Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-03-15
A Bar-rOOm Tragedy.

ONCE, in the fall of 1S3-, there came
into Aiken, S. c., an old trapper and
hunter from the neighboring State of
Georgia, for the purpose of selling store
of skins and choice venison-hams which
accompanied by his SOM he had labori-
ously conveyed thither in a rough, spring
less cart.
Sam Gregory (the old mans name) was
known to some persons in Aiken as
straightforward, honest, simple-hearted
Methodist, an individual of few words,
but those always civil and amiable, and
as easy, on most occasions, to deal with
as an unspoiled child. Though seventy
years of age, he was as upright as pine,
tall in stature, with undiminished muscu-
lar vigor and activity. The son, then
about twenty-nine or thirty, was, in the
minutest particulars, the image of his
father, except that he topped the elder by
a couple of inches, although old Gregory
was upward of six feet high
1t was "sale-day" upon which these two
found themselves mingling with what, to
their woodland eye, seemed quite crowd,
among the shops and warehouses of
Aiken. A merchant, with whom Gregory
had been accustomed to treat in the dis
position of his hides and hams having
left the place, our hunter was obliged to
seek custom elsewhere. He went from
shop to shop, exhibiting specimens of his
stock in trade, but luck was against him (;
he could obtain no purchaser upon any
thing like fair terms.
AT length he came to an establishment
which, supposing it to be grocery, he
carelessly entered, his son lust be-
hind him. 1t was not grocery, how
ever, but notorious barrOom, kept by Il
fellow nicknamed "Bully Bob"
Bully Bob was even worse than his
class in general. Having grown rich by
the sale of liquors, he waXed impertinent,
organized a "body guard" of "Mohawks''
who obeyed his slightest nod, and were
the pest of the sober portion of the
community both night and day.
One of the bully's rules (as sternly car
ried out as the laws of the Medes and
Persians) was that no man, woman or
child should enter his bar no matter
h0D or achen, without being made to
drink
In this unhallowed place, and in the
presence of the bandy-legged, beetle.
browed, broad-chested, and flery-nosed
genius of the same, the Gregorys now
stood, looking about them in that lost,
bewildered way, characteristic of the
DuOhMoOuSludu III lONn OF CllY, ana the
effect of which is half ludicrous, half pa.
thetic.
"Well, strangers, growled Bully Bob,
'aiTe ye going 10 stop thar all day
Watts the liquor?"
Old Sam explained, in his simple, limo,
cent way, that he had made mistake as
to the place, and that fact was, nutheI
Jenny pointing to his SOM "nor his
dad CHATS me, boys) ever TUX to liquor
yet, nor ever mean to |"
Whereupon, he turned to the door, and
seemed about to leave. "None o. that,
now !" yelled Bully Bob, leaping to the
counter, and lecking the door Instantly
the key of which he put into his pocket.
" You old FOOL he continued, "pl
mako ye swill pint of whisky neat, and
pay double for II, TO boot ~
Here was dilemma. Bully Bob wa:
supported by half-a,dozen louDgers, ano
to attempt resistance seemed madness
| That did not strike the Gregorys, how
ever. After recovering from LITTLE
natural surprise at the unexpected posi-
tion, the elder demanded their freedom.
"let us go !" said he.
"When you've done your dOoty, ant
obeyed orders" replied Bob, who haC
again taken his place behind the bar
and was searching among his bottles
Sam wheeled round, but quite deliberate
| ly, and walked toward backdOor tina
was open, beckoning Jem TO follow