Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-12-10


again Joined his command it was in the
Catawba country, and it was two years
before he had another chance to visit
! home. The negroes told him that Dave
Peigler had been buried by the British
in old st. Stephens Churchyard, and
there was not one of them who would
have passed the church alone in the day
time or at night under any circumstances:
| for they declared that the outlaws
ghost could be seen at any time after
dark sitting on the church step, with a
rope round his neck, bottle of rum in
one hand and horseman's pistol in the
other"
Just here Ned Poole, who was always
ready with some inquisitive question,
took advantage of pause occasioned by
the ColoneFs filling his glass with sherry
and lighting fresh cigar to inquire,
Did they ever find that pistol that
Peigler left at Capt Theus' house?"
Il never heard it if they did," resumed
! the Colonel; "but about five years ago
the washboard of the dining room wall
was removed and the lathing taken off
for repairs, and rusty old horse pistol
was found, heavily loaded with a brace
of balls, the pan caked with what had
once been powder, and the flint as sharp
as if picked only yesterday. / never
thought of il before, but it may have
been Dave Peigler's, for I remember as
a boy seeing large knot-hole in the pan
cling, which always thought 1t would
be such fun TO poke keys into. Perhaps
one of the house-boys found 1t and threw
it into the hole.
WE'LL the most singular part of the
story is yet to come. Three of the re-
naming brothers were killed during the
war; one died of mania-a-potu; one was
drowned in Biggin Creek after drunken
frolic; and Dan had his neck broken by
fall from his horse while racing one
Sunday afternoon. He was to have been
married that very night; after waiting
for him for three hours n young fellow
offered himself as substitute rather
than have the company disappointed.
The bride agreed to the proposition,
they were married, and the wedding
party all got roaring drunk after Dams
funeral next day.
1.-THE war ended at last, and the survi-
vors returned home to recuperate their
shattered fortunes. The country around
st. Stephens and st. Johns had been
badly harried by the enemy, but very
few settlements had been destroyed and
although the negroes had been much de-
moralized, most of them remained about
the old homesteads. The Society of the
Cincinnati was soon after founded, and
both my father and Capt. Theus became
members. The South Carolina branch
held its annual meetings in Charleston in
the autumn, the time when the planters
were all in the city for the purchase of
| their winter supplies, and the annual
dinner gave the opportunity to the vet
eran officers of the late war to fight their
battles over again and talk about their
strange adventures over the sherry and
Madeira. In the fall of 1889 my father
went down, as usual, to attend the meet
ing, travelling on horseback, for there
was no Northwestern Railroad then, and
no steamers piled on Cooper River. II
took two days to make the journey from
st. Sephen's, the roadside taverns fur
nishing rest and refreshment at night.
One of these, the Seven-mile House, had
decidedly bad reputation; IL was too
near the city for the purposes OF country
travellers, and was frequented by disor-
| derby characters from town. My father
had not seen Theus for week or two,
and remarked his absence from the
society meeting. Just as dinner was
| served, however, the Captain came in,
| fresh from the road, and apologizing for
his detention. which he promised to ex-
plain after the cloth was removed. The
toasts were drank and the decanter was
circulated with the freedom which fortu.
nately is no longer considered essential
to the requirements of good society,
when the President raped on the table
and called for Capt. Theus' story. He re-
lated substantially the adventure which
have just told you, and then proceeded
with the sequel to 1t;
al was unable to leave home until
yesterday, after dinner, and stopped at
Boinest's tavern last night, determined
to start early this morning and make the
last twenty miles in three hours. Unfor-
tunately, however, my horse struck lame,
and by the time ! reached the Seven-mile
House had to dismount and lead him.
| determined to leave him there and hire
fresh beast TO bring me on; and, hav-
ing made the arrangements with the
host er, ! went into the bar TO get some
thing hot while was waiting. Imagine
my feelings when entered the room and
saw Dave Peigler standing at the coun-
ter, rs had seen him often at Scuffie-
town, serving out rum and sugar to half
dozen Unlocking fellowsl l don't
think | was frightened, but / know i
turned pale with establishment, and II
was some time before | could utter
word The fellow recognized me at
once, and his hand shook 80 as TO spill
the liquor he was pouring; but he re-
covered in a minute, and stood looking
at me with very queer, ugly expression.
| thought there might be trouble, but /
knew my man if death had not changed
him, so I quickly loosened the strap OF
my holsters, which hung on my arm, and,
walking straight up to the bar, said l:
g Are you not the Dave Peigler whom
hanged at st. Stephens ten years ageS"
" I'm that very Dave Peigler, and as
good man as any of the crowd that
roped me up,' was the answer Then,
pray, how the devil do you happen to
be here nowy" "The devil had nothing
TO DO with it, or things might have
been different, and small thanks TO you,
either. You left me twisting around
like an old woman's spindle, with hard
knot under nay left ear. II sets my head
swimming to think Of it now. II Balls
Loyalsts had been little more careful
they would have gobblcd up your little
- h.t, fsYI.t