Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-11-03
few left to dispute with them, and they tyran.

lied at will.
Among these few we're Jack Long, as be
was called, who neither recognized nor denied
their power, and indeed never troubled him
self about them one way or the other. lie
kept himself to himself, hunted incessantly
and nobody knew much about him. Jack had
come of a "wild.turkey breed" as the western
term is for rowing family; and though still
young man, had pushed on ahead of the
settlement Of two territories, and had at last
followed the game towards the south, and
finding it abundant in Shelby county, had
stopped there, just as he would have stopped
at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, had it
been necessary to pursue it so far He had
never been in the habit of asking leave OF
any power where he should settle, and OF
course scarcely thought of the necessity OF
doing so, now; but quietly set to work-built
himself nice log-cabin, as far off from every
body as he could get. And the first thing
that was known of him, he had his pretty
young wife and two little ones snugly slowed
away in it, and was Staying the deer and the
bears right and left.
The honest brotherhood had made several
attempts at feeling Jacks pulse and ascertain:
ing his availability but be had always seemed
so impassively good natured, and put them OFT
50 pleasantly, that they could find no ground
for either disturbing or quarreling with him.
What was more, he was physically rather an
ugly-looking "customer," with his six feet four
inches of Drawn and bone; though the incli-
nation, just discoverable in his figure, to cor
pulency, together with broad, full, good d-hu-
mored face, gave an air Of sluggishness to his
energies, and an expression of easy simplicity
to his temper, which offered neither invitation
to gratuitous insult nor provocation to dislike.
He was the very impersonation of inotfenslve,
loyal honesty, slumbering on its conscious
strength; and these men, without exactly
knowing why, felt some little disinclination
to waking him. He had evidently never
been reused to knowledge Of himself, and
others felt just as uncertain what the knowl-
edge might bring forth as he did, and were
not specially jealous of the honor of having
it specially tested upon their own persons.
So that Jack Long might have been left for
many day in quiet, even in this formidable
neighborhood, to cultivate his passion for
Workmanship, at the expense of the dumb,
wild things around him, but for an unfortu-
nate display he was accidentally induced to
make Of it,
Happening to fall short of ammunition, he
went one day % "the store" for a fresh supply.
This cabin .getber with the blacksmith's
shop and one or two other huts, constituted
the county town." and as powder and liquor
were only to be obtained there, it was the Gen.
tral!resort of the Regulators. Jack found them
all collected for great shooting match, IN
preparation for which they were getting drunk
as fast as possible, to steady their nerves.
Hiuch, the Regulator captain, had always
been the hero of such occasions for, in addi-
ton to being frst.rate shot, it was known
that it would be dangerous exertion Of skill
for any man 10 beat him-for he was furi.
Gus and vindictive bully, and would not fail to
make personal affair of it with any one who
should mortify his vanity by carrying off the
prize from him. In addition, the band of
scoundrels he commanded was entirely at his
service in any extreme, so that they made
fearful odds for a single man to contend with:
Everybody else in the county was aware OF
this state of things but Jack Long, and he
either didn't know or didn't care. After they
had fired several rounds, he went lounging
listlessly into the crowd which had gathered
around the target, exclaiming in admiration
over the last brilliant shot of Hinch, which
was rather triumphantly the best. The bully
was, as usual, clustering vehemently, taunt-
ing every one around him, and when he saw
Jack looking very coolly at the famous shot,
with no grain of that deferential admiration
in his expression which was demanded, he
snatched up the board, and thrusting it in
sultingly close to his face, roared out
"Here! you Jack Long Shanks-look at
that! Take q good look! Can you beat it p
Jack drew back with quiet laugh, and said
good
"Pshaw You don't brag on such shoot
in as that, do you 7"
"Brag on it I'd like to see such a moon
eyed chap as you beat it p
II don't know as would be very proud to
beat such bunglin work as that"
"You DON'T" don't you" yelled the tel'
low, now fairly in rage at Jacks coolness.
You'll try it, won't you Z? You must try it.
You shall try it. Well see what sort Of
swell you are! !"
"Oh, well," said Jack, interruptiug him
as he was proceeding to rave for quantity,
lust set up your board, if you want to see
me put ball through every hole you can
make"
Perfectly astounded at this rash boarding
of the lion-for it was difficult to tell wheth-
er contempt or simplicity dictated Jacks
manner-the men set up the board, while he
walked back to the stand, and carelessly
swinging his heavy rifle from his shoulder,
fred seemingly as quick as thought.
"It's trick of mine" said he, moving to.
wards the mark, as he lowered his gun; Il
caught it from shootin' varments in the eyes;
always takes 'em there. It's notion I've
got-it's my fun
They all ran eagerly to the target, and
sure enough his ball, which was larger than
Hinch's had passed through the same hole,
widening it
"He's humbug It's all accident He
cant do that again" shouted the ruffian,
turning pale, till his lips looked blue, as the
board was held up. "I'll bet the ears Of
buffalo calf against his, that he can't do it
again"
"If you mean by that, to bet your own ears
against mne I'll take you up!' said Jack
laughing, while the men could not resist
joining him. Hinch glared round him with
a fierce, chafed look, before which those who
knew him best quailed, and with compressed
lips silently Loaded his gun. A new target
was put up, at which, after long and careful
aim, he fired. The shot was fine one. The
edge of the ball had just broke the centre.
Jack, after looking at it, quietly remarked
"Plumbing out the centre is my fashion !;