Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-05-18
ABE THE BUNTER.

ton GlODc, VINO lS the DeSC-knO"n man
in the vicinity, President Franklin Car
ter of Williams college or Abram Par.
sons, better known as ABE the Buntcr."
Certain it is that Abe is known to
thousands and that his fame is fully
earned. 1t was no scratch hit or lucky
bunt that gave Abe a place in the inches
of fame. The Lord was kind to Abe in
giving him an unusually thick skull and
4 horn about an inch long on the frontal
bone, but he has developed the talent
given him and has made the most of
his opportunities.
Abe the Bunter is an exceedingly jolly
old negro, who lives in the part of this
town known as White Oaks, and claims
that he was 104 years old last 9TH of
July.
The story of the old negro runs like
this: His first recollections were those
OF a pickaninny on a plantation in
South Carolina. His masters name was
McInster. There Abe lived until he
was Ii years old, as he thinks.
UP to the time of his sale as slave
from the auction block, together with
his mother and three sisters, his most
vivid recollections are of trials of bunt-
ing with young ram. The ram would
take a position, lower his head, and
with burst of speed start for Abe,
who always met the ram half way, the
two heads coming together with great
force, but the ram, as Abe tells it, was
always beaten.
BY the sale Abe was separated from
his relatives, and sold, as he thinks, to
Stephen Miller, of Claverack, n. Y.
Here he staid for five years, and then
ran away and went to Sheffield, Conn.,,
where he worked for James Curtis as a
house servant. In running away from
Miller he was pursued by dogs, and es-
capped only after killing one.
From Sheffield Abe went to Old Stock
bridge, where he lived for a number of
years, working for Gen. Williams, the
Carriers, Bradleys, Brewers, Crosbys,
Cashier Adams and Maj. BurriI. all OF
whom are now dead. Long before the
war he located in Williamstown, where
he has worked for many people. Boys,
since he came here, have become gray
haired men.
All the past years he had continued
bunting, until he was confident that
nothing less than blow from trip
hammer or a pile-driver would break
his skull.
The first act, however, that brought
him fame occurred many years ago.
Abe was then living over a blacksmith
shop on Water street. In the night he
was awakened by an alarm of fire, and
getting out on the street found that
Harvey Coles store was on fire. The
door was locked, the key was missing,
and, at the suggestion of n Mr.. Powers,
Abe went at it head first, and after re-
peated attacks it yielded.
This gave Abe great prestige-a stool;
in trade, SO to speak; but with the con-
f1dencc thus acquired he passed on TO
greater victories.
1t came about in this way: Abe and
his wife's brother were at South Will
Jamestown one day and they found
Farmer Blake having trouble with a
two-year old bull that he wanted to
kill. The bull was in an Enclosure and
paving the turf in great shape, and, by
his almost human believing, asking for
some ono to swing a red cloth in front
of him.
Then the students tempted Abe to
show his prowess to them. He was
blindfolded and something placed in a
Jag hch Vic D'tLHltISC was IcLuOVcu
and he was told that if he could break
the contents of the bag by bunting his
head against it valuable present
would be given him. The contents of
the bag proved to be big cheese, and
Abe had no difficulty in smashing it.
He was then blindfoldcd again, and 10
was assumed that another cheese had
been placed in the bag, but instead a
big grindstone, an inch and half in
thickness, was substituted.
The first bunt failed to shatter it, but
Abe, realizing that his reputation was
ut stake, went at it again and broke it
INTO four pieces vivid my niggcr-hcad."
For this act he was given five dollars
n money, two big eheeses, two pounds
NJ tobacco and assurances from the
oollege boys that if he was sick as re-
snlt of the grindstone act he should be
web cared for, but he was able to worI,
rs usual the following day and expert