The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-09-16

and "efen he had Jest shet it he
would lave had the prize" He re-
tired in good order and awaited his
second turn. One by one tie riders
came as they were called. One aft,r
another got some of the grease and
wiped it on their horses names, but
the muscles of the gander We're old
and tough, aud every one of the
twenty had gone his round and failed,
when the squire called a halt and
ordered another greasing.
1t was evident, however that some
damage had been done the bird, for
his wings hung droopy and his voice
was failing him. There was lacera
ton of sinews going on, and but for
the fresh greasing the sport would
have soon ended. "'Tention, COM
pany," said the squire. f'The pro-
ceedinses will now take little recess.
Boys, you can light and look at your
saddles, and ef you want water you
kin go to the spring and git it, but
don't wait long for my old gander
are bangin' there without friend
and suferin'."
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 the gander's
neck or the plow line or the pole, for
his grip was like a wise and his agili.
ty notorious, but somehow the gan
der ducked at the critical moment
and Bill grapped his head instead of
his neck and made a miscarriage.
AS Bills turn came again the crowd
CALCULATED: SNow, watch him boys"
aCan't be 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"
ssHe's a gwine to carry that gander's
head half a mile before he stops"
Farewell, goose, III preach your flu
neral" "Good-bye gander.'
And sure enough Bill got the right
grip this time and in trice had CIV
en- the neck double and something
had to break the pole and the
line swiftly followed his motion. For
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 a little while the culver
ing, headless body swung backwards
and forwards and was then at rest.
Then came the shouts and the wild
hurrah. Bill was game and so was
his critter, and as they came round to
the front the crowd gathered round
to see the gander's head that he held
high in his hand-the warm blood
trickling from the arteries. After the
jubilee was over Bill invited the nine
teen and the squire to old Mother
Tutton's wagon, and having purchased
her stock of cakes and cider and the
Jug in the court house he 'gin 'em all
. treat" There was not fight nor
fuss in all the "proceedinses." In a
few minutes thereafter the voice Of
the bailiff was heard crying "Oh yes,
oh yes-the honorable court Of the
S25th deestrict are now met kordin
to adjournment. God save the State
and the honorable court
These rough, rude people were the
original Georgia crackers. They con-
stituted a large proportion of the
poplation of Cherokee half a century
ago. They were generally poor but
they enjoyed life more than
money. They were sociable and
they were kind. When one of their
number was sick they nursed him
when he died they dug grave and
buried him, and that was the end of
the chapter. There was no tomb
stone, no epitaph, no obituary. Their
class is fast disappearing from our
midst. Civilization has encroached
upon them, and now their children
and their children's children have as
simulated with higher grade of hu-
manity. BILL ARP.