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

One Saturday morning when we ar
rived at Blue Gizzard courtground
the clans had gathered in unusual
force. AS preliminary to the more
important contest that was soon to
come of, some of the boys were
shooting at e small piece of white pa
per that was pinned to distant tree.
Some were gathered around the
spring. Some were trying old moth
er Tutton's fresh cider and ginger
cakes that she offered from the hind
gate of her little wagon, and some
were sampling the corn whisky that
was Kept in Jug in the little log
court house hard by. We soon per-
ceived the central and most attractive
spot to be small tree with a limb
forking about ten feet from its base.
A long, slender, springy pole was
resting in the fork with the large end
pressed to the ground and fastened
with stobs crossed on either side and
driven firmly in the clay. This in
cline raised the long end of the pole
q.ite high in the air, and to that end
was looped a plow line, and to the
lower end of the line another loop
was slipped over the crimson feet of
a venerable gander and left him
swinging, head downwards, just high
enough for horseman to reach it
easily az he rode underneath. The
doomed bird gave an occasional
squawk, and, with wings half open
and neck half bent, looked with un-
questioned alarm upon the proceed
ings. The feathers had been strip
ped from its neck and thick coat of
grease put on instead. The under
growth had been removed and rum
ming path for the horsemen carefully
cleared of all distractions. The
tournament began at II o'clock.
Twenty sovereigns, mounted on their
plow nags, ranged themselves at one
end of the path and awaited the call
of their names by the old squire who
had them written on fy-leaf in the
back of his docket. No man was ell
lowed to ride until he had planked
up a dollar. The old squire had
contributed the gander just out of
good will to the boys, he said, and he
was nominated as treasurer and UNI
pire and carried the bag, and on his
decision the whole SUN was to be
awarded the victor. He had adjourn
ed his court for two hours to see the
fun and keep down any disturbance
of the peace. Eight "whippers"
were mustered in, four on each side
of the running course. They were
all armed with good long switches or
hickorys, and their willing duty was
to see to it that no mans nag moved
towards the gander with less alacrity
than gallop. 'Now, boys, said he,
s'not lope that would keep a nag
a-loping half an hour in the shade of
a tree, but a right lively gallop, and
if the critter slows up any, you must
peartin him up little--especially as
he's nighin' toward the gander.'
The boys were true sovereigus.
They were not knights. They were
arrayed in their homemade pants
and homemade shirts and home-knit
galluses. Their shoes were made at
the tannery and their hats at the hat
terry. Coats and vests were not on
their regalia All the naborhood were
their spectators including many wo-
men, some with infants at the breast
and some with sons in the tourna-
ment.
The gathering people exchanged
salutations and smiles and gave the
family news and gradually drew near
the place where the anserian strug-
gle was impending.
The old squire had participated in
some old-fashioned musters in his day,
and so, when everything was ready
he stood on log and, raising his
right hand, exclaimed: "Tention
company! In the proceedings that
we are about to proceed with it are
expected that every man will conduct
his behavior accordin' to what's fair
and honest-no man are to take any
disadvantage of ary other man nor of
the gander. Thar he are hangin'
without a friend. Tote fair boys,
tote fair; and put him out of misery
as quick as you ken, in reason. Jack
Pullum-three PAGES to the 'front.'
now ready-aim-charge-"
As Jack stuck his heels in his po-
ny's flank the crowd shouted: charge
'em Jack! Charge 'em!" But Jacks
critter wasent used to charging. He
rebelled at the go and the 'swhippers
in" had to come to his support. He
dashed il and out of the path wildly,
but finally took the bit in his teeth
and started down the line on a des
perate run for freedom amid the
shouts and cheers of the multitude.
He steered well until he suddenly
eyed the great white bird just ahead
of him. He stopped as if on the
brink of precipice, but Jack went
on. That capped the climax of tu-
multuous hilarity. The like OF that
was what they came for. Jack caught
on his hands and feet, and was soon
remounted and took another start,
and his nag behaved better, but still
did not come in reach of the gander,
and Jack lost his chance until the Sec
ond grand round. "We'uns haint
got no geese at our house" said he,
'sand my animal never seed one afore
90 l,pou,c an -