worthy of herr Wasn't
it the merest nonsense to be thinking of
it9 Thuswise filed with self-reprosch,
chagrir, remorse, and almost desperst ion
to the last degree, ! rode towards town
with my hat drawn down far over my
eyes. As passed Tibb's saloons heard
some one say: "And Timber Stick lobe
has come back, and it's all setting up"
paid little attention to the remark,
but had gone only rod or two further,
when passed two or three miners going
'down town. when one said to the 9TH
er, "Limber-Stick lobe has got back. y
4 little farther on group of men were
holding some sort of a confab on q street
corner. From some one in that group
came the words, eff Limber-Stick lobe
can't do it, nobody can" Then as l got
well down among the saloons, and the
throng of such men as gather about gold
mines went stirring and huZzing around
me from every quarter came that name
Limber-Stick lobe.
1t was now about noon, and as soon as
l reached my boarding place, went to
my room to collect my faculties, for
began to snuff big fight. l had heard
enough to convince me that Limber-Stick
lobe was the ruling bully of Dahlonega,
and that l had come in his absence and
usurpeG his place. That was the long and
short of the business.
was sitting on the side of my bed,
smoking my pipe, thinking about what
was probable to be the result of my long
er staying in Dahlonega, when q great
shouting and yelling began in the street
| below. l drew back my window cur
tains and looked out. A great crowd of
men, motley as such crowds can be, was
streaming along the side of the street,
waving their hats and shouting, ''Hoo-
| ray for Limber-Stick TObei" Along the
| middle of that street rode man on whom
| all eyes were turned. OF course that
man was Timber Stick lobe. He was
apparently about forty years of age,
short and thick set, with heavy limbs,
round shoulders, big, square head thai
seemed to set tight down on his body
without any neck at all, and a face al
once mild, self-satisfied and determined
The forehead was broad and high, very
slightly retresting, the eyebrows black
and heavy, the eyes steel gray, and rather
small, the nose slightly aquiline, the
mouth thin-ipped and firm, the chin
square and advancing. He worea broad
brimmed hat, under which his black hail
| mug III COdl Cullo- liz CdlAICO III II
hand black walking stick, which BEN
and quivered all the time with its OWL
weight, SO flexible was it. This mar
smiled blandly around on the crowd, &C
knowledging the cheering by frequently
waving his stick. Finally he passed on
of my sight, and heard them cheering
on after him. This was the man ha
to fight. l felt it, 1 knew it, l took m.
hat and walked down into the street.
''Who was that fellow on the horse
/ inquired of a man standing on tn
hotel steps"
''That that was old Timber Sicl
Tobe' as they call him" was the re
ply.
'Is he much of fghter2" l cues
toned.
'Fighter! fighter! Limber-Stc
lobe a fighter" said the man emphati
cally, and gazing strangely at me. Thel
turning to two or three Others near by b
continued
81 say there, Jack, Jim, Ben, this ma
wants TO know if Limber-Stick lobe
much of a fighter "
"a fighter you bet said one.