New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-03-20
JOHN GILLIS.

''In 1925 | resided in ST. Paul's Parish.
My plantation was situated about thirty
miles on the other side of the Ashley river,
not far from the small hamlet Of Willtomn's
Bluff The parish at that period was thickly
settled by opulent, educated, and decidedly
exclusive gentlemen. The society among
ourselves was charming. Every person &C.
cupying certain social position was intimate
with his neighbor; and what with club-din-
ners, whist-gatherings, balls, and hunting
matches, the winters passed merrily enough.
But, as have said, we were aristocrats in both
feelings and practice. Any newcomer, desir-
Gus of pitching his tent in st. Paups, was
well aware-if he knew anything whatever
ofus-that admission to our notice and friend
ship was not TO be dreamed of, unless his
credentials in regard to birth and breeding
were of an unexceptionable character. No
French noble, under the reign of the Four
teenth Louis, could have been charter on
these points than we were, or more disposed
to look de hdm en- JaS upon those we had rea-
son to consider our social interiors. This
principle of eXclusiycness, however, was dcS-
tined to receive n shock. A fellow named
John ellis, who for years had acted as over
seer upon different plantations near the Eds
to, and whose wealthy no means scrupu-
lousy acquired-was reported as enormous,
came to reside in st. Paul's some time dur
worst possible auspices for, in addition TO
the general bad opinion of his character, he
forced the sale Of the finest plantation in the
parish, (after having bought up the floating
notes of its owner, one OF our fayorlte
friends,) and, finally, 80 Unanswered as TO
possess himself of the entire estate.
ale had scarcely been settled therein a
month, before, with unparalleled audacity,
he sent his name in as a candidate for admis-
sion to our club. The magnates ofthat asso-
citation stood aghast For my part, couldn't
help laughing at the mans impudence, but,
of course, Joined the others in black-b aling
him.
''This rejection instead of abashing, mere
w Infatuated ellis. lie took advantage ofthe
circumstance that nothing had been absolute
lyproced against his character for honesty and
upright dealing, to assert his claims to be re-
ceived upon an equal footing socially, in the
most aggravating and offensive manner.
perseverance, backed by unlimited cheek,
Ito borrow n slang phrase are capable of
accomplishing great deal.
at so happened that one of our young
men-the 'buest'-blooded perhaps of them
all-got into personal difficulty with ellis,
who, being combative a game-chicken, and
brave as Julius Caesar, Immediately chal-
lenged linn to the field OF honor. The youth,
in his anger, accepted the challenge, and was
shot through the lungs for his cOndescension.
He did not die, but his health was perma-
nently injured.
1.-THE consequence Of such n meeting was
necessarily 10 weaken, if not destroy, the
efficiency Of our taboo. a man whom one Of
our comrades had fought, we Git was main
tained) could not continue utterly to ignore. |
True, our club-doors were closed against his |
admission as stringently as ever, and in both |
our individual and collective capacity we re- |
fused to associate with him. Nevertheless, |
the shrewd rascal comprchcnded that, on one |
essential point, he had us rs Bassanio |
says, upon the hip \ fastidious member |
of our circle had established precedent il |
would scarcely b. On TSg!e 10 violate In eN- |
treme cases, therefore, Mr.. John ellis was |
To enjoy tho privilege OF popping away at our |
honorable carcasscs--a concession which |
alone yainly opposed a foolish and democrat |
izing.
"ThlIS the rcs0lute JdJFeHH cndeaN ored to |
force has way upward, pistol in hand. Every |
year, for the three years following, he was |
out with some member of our club, and on |
every occasion he had succeeded in 'winging' |
his adversary. We began rather 10 respect |
his pluck and GOODNESS, and TO be careful |
about giving him unnecessary oifense, when |
certain occurrences took place which ended |
in Kidding Us forever Of Mr.. ellis and his |
pretensions.
"There lived at 'Willtoun's Bluff a gem
tleman of considerable property, whom every
body in the parish liked for his free-handed,
liberal ways, his joyial temper, and his pro-
verbal generosity and unseltishness. Arthur
Wilson was, in some respects, Falstaff,
without Falstaii's vices. Like the hero of
tiadshill, he was physically 'tun of a man,
and he resemblcd him likewise in his super
abundant wit and humor. But, poor fellow!
he had been destined 10 suffer from n terrible
Thorn in the flesh HIS wife, dried-up
little creature, one could hardly see In her j
husbands gigantic and oyerpowering pres