Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-07-06
OLD HICKORY's FANDANGO.
Andrew jackson as q Dancer ana
Practical JOker-The Yarn Col.
John B. RrOwnloVv Tells.
Philadelnhin Prasa


' Philadelphia Press
: In friendly letter to the editor
D Of the Press, Col. John b. BrownloW
r contributes the following rather
: apOchryphal Renaissance Of An.
? drew Jackson. We may remark
f for instance, that "Old Hickory
was hardly the man to quote a Latin
3 phrase in Il backwoods cabin. The
+ contribution is interesting, however.
: as showing the class of legends
: which is current at this day i'm Ten
nessee, and which keeps there the
memory Of the old hero fresh.
] In the days of our fathers there
lived in Virginia an old planter,
J Major Hanley, who was an Oddity
: in his way. Some said he was
crazy, while others declared that
only an inordinate love of fun gave
rise to his quaint doings. He might
be called a practical joker, and il
was said henever allowed stranger
to como and go without playing up
on him one or more of his ridicu-
lOus tricks.
One chilly, drizzly autumnal
evening a horseman pulled up nc
the Majors door, and requested hos
pitality for the night. He had
wandered from his way, and Il was
now too late to rectify his mistake.
He was warmly welcomed, and
when his horse had been taken I'm
charge by a competent servant, and
his saddle bags removed, he was
ushered into the great living-rOom,
where cheerful fire blazed in the
enormous fireplace, and where
candles were lighted.
The Major was a large, strongly
built man, of middle age, bald
/ headed, rather red i'm the face, and
| with an eye deep-set and twinSling.
The guest was also of middle age.
tall and spare, but compact and
muscular, with features of Il decided
leOnine cast, strongly marked, heavy
brOws, and shock of thick, crisp
hair, that stood up on his large head
like the name of lion.
Supper was announced, and after
that the evening passed on pleas
antly. AS the clock struck nine the
host arose and excused himself for a
few minutes. When he returned he
was accompanied by a negro, who
carried a fiddle and bow, and the
Major himself had a large horse
pistol IN his hand.
''My dear friend" said the host,
with a bow and smile, "we must
not let the evening pass without a
little amusement. From your looks
/ know you can dance. / have one
of the best fiddlers i'm the world he
learned to play i'm New Orleans,
where music and dancing are culti-
waited. So, sir, you will take your
place upon the floor, and dance us a
reel. Let it be a Scotch reel-you
look like a Scotchman. Come,
make no delay.
The guest protested that he could
not dance. He had not done such a
thing since his boyhood. But Mai.
Hanley would not take no for an
answer. He did not have many
words. He cooked the pistol, and
swore that he would shoot the guest
if he did not dance. The negro had
begun to tremble and once or twice
he seemed upon the point of crying
out, but fear of his master withheld
him.
The guest seemed to consider the
matter. He looked at the Major
and at the pistol The man might
be really insane, though if he was,
there was method in it. However,
he was there alone-none TO behold
his discomfiture-and mayhap, he
thought, the tables might yet be
turned.
"Come, come! Dance, or i fire."
The guest arose and stood in the
middle of the room, and there be
gan to dance to the negrO's music,
but the music was Wretched-so
wretched that the Major more than
once threatened to shoot the negro
if he did not play better.
The poor wayfarer danced until
he was fairly tired, and then stop
ped. The host was on the point of
urging him on, when a horses
tramp was heard at the landing,
and presently a servant put his
head into the room and called his
master out. Whether he forgot
what he was doing, or he cared not
to be seen outside with the pistol,
we cannot say, but he left il on the
table when he went out. AS soon
as the door was closed the guest
went to the table and took the pis-
tol i'm his hand. AS he half sus-
pected, it was not loaded IL was as
innocent as a horseshoe. But the
traveller had his pistol amunitiOnin
his pocket, and he quickly loaded
the weapon with powder and ball,
calling upon the darkey to witness.
Shortly the Major returned, and
his first movement was 60 look for
his pistol, which he found missing.
"My dear sir" said the guest,
with a low bow, and one of the
blandest fsmiles-a smile, however
quickly followed by a look that
might have made a hero quail. 81
found your pistol sadly deficient;
but have rectified all that. You
see / have my powder flask and
ball-pouch. The pistol is loaded,
sir, Seci0lduDl dTteBl. We Will con-
tinue the amusement by dance eX-
ecuted by the master of the house;
and let me assure you / can use a
pistol much better than can
dance reel. Dance, sir, or, by the
eternal, I'll put bullet into your
legs, If not through your head ~
The Major was startled. There
was something i'm the mans words
that always lifted him from his feet
and. took away his breath, and IL the
look was command he could have
no more disobeyed than he could
have hushed the throbbing Of his
own heart.
He danced. The negro played
now with unction-played in a
manner to reflect credit upon his
New Orleans teaching. More than
once the dancer begged TO be allowed
to stop, but that pistol held by an
iron hand, kept him moving
Had the weapon been aimed at his
head or heart, he might have run
a risk Cf the mans firing, but he
really believed the irate traveller
would as lief break his legs as not.
At length the visitor went up TO
the fireplace and discharged the pis-
tol up the chimney, and the Major
was suffered to sit down. As old
Pompey passed him he stopped, and
bent over and whispered into his
masters ear:
" For the Lor a massy's sake,
mas'r don't ye go for to cut up no
more. ] tell We j knows de mani
Whough! who'd ebber forgot 'im