The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-01
TWO SCARS.

RoOQ. AIRY, the gent won nave III
more SHES, so count the sticks
He's rum chap, sir, my mate AIRY
IL. See 'ow stiff he 'olds 'isself, like a
cokernut stick with the nooralgy in its
neck. lies old soldier, AIRY j., and
he always 'olds 'issclf like that, and he
never says word unless he's spoken to
fust, and then he answers yer very short,
Is though is tongue charged i'm three
words penny. Dut ain't that sort my
self, as am rather lowquacktious, and l
could lelI yer tale about AIRY as would
surprize yer.
Sit on the grass and have pipe with
yer while tells yer about it: Cert'nly
will. Thankee, sir.
1t all come about along O. this p'tch
Now, maybe yer don't know that in the
thrce-Sh. .cs'a- enny-nows- yer chance.
knock 'em-oif perlcssion great deal de-
pends on the pitch, which is the ground
where yer puts up the cokcrnuts. Aunt
Sally and three shios-a-pcnny is 'ighly di-
wertin', innorccnt, and 'ealthy rccreha-
ton, but it amt no manner o. use for to
deny that it amt oiten-at least, as q
regular thing-as We gets patternoiled
by such tip top swclIs as ycrself, sir, a.
beggiu' yer pardon for sayin' 30, and
opin' no offcnse, which the same were
not my intenshing.
Conse ,ucntially, we as to pick our
ground according. Now. this ere is q
model pitch. It's q good level bit of
grass as looks easy si.ylag, and a nice,
lumpy, awk'ard bit Of ground for the
gents to stand on when they shy. I'm
a-leltin' yer into some OF the Professional
secrets, bccos know yer won't 60 back
on feller
1t looks nice and private, this ere
model pitch does, the Ugh palms there
shrttin' OIL the grounds of the Coloncls
maushing and there's the Ugh road
vhc all these vans run to Hopping
Forest.
It's about five years ago now that me
and AIRY first went into partnership to-
gethcr. The man hing belonged iheu
to an old lady as was very kind to US.
She never interfered with Us, but let us
make this plot rcg',ar pitch at all
'oliday times, and sich like. Many
m rnin' she come out and give me and
AIRY nice little bundle of pipe-lights
tracks, yer know, strand she were
always pleasant and sociable like. One
mornin' she come out to us with the
tracks, and as was a-bowingto 'er very
perlite, and AIRY drawiu' 'isself up like
. brick wall, a.salutin' of the lady, the
old girl says II believe" she says, 81
have some sort of right over this pit of
ground as the owner of the manshing
and the park; but so long as you behave
.yerselves and reads the tracks I shall
never disturb you,' she says.
"Thank yer, yer ladyship,"I l replies.
"Three SHES a penny, marm," says,
sis our reg'lar price, which AIRY will
tell you the same but any time, marin,
as your ladyship would like nut, come
and have shy for nothink, marin |"
Bat the next time we come round after
that bad moose was told US. The old
lady 'ad gone where they don't never
want no tracks. She was dead, sir, and
the manshing and park 'ad been took by
. peppery, yellow luc:d, tiery-tempercd
hold Hangerlow Hin in Colonel, as was
frightening everybody about the place.
He'd frightened the parson till he could
scarcely preach, aud nd almost forgot
one day to make collection; the trades
people trembled as they sHe is yeller
face s-colorin' the shop -windcrs, and the
servants in the manshing 'ad quite give
up the iidikalous idea of calling their
lives their own.
''The place amt the same" says the
chap as was telling US, "since he came
into it. Cayenne Pepper is mild along
side Of the Colonel, and ginger amt in
It with i'm. AS sure as you're alive" he
says, "he'll march you two OF this pitch
in years before 70 time. He's death, he
says 'isself, on all wagaboucs, tramps and
wermins."
whats is namel" 1 says.
"Colonel Rufus Pepperton.
I see rum look come in 'Arry's face,
and says: "Do yer know i'm, Arry?"
eyes," he answers, and knowed it
was no use askin' i'm any more just then,
becos AIRY VERY seldom says more than
one word hour at the outside.
The next mornin' was Saturday, and
me and AIRY got the cokernuts up in
good time. We lad several young gents
e-throwin' VERY early that mornin', and
after they had gone away AIRY run up
to the cokernut end of the pitch for to
throw me Up the sticks at the other end
to hadd to the cap so as to be all ready
and 'aEdy for the next customer, when
he sees for the first time the Hangerlow
Hinlin. He comes rushing out of the
park gates like wild bull. shakin' 'is
fist, and lis eyes tashin' in is yeller old
face.
Soon as ever he comes on the ground I
see AIRY draw 'isself up and begin salut-
in; but the Colonel didn't see i'm, for
he was coming strai ght on towards me
at the other end. Soon he reaches me,
aud then he made few remarks. "You
thieves, scamps, wagabones, tramps, ras
csls, knaves."
II bcgs yer pardon, sir" says, ''but
are yer alludiu' to me or to 'ArryW l
says.
ITO both of you," he hollers, quite
loud. "Clear out of it," he says. "Clcar
out sharp, or I'll shoot the two of you
like dogs. This is my ground, and of
you go"
Itold i'm all about the old lady what
was there afore i'm, and how she never
interfcred with US, and give US tracks; !;
but I'd better 'eld my tongue.
"Tracks" he shouts, ''you won't get
any tracks from me. What you'll have
to do now I've come here is to max,
tracks Be of, you lazy thicves!'
Now AIRY 'ad 'eerd all he said. and
see is face gcttin' blacker and blacker.
Just rs the colonel paused, AIRY stood