The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-07-19

tested by all vas was token enough of
the love nd esteem entertained for the
venerable gentleman whose remains
they followed to the tomb.
TT A ScREED IN RELATION TO THE
IypEpgNpESr SrATE.-"Iidm Us. Ham.
rick will be recollected that a
correspondent, recently gavo us brief
account of little battle that occurred
at Addison between "Ham" Collins and
"Vinp Hamrick. The funny editor
Of tho Wheeling Standard, while IN.
der the inspiration of tho momcnt-or
Of something elsc-writes the follow
ing in relation thereto: Leisuroly
shambled into a public lane at Webster
Court House q few days since, and
swore be was the best man 10 Webster
county, q lean, lank, cadaverous and
pugilistic mountainccr. Ham Collins
by name. A noted fighter. not only
is Ham, but fiddler Of celebrity is he
as we'll, and many arc tho mountain
hoe.downs, oN Virginia reels. romp.
ing "cowtillions' and anbliug shufflGs
on rocking ppucheon floors, in which
be has figured rs knight Of the cat-gut
and chef musical star. His fame as
fiddler is known on the festal floors OF
all Webster county, aud has even been
carried by taftsmen along and down
the beautiful Elk as far as tho fair town
Of Charleston. Ham has been once
seen in Charleston, but nobody there
ever heard bm talk either fight or fid.
die; and itf probable that while a
pugilistic peisonage in his own Web
ster, no is DIT tho sort Of q mountain.
Ger to let hbbo DO loud abroad
But odd iudesd may 1t clearly seem,
that one so cited in the art Of Tasso,
Pagauini an9 Ole Bull should not con-
tent himselfiy starring with his fiddle
at mountaii iances, and reaping afresh
the golden harvest Of popular favor
among the fstal people Of his rugged
and sequessecd district. It seems not
to have bcep within him to quietly re.
pose in thas laurel shades expressly
reserved for Wcbster's champion I'D.
d!er, but nWed by singing desire
for renownh other fields, he must
charge with, stumbling quick.step in.
to public line Of the chief town, and
in the heaiig of one Vincent Ham
rick, beside others, affirm in the name
Of his pectllr deity that he was tho
"best man 'in the county. It cannot
be denied lat Vincent stands well
among his nountain friends as 20 man
on foot" apta man Of pluck, nor that
be was quo to see that the yaunt Of
the boastfp Ham was addressed to
him. thou lthc whole of the Webster
county vas included in the menace.
With that Secretion, however, which
he subseqpetly proved himself to pos
ssss in icy surprising degree, he
suggested tthe Dragging Ham that at
least one no in the county should DO
excepted hu the boosted taunt. and
that ono ia should DO Vincent Ham.
rick; but as the man who will
publicly war that he can whip all
Webster douty is not likely the next
moment u acant before crowd in ia.
vor Of q d ucular rival, so the pugil-
istic fiddl r'efused to except tho man
Vincent. Filth tbs brief and charac-
teristic prplgue began muscular dra-
ma that prced Of much moro than
common Unrest TO the crowd, and es.
pecially to the parties Immediately
concerned. After knowing what hap.
pcned between them, none at all ia.
} miliar with the mountaineer's nature
need ask h0 tho contest began, though
some viii feel ashamed of the man
Vincent sshe story nears its conclu.
sion. Al wv terrible thumps sent
squarely iracross scratch, a cat-like
graphic p . grizzly hug, some goug-
ing and biug and pounding and tloun.
dering; st-go aud up, and ludi.
crous chjs, arc the skeleton outlines
of tho 50 ,nary struggle. The tide
Of victorj ,cms to have hinged upon
what ma Q termed q marked piece
of acrObI b gcnCralship on tho part Of
tho agilS lam. In rising from the
ground Fh his supple foe be seized a
brick or snc other missile, and imme-
diately rewards pu: it where it would
do him ! most good; which aroused
tho disctcbn Of our noble Vincent to
such IN e.cnt that he precipitously
fed undhrovcr of tho uncertain lines
Of a. decent valley. Ono might
have gulp,d from the speed Of tho
pursued VI not only was the pugilist-
: 10 Ham it'll his dangerous missile.
but tho Snrc train OF bis brethren
Shem aaiJuphet as well in tho line
Of pursuit. The curtain hero drops.
} Two fat4among others are dCtcrmia-
ed. Oils that SO far as Hamrick is
concern HAN sis tho best man in
Wcbste ctunty." The other is that
so fura liam is concerned Hamrick is
the ffs!st man on foot in Webster
coa1