The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-23

"Rube Underwood the front
eady-aim-charge. Ruhe had big
| mouth and was freckle faced and red
headed, and rode fec bitten gray that had
been taught to dance and prance around,
and to 60 sideways" -"jest to show smart"
as the boys said-and it took the animal
some time to be convinced that danger
and prancing wasn't in order at this par
ticular time. A walloping lick just as he
neared the goal caused him to mako a
fearful leap right under the bird, and as
Rube had to use both hands to hold his
scat the gander's head collided square in
Rube's face and some swore got in his
mouth and "effen he had jest shet it he
would have had the prize" He retired
in coed order and awaited his second
turn One by one the riders came as they
were called. One after another got some
of the grease and wiped it on their horses
mane, but the muscles Of the gander were
old and tough, and every one of the
twenty had gone his round and failed.
when the squire called halt and ordered
another greasing. 1t was evident, how
ever, that some damage had been done the
bird, for his wings hung droopy and his
voice was failing him. There was lace
ration ofsinews going on, and but for the
fresh greasing the sport would have soon
ended. "Tention, company" said the
squire. "The proceedings will take a
little recess. Boys, you can light and
look at your saddles, and eff you want
water you can 60 to the spring and get it,
but dom t wait long, for my old gander are
hanging there without n friend and suf-
ferin'."
The tournament was soon resumed.
Bill Arp was the tenth man of the second
round. He was the tenth of the first, and
many predicted then that he would
break that gander's neck or the plow line
or the pole, for his grip was like wise
and his agility notorious, but somehow
the gander ducked at the critical moment
and Bill grabbed his head instead OF his
neck and made a miscarriage.
AS Bills turn came again the crowd
calculated: "Now, watch him, boys"
"Csn't he ride, thought" "See how he
sots on his critter.". "Blamed if he amt
tarred to his nag" "Look at his eye"
"No whippers for him." "He's gwine
to carry the gander's head half mile
afore he stops" Farewell, goose, I'll
preach your funeral" "Good by, gan
der"
And sure enough Bill got the right
grip this time and in trice had given
the neck double and something had to
break as the pole and the line swiftly fol-
lowed his motion. For q moment it
seemed uncertain what would break or
what had broken, for the strained tendons
popped like whip as Bills nag went on
at full speed. For little while the
quivering, headless body swung back
wards and forwards, and was then at resi-.
Then came the shouts and the wild hur-
rah. Bill was game, and so was his crit
ter, and as they came round to the front
the crowd gathered round to see the gam
der's head that he held high in his hand
the warm blood trickling from the ar
terles. After the jubilee was over Bill
invited the nineteen and the squire to old
Mother Tutten's wagon, and having pur-
chased her stock of cakes and cider and
the jug in the courthouse he "gin 'em all
treat" There was not fight nor fuss
in the whole "proceedinses." In few
minutes thereafter the voice of the bailiff
was heard crying "Oh yes, oh yes-the
honorable court of tho S35th district are
now met kordin' to adjournment. God
save the State and the honorable Court"
These rough, rude people were the
original Georgia crackers. They consti-
tuted large proportion Of the population
of Cherokee half a century ago. They
were generally poor, hut they enjoyed
life more than money. They were socia-
BILE and they were kind. When one of
their number was sick they nursed him
when he died they dug grave and bur-
led him, and that was the end Of the
chapter. There was no tombstone, no
epitaph, no obituary. Their class is fast
disappearing from our midst. Civiliza-
ton has encroached upon them, and now
their children and their children's chill
dren have assimilated with higher grade
Of humanity. BILL ARP.
! J. E. Neal Chairman Ohio State Demo-
cratic Committee, has written an invita-