The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-04-25
ABE THE BUNTER.
A. Negro Whose Head Was Hard
or Than a GrindstOne.
He lis q Century Old Yet Continues to
Utilize His Sturdy Skull as q Batter
ing Rama Review of Ills
Life.

1t NAV be an open question, writes a
Williamstown correspondent OF the Bos-
ton Globe, who is the best-known man
in the vicinity, President Franklin Car
ter of Williams college or Abram Par
sons, better known as 'Abe the Bunter.
Certain it is that Abe is known TO
thousands and that his fame IS fuuy
earned. It was no scratch hit or lucky
bunt that gave Abe place in the inches
of fame The Lord was kind to Abe IN
giving him an unusually thick skull ana
a 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 1O4 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 lf Years OlSA, dis LAG GlAAAItAo.
Up to the time of his sale as a 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 a burst of speed start for Abe,
who always met the ram half way, the
two heads coming together with great
force, but the ram, Us 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 p31rsued by dogs, and es~
capped only after killing one.
From Sheffield Abe went to Old Stock
bridge, where he lived for 81 number OF
wears, working for Gen. Williams, the
Carriers, Bradleys, Brewers, Crosbys.
Cashier Adams and Maj. Burrill, all OF
whom are now dead. Long before the
war he located in Willia1nstown, where
he has worked for many people. Boys,
since he came here, have become gray
haired men.
ALI the past years he had continued
bunting, until he was confident that
nothing less than blow from a 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 a Mr.. Powers,
Abe went at it head first, and after re-
'peated attacks it yielded.
This gave Abe great prestige--a stock
in trade, so to speak; but with the con-
,fdence thus acquired he passed On to
greater victories
1t came about in this way: Abe and
his wife's brother were at South VIII.
Jamestown one day and they found
Farmer Blake having trouble with
two-year old bull that he wanted to
kill. The bull was III an Enclosure and
paving the turf in great shape, and, by
his almost human believing. asking for
some one to swing a red cloth i'll front
of him.
Abe offered to make the bull lower
his colors, but took d, big drink of cider
brandy before ne began the act. He
then entered the inclosure against the
earnest protestations of Farmer Blake.
who asked Abe among other things:
care you q dashed fool enough to go in
there with that wild bull throwing dirt,
with nothing to kill him with?'
1t was another case of David and
Goliath. The big bull and Abe both
hunted, and while Abe was shaken bad
throat was cut forthwith. Abe does
mot say so, but doubtless the cider
brandy was called upon to assist in the
celebration that followed.
Then the students tempted Abe to
show his prowess to them. He was
blindfolded and something placed in
bag. Then the bandage was removed
and he was told that if he could break
the contents of the bag by bunting his
head against it d valuable present
would be given him. The contents OF
the bag proved to be a big cheese, and
Abe had no difficulty in smashing it.
He was then blindfolded again, and it
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
at stake, went at it again and broke it
into four pieces vivid my nigger-head."
For this act he was given five dollars
in money, two big cheeses, two pounds
of tobacco and assurances from the
college boys that if he was sick as re-
suit Of the grindstone act he should be
well cared for, but he was able to work
as usual the following day and expert
enced no trouble whatever from the
bunting.
And SO for many years Abe has been
a feature bunting star, SO to speak
with many of the college boys in the
Willie m c+ovu1, firm nant Ho hos r;vn,,