New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-29
ABOUT A BARREL OF LARD.
BY A. T. LAMOS.

NV uncle, Ben Slaughter, was an extern
sive cattle dealer, who every fall sent his
droyers with herds of beeves to Washing
ton, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Along
the wav be sold them in lots to farmers,
who stall fed them through the winter, and
in the spring and early summer supplied
orr markets with fat beef. In the fall of
1897. the year of a great commercial crisis,
he visited me for the first time since had
married, and stopped with me during his
stay in Philadelphia.
lie was an early settler in Kentucky, and
we'll acquainted with Boone, FeDton and
other ola pioneers, who remained for time
after he went out He was tall. well pro-
portioned, and. for man of seventy, erect
and of easy carriage. He was also "a man
of temperate habits aud simple tastes. His
chief hobby was "blOOded stock" OF course
he was an admirer of good horsemanship.
So one evening he went to the circus. When
we returned, as ] opened the street door
with my latch key and we walked in. he ex-
claimed, "Who e-ew! smell oysters Then
a slvery voice from the stairway rang out.
walk into the dining room, Uncle Ben.
Won and Ajax. I'll be down presently. l
hear the baby stirring; she has some new
teeth coming through, but she will soon be
quiet" We walked in and found tureen
of smoking oysters and pitcher of foam.
ing ale, with bread, butter and pickles on
the table.
NV wife soon joined us, and we sat down
to supper. After it was over and the table
was cleared and set in its place against the
wall. she drew her wOrkstand before the
CRATE of glowing Goals aud sat down to her
sewing. l then asked the old man to repeat
to Sue-that is, my wite-a story which he
once told me in my bOyhood. SO he finished
the cigar he was smoking and began.
You see, l moved out to Kentucky a
Tong time before railroads were thought of,
or before the National road across the AL
ieghanies was even contemplated. Emf
grants from our part of Virginia then went
through Winchester. crossed the mountains
and came 20 the OH" opposite the place
where the town of Marietta now stands.
Here we made hatboats, loaded them with
our stuff and fioated down the river. PEG.
81, III those days sent back furs. bacon,
lard and whisky. all the way to Baltimore
and Philadelphia by the same wagon road
We travelled.
'.As you know. I was chi'liess widower
ut FORTY, when / married your aunt Polly.
According 70 our Virginia way of farming
we me,aly managed 10 live comfortably.
But. AS nv father used ~ say. the hogs ate
oil the corn. and the Iiggers ate all the
hogs. ! had not got ahead in worldly
goods. and determined 10 emigrate. So
with INV new wife. $500 ia gold. three
teams .!ied with household stuff, few
negroes and some choice horses and cattle.
! Joined Shacklefora's train at Winchester
one fine morning i'll September. We trsv
eied along slowly. Of course. but pretty
comfortably. camping by the roadside at
night. and buy ing horse iced and provisions
NJ the houses OF the sparse settlers.
'.We got to the Little kanawha aud was
driving the hindmoss team. one afternoon.
when my OFT wheel horse cast 4 shoe. We
soon passed biacksMith's shop. and
stopped to get the shoe put on. The smith
was = big, grntf, red headed. pock marked
man, and eye me very slOsefy. 1t was
come time before he could find shoe to
tit, and by the time l got of the other
wagons must have been more than mile
ahead. So hurried my team somewhat
to catel, up before they made camp for
the night. When ] got 10 the ford l
heard Q loua. shrill whistle. and turning
and looking back l saw Two men cross
the road and go into the blacksmith shop.
! made no account Of II 1t the time. bat
fordcd the river and drove mp the long hill
On the west side. II was tough pulling.
and l had 10 choek my wheels every hun.
irei Yards or SO. and lie. my horses blow.
had gon. nearly - mite. and had got on
level road. when stopped at fine spring
which came Nut from under rock Ms hlgh
as the top Of ms wagon tent AS was
watering my horses. Who should step from
behind the rock but the ugly blacksmith. !
wondered how IA. came there: he must have
taken some near cut 10 get 10 the spring
before l did. VIXEN this occurred 10 me
Il idn't like il at all. Stepping up close to
me as ] set down the horse bucket by the
spring. he asked the time of day. would
have pretended that / had no watch. but
there was nv fathers big sea! and watch
key dangling by the chain from my fob: So
told him it had stopped. He then pulled
gu: a battered old silver watch about the
size OF good sized turnip. and hantered
the tor q trade. ! did not care 10 show
my old ,imepiece within his reach. and
ie. = good deal Tilea at his impudencs.
Trade with your grandmother. said
1: and throwing the bucket into the front
of the wagon, cracked my whip and chlr.
ruped to my leader.
"As 1 started, he ran ahead, and crook.
ing his finger and putting it into his mouth.
gave the same devilish whistle / had heard
at the ford. Then two men stepped into the
read twenty yards before me. I recognized
the shorter by his red shirt, ~ one who