The National tribune., 1890-11-13
There Might Have Been Lawsuit.


"To give you an idea, subj" the Colonel con-
tinued "of what the Southern people suited
Immediately after the fall of the Confederacy,
let me state case that came under my own
observation.
"CoI. Temple T'alcott, of Folseer County, Va,
came into Talcottvillo one mOrnin', suh,--a
town settled by his ancestors, s,-ridn' upon his
horse or rather mule, sub, belonging to his
oVerseer. Col. TalcOtt, sub, belonged to one of
the vehy fust families in Virginia. He was
son of Jedge Thaxton TalcOtt, sub, and grand
son of Gen. rSnowden Stafford Talcott of the
Revolutionary war. Now, sub, let me tell you
right here that tho TalcOtt blood is as blue as
the sky, and that every gentleman bearin' the
name is known all over the country, sub, as
man whose honor Is dearer to him than his life,
and whose word is as good as his bond. Well,
sub, on this mornin' Col. Talcott left his plan
tation in charge of his overseer--ho was work
in 1t on shares-and rode through his estate
to his ancestral town, some five miles distant.
Ii is true, sub, these estates were no longer in
his name but that had no bearn' on the events
that followed he ought to have owned them,
and would have done so but for some ychy un-
gentlemanly fo'cosure proceodins which Oc-
CURED Immediately after the war
a." On arriving at Talcottyll0 the Colonel dis
mounted, handed the Teius to his servant-Or
perhaps, sub, ono of the niggers around tho
do'-and entered the pOstOilice. Now, sub, let
mo tell you that one month befO' the Govern
ment contrary TO tile express wishes of great
many of our leadin' Citizens had sent Yankee
postmaster to Talcottvlle to administer the
postal affairs Of that town. No sooner had this
man taken possession than he began to be ex-
elusive sub, and TO put on airs. Tho very fust
air he put OH was to build % fence in his Office
and compel our people to transact their busi-
ness through hole. This, sub, in itself was
| 4. - I'll
| always been dumped out on the table in the stage
office and every gentleman had heped himself.
The next thing was the Clcsin of his mail-b&gs
ut hour fixed by himself. This became great
Inconvenience to our citizens who were often
late in finishin' their correspondence, and who
had always found our former postmaster willn'
either to hold the bag over until the next day
or send it across to Drummondtown by a boy to
catch later train.
Sol. Talcotrs mission to tho postofIice. sub,
was to mail letter TO his factor in Richmond,
Va, on business of the utmost importance to
himself, suh-namely, the raisin' of o small
| loan upon his share of the crop. Not the crop
that was planted, sub, but the crop that he ex-
peeted 70 plant.
"Col. Talcott approached the hole, and with
that Cbesterheldian manner which has distn-
guished the Talcotts for mo- than two CEN
| turies, asked the postmaster for the loan of a
| three cent postage-stamp.
TO his astonishment, sub, he was refused.
"Think of "A Talcott, sub, in his own County
| town ben' refused three-cent postage stamp
| by ow-lived Yankee, who had never known
gentleman in his life, sub The Coloncls fust
| impulse sub, was 10 haul tho scOundrel through
the hole and kearve him but then he remem-
| bered, suh that he was Talcott and could not
| demean himself and drawn' himself up again
with that manner which was grace itself he re-
| quested the loan of three-cent postage stamp
until he should communicate with his factor in
Richmond. Va; aud again, sub. he was refused.
! Well. sub, what was thero left for high toned
Southern gentleman to do? Col. Talcott drew
| his revolver from the leg of his boot and shot
that Yankee scoundrel through the heart and
| killed him on the spot
And now, sub, comes the most remarkable
part of this story. II it had not been for Maj.
Tom Yancey. Jedge Kerioot aud myself thore
wOnld have been a lawsuit"
Fitz lay back In his chair and roared.
And they did not hang the Colonel2"
Hang Talcott No. sub (; we don't hans
gentlemen down our way. Jedge Kerfoot vehy
properly charged the cOroneT's jury that 1t WIS
n matter Of selfdefeuse. and Col. Talcott was
not detained. sub. mo than haalf an hour"