Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-01-24
THE CHAMPION EATER.
He Devours Potato CustArds and suEai
Cane by the Carload.


On the plantation of Capt. w. 81.
Stokes, in Twiggs county, there resides
white tenant who promises to become
the champion eater Of Georgia without
any opposition. The mans name is Ebb
Floyd, and he is said to be short, stout
man of 30 years Of age and of jolly dis
position.
Floyd first attracted the attention of
his neighbors at log rolling which took
place about month ago. On that occa-
sion, after finishing the work the work
men sat down to supper, and before
them, among other things, were placed
fifteen large potato custards. This dish
was favorite of Floyd's, and the fact
was known to several of his friends, who
were present at the supper. One of them,
in a banter, offered to bet with Floyd
that he could not eat half the custards at
the same meal, and was very much sur
prised when his farmer friend took him
up, and agreed to eat ten of them with
out stopping.
Piling up the dishes in a circle, he
commenced upon the spread. Ee were
soon eaten, and then the fun begdh with
rush. One after another disappeared
slowly but surely, until the magic num-
Der of ten came to hand, and all present
were in an uproar.
Strengthening himself out for the fray,
the farmer commenced on the home
stretch. Ten large sweet potato custards
inside of him and five awaiting the at
tack presented ludicrous scene. It
was agony, but three soon sped away on
their journey to meet their fellows, and
gradually the last of the fifteen found it.
self on the way down to the depths. He
had accomplished the feat, and the prize
offered in the bet was his, and his only.
This was, however, only starter for
Mr.. Floyd, and so, therefore, he chose a
day for another effort, and again he
came out victorious.
This time it was chewing contest,
and sugar cane was the object of his at
tention.
After day of frolic and fun, and after
indulging in hearty dinner, with turkey
and stuffing to his hearts content, he
visited house where he expected to eat
supper and remain all night.
This time crowd had gathered to see
the Twiggs wonder, and an abundance
of good, juicy cane had been set in the
room ready for the contest.
AS preliminary, fourteen full stalks
were chewed before supper, and then all
hands sat down to an old time Thanks
giving supper, with possum and yams
and plenty of rich gravy.
Finishing supper, the host announced
to his friends that the contest was ready
to be opened, and asked if any one pres
ent wanted to make bets on the result.
A school teacher in the crowd sug-
gested that speedy trial be made, and
offered to wager that Floyd could not
chew three stalks in ten minutes. This
was accepted, and the schoolmaster set
before him three large, fine stalks and
called time.
Two of them were disposed of in five
minutes, and the third one saw its fate
in two more minutes, making the farmer
the winner by three minutes.
This settled the question of speed, and
then some one offered to bet two to one
that Floyd could not drink quart of
the juice down without stopping. He
was wiser man in just minute later,
for, catching up jug, Floyd drained it
of three pints of the sweet stuff
Every one was satisfied and he was the
hero of the hour, when a small hand
cane mill was brought into the room and
twenty stalks were crushed, giving out
three gallons of juice.
This was q startling announcement,
and it had the effect of making Floyd a
lion among his friends, when they were
taken aghast by the statement that he
could chew twenty stalks before he re-
tired and not feel the result.
Every one laughed at him, and2all
thought him to be jesting when he laid
out twenty of the largest stalks of cane
near his chair and commenced on the
work Of grinding out the juice with his
molars.
One by one the stalks were taken up
and stripped. chewed and the pieces
thrown aside, and in exactly one hour
and fifteen minutes the little pile was
exhausted and the man was ready to
quit and retire from the field.
The news of his feat spread far and
near in his neighborhood, and now he is
the wonder of the section.
His friends in Twiggs county pit him
against any man in the world for the
championship and prize of $780,
Macon (Ga.) Telegraph.