Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-09
1890
GEORGIA..
Poor White People who Inhabit the

| the war the Colonel was quite wealthy, land
was famous for his splendid company snG
princely hospistality. Fortune has deprived
him of the accident of wealth, but the jade
has not affected the mans social
qualities or subdued his spirit.
This gentleman gave Mr.. Grier and
myself great deal of novel information
about that almost unknown class of poor
white people who inbabis the "wire grass
and epiny-wood" regions of &c orgia, and
he told us number of anecdotes illustra-
tive of their mode of life and peculiar dia-
lect, that were humorous and curious in
themselves, and peculiarly inimitahle in his
manner of telling. The story l am about
to give will, of course, lose much of his
but the Colonel to tell it. Yet, with the
aid of type, l will make the venture.
Colonel Howard was at one time stu
dent in the law Office of Robert NJ. Charl-
ton and John E. Ward, two of the most
eminent lawyers of Savannah. The parties
to the conversation were two honest coun-
trymen, natives of the wire-grSss region,
and young Howard, who at that moment
was arranging some papers for the wire
grass men. One of the men had thin,
squeakiDg voice, and while the papers were
being made ready he addressed his COM
panion:
81 say, Newmans, what does Boatright
say now? Air you friendly?"
Newmans, Gin dee9, double bass voice,
speaking very deliberately)-"Waal, Woods,
ye know when an old bull has the range for
long time, and another bull comes an cores
him outen it, they can pass an repass, but
not to say friendly disposedr'
Howard Cooking up)-"Hello, Mr.. New
mani you been having fight with Boat
right too?'
that's all'
Howard (who had not heard a word
about the fght)-"Why, 1 didn't know it
was you. thought it was Bill" New
mans SOM ...
Newmans-"No; twas me-but twas
bout Bill, that's fact; twas bout Bill"
"Well, tell me how it happened"
Newmans-"Waal, t'other day Bill he
goes down to Squire Scroggins' cross roads.
You know whar Squire Scroggins' cross
roads is, don't We ?"
Howard-"Oh, yes, know where It is.
Go on"
"Wa'al, as / said, Bill he goes down thar,
and whilst thar he gets a little owly, and
the Boatrights fell aboard of him, and beat
him pretty nigh tew death. / tell you,
Mr.. Howard, they beat him up severe. And
suppose that Boatright should say that be
could lick any of the name. (Any of New
mans name.)
$50 Bill told me that night how he pot
tered roun' and Dragged what he could do,
and SIGH like. / knoWed all his filings was
made at me, but never said nothin'. But
next mornin', just bout sun up, put my
old blind bride on my gray mar'-some-
body had stole my other bride durin' the
big camp-meeting-snd l rode down thar.
[ found Boatright a sittin' atop O. his fence,
a peckin of his teeth with piece of light
wood splinter he had pulled often the rail"
Sez l, 81 understan you said you could
lick the name. Did you say it?"
Said he, 81 did,"
"What made you say it?"
"Kase thought could do it."
"Think ye kin do it now?"
"Think kim"
."Lightw (Meaning get off the fence.)
Howard, Ito keep Newmans from going
into details) "Well, Mr.. Newmans, did
you have fair fght?"
Newmans-"Not to say fair fight, kase
he had his coat off and his galluses tied
'rouGd his wrist, and l had to take two
steps backards to git my coat off. Howsomd-
eVir he struck at me with his right hahd,
an Tended it off with my left, and guy
him subinder under here(placing his hand
to bis chin), an as he went over | took q
piece outer his breast with my teeth bout
this big doubling up both fisls), an l tell
Mr. Hnuyar6 If uUo q Y1rOvi5anfiol
aster, for it would a bruk the spine in his
back finally"
Then, walking about the Office excitedly,
Newmans continued:
"And l could a got his eyeballs, an
ctawed his thumbs, but it's agin my prin-
ciples, Mr.. Howard, to fight that way"
Another story was related of one of these
curious people that shows they respect the
ministry, if they do not understand all the
Mosaic laws. There are but few churches in
the sparsely settled pine forests, and the ad-
vent of preacher is a great occasion. They
always respect The mans sacred calling, and
have earned the Partially of the cloth for
good living. Meat is the exception in their
daily fare, and when hard driven for animal
food the' hunt the gopher" as they name
the species of terrapin that burrows in the
sandy soil with wonderful rapidity-indeed
it is very difficult to overtake them when
they once get start.
A preacher, who was to dine at the next
cabin, was riding. through the woods one
Sunday, and when near his destination he
saw man with bis coat off, bis sleeves roll
ed up, and his head bare, digging in the
sand for dear life. ..r
''My friend, this is the Sabbath; you
should not work." said the clergyman.
"Workl" exclaimed the man, digging still
harder, "I've got ter work like blazes; wife's
gone ter msetin."
"But what are you working for ?''
'1'm arter gopher"
s'Can you catch him ?"
"Ketch him! He'll" looking up with a
scornful glance. "I'm 'bleeged to ketch
him; the preachers coming to our house
for dinner, and we got no meat"
The narrator said the gopher was cap
tured, but history does not record the
preachers eating him.
was amused while looking at the forti-
fcations near West Point, Alabama, which
our troops captured, and while remarking
on the difficulty of the attack man be-
hind me said:
"Twasn't hard; twas soft thing"
"Of course, we had ten men to your one,
and good soldiers" said.
"That's all true, but 'twasn't that made it
/ soft to take.
"What was it them"
"Wa'al, was there, an after ten hours
tighten our ammunition give out. If we'd
| a had ammunition we'd been tighten still,
and that tort wouldn't been tuck"
This was said in half humorous tone,
and we all enjoyed the joke. ARC.