The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-12-26
THE TRACKED GUN.
Why Calico Dan Lost His Prestige
 A Mean Trick.

Calico Dan was envied by nearly every negro on the plantation. This envy did not result from the fact that Calico Dan could knock Ger fiddle crazy an meek it holler fur mussey an CT heep O de ar- tickle" nor was its origin hidden among any of Dams accomplishments; but, sin- gular to relate, his ownership of an old Aint-lock mnsket caused the deep stir ot envy among the negroes on the Bayou De Focus plantation. The gun, consid- cred merely as gun, was surely not val uable, nor was it as fire arm that Calico Dan estimated its worth.
 Then why is it worth so much 2' a white man one day asked.
 "Whut dis 'ere gun ?" holding it out at arms length and regarding it with an air of affectionate pride.
 "Yes, that gun"
 "Wall, I'll tell yer, sab, sense yer is so keen fur ter know. Dis 'ere is de gun whut Gene'l Washin'to ton fit wid in de Meckersk;n wah. My gran'daddy waited on dat gre't pusson an when de gre't pusson died he gin de gun ter my gran'- daddy. 'CunI,' says se-he allus called my gran'daddy cun'l-'I aim got but CT few mo- miniss ter stay wid yer, an now 1 tells yer whut purposes ter do. pur- poses ter gin yer dat old gun, CT settin' up in de cornder dar, an wants yer ter treat it lack it wuz CT white man, der yer heahr Mygran'daddy lowed dat he did heah mighty plain. Wall, den,' 'tinued de gre't pusson, teck de gun. an lemme tell yer, doan let none O dem Mecker- skins come CT prowlin' roun' dis curmu- nity.' Mygran daddy tuck de gun wid CT moui full O thanks an CT eye full O tears. When he died he gin it ter my daddy, an when my daddy died he gin it ter me. De white folks neber tried ter take de gun eryay rum me 'ca'se da had hearn O de gre't pusson whut had dun gin it ter my gran'daddy."
 Whether this piece of "history" had been transmitted to Dan and was believed by him, or whether he drew it up from the fertile depths of his own inventive na- ture, is not known to the writer hereof i; but it is known that the negroes envied Dan, regarding the old gun as kind of mascot-a something which brought good crops and responsibility to its owner. One thing was certain: Dan could kill more squirrels in day with his old mus ket than any of the youngsters could kill with improved shotguns. This, of course, was not regarded as tribute to Dams skill as a marksman, but was known to result from the charm of which the old relic was possessed.
 At length there came into the neighbor- hood a negro who believed not in charms -Bow-Leggea Ben, of Shingle Shad Swamp-an iconoclast with the curling smile of the cynic, and with the unholy appetite of man who travels for St. Louis house. In his own community Bow-Legged Ben had been accustomed to rule, and now subordinate position was more than he could stand but what could he do so long as Calico Dan owned the historical musket7 He could not steal it; no, for his crime would surely be discovered.
 "l gwinter fix dat 'stitious nigger some way UT nuther," Ben unused one day, when, on a mule, he rode toward town. CT kaint lib in CT neighborhood dat's run by ignerenee. Wy, ef l wuster run fur CT office, jestice O de peace, de legislatur UT suthin O de sort, dat blame fool gen. herman would hop up an pose me ter de bitter eend. Neber mine, when puts my mine dewn on CT sitewation, it's like CT hoss putin his foot down on CT toad-fraug."
 One Saturday afternoon, Calico Dan, Nick Piles, Sam Morgan, Bill Mansford and old Alb Greens boys were down as the bayou shooting at mark. Old Dan had his musket and had won thirty five cents from white man who came along and bet against him. The party was on the eve of breaking up when Bow-Legged Ben arrived.
 "Is dat de ole gun has hearn 90 much talk erboutr he asked, casting a con- temptuous glance at Dan's musket.