The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-05-07

axhs Flatbeasman Of the OHIO valley In
1arly Timer.

y "a 1arly Times,
Warrington Ky lsttef In phila. Times.
Clustered about Washington are as
sociations of the most interesting histor
!cal character. Nearly every one Of its
old houses was once the home Of 9 man
or woman with a national reputation,
and volume of "reminiscences might be
CLEANED heres Its history belongs to
the past and there are but few living
reminders Of that glorious period. In
ona of the Oldest, quaintest and most
picturesque houses lives Uncle John
.Zeigler. He is ninety years old and
every morning, rain or shine, he rises
with the lark, seizes his long hickory
staff and trudgss sturdily down the
broad pike to Maysdale, returning be-
fore night falls. He is majestic physi-
cal wreck not yet gone to pieces feet
five inches in height and still erect.
Time has shrunken and weakened his
thews and sinews, but in the days that
speak of no arm was so strong, no eye
SO keen, no courage 40 sublime as his.
WARMED by the generous fire of his ma
tive Bourbon he loves to talk about the
past and to newspaper man his stories
are always interesting. He was the
partner of Mike Fink. the King Of the
| FIat-boatmen."
at linked fortunes with Mike at his
own request" he said to me, "and
there's an interesting little story eoa-
nected with the partnership"
He dropped his head forward, refec-
lively, and without disturbing his rev.
erie [ pushed the bottle and glass to-
ward hinl. Mechanically he filled the
latter and for moment held it to the
| light, admiring the warm, rich color of
the liquor Then he tossed the contents
off at gulp.
cit is good liquor" he said, smack
ing his lips, "and the taste carries me
back to the old days when ran fat
boat on the Ohio. was a good man
then, q very good man; and hid n1 tear:
1 used to winter at Maysville and one
season. don't. remember the date-I
ran my boat into Limestone creek and
made all snug for cold weather. The
ice come early and great many fiat
boatmen made their quarters here
Mike Fink's boat lay Just below mins
I had heard of hiti, but we had never
met We fiat -boatmen worked hard
and made money during the summer, and
we spent it right royalty when we laid
off for the winter. We had frolics every
day and dances every night. This sea-
sons fun had hardly begun when it come
to my ears that Mike Fink had boosted
everywhere that on his boat was the
best rifle shot, the best fist-fght-
er, the best runner and the
best wrestler in the Ohio valley:
It wasn't long before chance was CIV
en- me to partially test the truth of his
challenge. Imet his runner, his wrest
Ter and his fighter all in one day and 1
'downed' the three. This made Mike
pretty mad and he arranged 1t for us to
try our skill with the rifle. About q
week afterward we met at barn raising
out at Kenton's Station, and after the
work was finished we settled down to
solid sport Finally Mike challenged
me to shoot with him. accepted and
everybody gathered around to watch
us. You see. Nike didn't belong in
Maysville, and great deal depended
on the result. If he won it would dimin-
ish Mayville's glory, and if I was sue
cassful (having already defeated the
champion fighter, wrestler and runner)
she could lay claim to the proud distinc-
ton of owning as her son the all-round
! champion!
mike had been drinking, but knew
what was coming and hadn't touched a
drop. When I stepped to the mark
it was my first shot--I was as cool as
ice and my muscles were finder perfect
control. made two bull's-eyes ont of 8
possible three. When Mike stepped UP
and raised his rifle he tossed his head
scornfully, but the liquor had affected
his nerves and his first shot was a bad
one. He loaded his rifle nervously and
raising it took u long, steady alfa: Whef
he pulled the trigger great shout went
up and every body crowded around me.
He had missed the bull s-eye and was
the champion. was right proud of my
achievement and celebrated the victory
by drinking more liquor than was good
for me. Mike felt his defeat keenly and
accompanied by his friends left for
town. When returned was told that
he was still unwilling to acknowledge
that 1 was the champion. He admitted
that I had distanced his feetest runner,
thrown his most expert Wrestler; whip
ped his aolest fighter and fairly defeated
him as marksman.
"'He can beat me shooting he said,
"but can whip him with my fists
"When 1 heard this you may depend
upon it I was pretty mad. would
have hunted him up and settled the
matter that very night, but my friends,
knowing my condition, prevailed upon
me to go home. The next morning was
very cold. I came into town at about
10 o'clock and went to d boatmaii's
supply store, Kept by Jew where I felt
pretty certain I'd find him Mike. sure
enough, he was there, with three of his
mates-the three had already defeated.
They were seated around great big
woodstove, and, entering the store I
locked the door behind me and put the
key in my pocket. Fink and his friends
started to their feet and I bowed to
them very politely and wished them all
a pleasant morning. Stepping to the
counter called for five gill bottles of
rum and when the storekeeper set them
out invited the ex- champions to drink
with me. All came forward, and,
knocking the neck off one ofthe bottles,
poured about thimbleful of rum into
glass and, raising it, said:
Gentlemen, 1 am the champion
fighter, the champion wrestler, the
champion runner and the champion
rihe-shot in the Ohio valley. I drink
your health
"Fink's eyes flashed fire and raising
his own glass he replied:
81 beg your pardon, sir, you're n
id liarp
"With that he dashed his glass to the
floor and we clinched. Never recken,
was battle more stubbornly contested