The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-03-09

working at the Braxton county sal
works. Triplstt was a man Of wonder
full muscular development, and very
soon established q reputation as The
champion boxer, wrestler, aud fighter
Of the little ncighborhoOd Of rough
and ready mountaineers who surround.
cd him, and was withala perfect MIN.
rod, Many and wonderful were the
tales OF his fights with tho yarmints
that infested the woods, and he was
particularly considered as 'some in o
bear fight" Notwithstanding all this,
ho was q man Of agreeable manners
and soft temper, and soon became the
fayorite, as he was regarded the hero
Of the hands engaged at the salt wells.
After q few years residence there, be
removed to the lower end Of the coun.
ty, and his place at the wells was fll-
Cd by a stranger named Jarvis. 1t
also turned ouE that Jarvis was a gi.
ant in strength, but unlike TriploI.,
vas ovorbeaIing 10 bis disposition, and
soon became extremely unpopular with
bis companions. They in turn, seye-
raj ofthom having tested his powers
and being compelled to yield the
championship to him, kept him con-
SANITY irritatsd by telling him Of
what wonderful things Triplstt had
done, giving a fair colOring to the
pictures they drew Of their favorito's
tcats Of strength. They soon discov.
cred that their taunts had the desired
effect Of annoying Jarvis, and at
length they became uncomfortable to
him. Ho resolved to end the matter
by hunting Triplett up,and in his own
language, to give him a drafted
COED t6rnshiug, and lot these ere fell
iors SEQ that amt going to be SEQ
Ond 10 nobody in q fight" Accord
ingly he started and walked about
forty miles 10 where Triplet. lived.
About dusk he arrived at the cabin,
aud finding the latCh.string hanging
on the outside, unceremoniOusly
walked in and made his business
known. Triplett quickly informed
him that he could conld be uecommo-
dated but as it was getting late, no
thought they had better defer the
combat until morning, and invited
Jarvis to spend the night with him.
The invitation was accepted as cordi.
ally as 1t was givan. After a hearty
supper they were sitting around tho
blazing log fire in conversation, when
they recognized each other as having
been comrades in the war Of 1912,
both belonging 10 tho same regiment,
and both having been noted for their
muscular strength, bns had never had
an opportunity while in camp 10 test
their manhood. BY morning they
came to the conclusion that it would
never do for old comrades to fight, SO
they abandoned the idea ola personal
combat. Jarvis could not bear the
idea Of returning to tho salt works
without having whipped Triplett in
fair fight, and determined to remain
Accordingly 10 built cabin hard by
and gave himself up to the pleasures Q
the hunt. Soon after this, thinking
that hs could at least equal ]
not surpass bis rival in something tina
would show his strength, he asked
Triplelt to tell him what he regarded
the most remarkable feat that DO eyOl
performed. "wcll," says..Triplett, %
believe the biggest thing l ever did,
was to shurn a four-year.old bear"
Jarvis at once desired to know what he
meant by "churniDg" a bear, when
Triplelt proceeded to intern him that
Il was to come up on bear when the
dogs we're fighting him, and, clutching
him with both hands by the hind quar-
tors, churn bis brains out by dashing
bis head against the ground. This
seemed dangerous enterprise, but
Triplett having accomplished it, Jar
Wis decided to Try It. But we will lot
him tell tho rcss Of the story in his
own words:
"Wall, the next day I borrowed
TriplOtfs best bar dogs, aud with my
own / started out to raise cuffoe.
Purity soon the dogs jumped him Oul
Of his bed, and away went bar, dogs
and all. l followed on till I went
about two miles, reckon, whsn I cum
up with 'eln, and sure enuf, asI am q
live man, there stood tho biggest four.
year.old bar ever seed, rared up on
bis hind legs, and tho way he was
smacking them dogs was powerful u
sec. 'Now's my time says 1, and
suiting the action TO the word, rushed
in to commence tho 'churning' bust
ness. 1 caught him a fair grip will
each hand, one on each side Of his hint
quarters, and thOn twisting my finger
in bis long shaggy hair, hiv a tromCn'
ius heayo, expecting 10 hurl him int
The air, and, bringing him down kcr'
slosh, to churn his brains out tho irs
dub. But the bar didn't move an inch
He wouldn't churn worth a cent, 50
concluded to give him another hist,
and struinibg till my eyo.balls stuel
out, I hove agin, when the first thing
kuowed | didn't know nothin'. Wher
/ cum to was layin' in pond o
water about twenty yards from th'
scene Of action, with one side Of ny
Jaw hanging down. over my shoulder