St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-19
The Champion Eater.


Portland wasn't.
*
The Champion Eater.
Macon Telegraph.
On the plantation of Capt. W. II.
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 a short, stout
man of thirty years of age and OF a
jolly disposition.
Floyd first attracted the attention of
his neighbors at log-rOlling which
took place about month ago. On that
occasion, after finishing the work. the
wOrkmen 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 sup
per. 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 surprised when his
farmer friend took him up. and agreed
to eat ten of them without stopping.
Piling up the dishes in circle, he
commenced upon the spread. Five
were soon eaten, and then the fun be-
gan with a rush. One after another
disappeared slowly but surely, until the
magic number of ten came to hand, and
all present were in an uprOar.
Strengthening himself out for the
fray, the farmer commenced on the
homestretch. Ten large sweet potato
custards inside of him and five await
ing the attack presented ludicrous
scene. 1t was agony, but three soon
sped away OH their journey to meet
their fellows. and gradually the last of
the fifteen found itself on the way
down to the depths. He had accom-
plished the feat, and the prize offered
in the bet was his, and his only.
This was, however, only a starter for
Mr.. Floyd, and so, therefore, he chose
Thanksgiving day for another effort,
andaagain he came out victorious.
This time it was chewing contest,
and sugar cane was the object of his az
tentiOn.
After day of frolic and fun, and
after INDUCING in hearty Thanksgiv-
ing dinner, with turkey and stuffing to
his hearts content, he visited house
where he expected to cat supper and
remain all night.
This time a crowd had gathered to see
the Twiggs wonder, and an abundance
vi SOOu. Juicy cdllc Ildu DtCu SCI Ill IIlc
room ready for the contest.
AS preliminary, fourteen full stalks
were chewed before supper, and then
all hands sat down 10 an old-time
Thanksgiving 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 speed trial be made, and
offered to wager that Floyd could not
chew thee 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
III 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 a 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, and all
thought him to be testing, 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 hi
mOlarS.
One by one the stalks were taken up
and stripped, chewed and the pieces
thrown aside, and in exactly one hour