The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-16

! They both jerked off their coats ana
slammed them upon the ground. Mar
! tin shook his fist in David's face, and
cried out with great vehemence:
"pm Jest as good a man as you or
any of your breed-my daddy is as good
a man as your daddy, and my nanny
! is as good a man as ever trod shoe
leatherw
"Cleer me the law cawntrive your
guilty cawnshunce."
"Law and gospel cleered ~ screamed
Martin, as he sprang into the air and
struck his heels together three times
before he touched the earth.
"What are you about there ~ ex-
claimed the old man, attracted to the
door by the noise; what! goin' to
fight in my yard?"
"Oh daddy! daddyw shrIeked Bek-
ky, rushing out with her hair hanging
over her shoulders; "don'tlet 'em fight
oh good gracious they are going to
fight about mel"
"Are they, thought" continued Mr..
Towns; "then they shall fght-it's jest
what I would have done myself when
I was of their age" Saying which he
called two negro fellows, who were
watching from the kitchen door with
great satisfaction the proceedings Of
the young men, and appointed one
named Sam for David's second, and
the other named Dick, for Martins
second; d;-threatening at the same time
to break his stick over their heads if
they did not see that the fight was con-
Quoted fairly.
"Look here, Massa Dave" remarked
Sam, going up to his principal, II got
piece oh advice to glib you. You make
pertense as if you was goin' to hit
Massa Sawyer 'pon de he'd wild your
lef ifs, and when be raise he arm up to
knock off your lick, hit um in de short
ribs wild your right fis; and den make
pertence as If you was goin' to hit UNI
'gin wid your right ifs in de ribs, and
when he trow he arms down to fend
hisself you hit 'um pom the head wild
your lef fig. Hah!-ain't I right? I
knows it from 'sperienceW
"N1assa Martini" said Dick, II hab
only few words to say. Nebber you
mind ennyting Massa Dave can do to
you, but trow your he'd forruds and
but 'um in de pit oh de stummick.
You see dat will knock all de bret out,
and he 'bliged to holler."
The young men were eager for the
combat, but the angel of peace was
there, and the fierce impetuosity of
Martin and calm determination of
David, yielded to the weak interference
OF girl; for Bekky with one fair hand
against Hartman's breast, and the
other against Sawyer's, kept them apart
as easily as if they had been her pet
mocking birds.
"Oh! Dave, did I expect this Of you?"
she cried. "Is this the way you keep
your promises? And Martin, is this
the respect you have for my fathers
house? Have you ever been treated
unkindly by me, or my father, or my
mother, or any other bein' here? No!
no. no! not even by dog. Oh! boys,
do don't fight about me; do don't.
But if can't persuade you, wait until
I 60 into the house and return; have
plan Dave-a plan to settle this with
out hurt or harm. The Easter eggs!-
the Easter eggs, Davew
Throwing her disshevelled hair back
from her face, pale with alarm, and
wet with tears of sorrow, she ran into
the house, and in a moment after re-
turned with the two eggs the rivals had
given her in her hand.
"Here, Dave, is the egg you gave me,
and here Martin is the one you gave
me; now take them, and since you will
make me prize, decide by the eggs
who is to have me-" "Peck the pints
of them together, and if"
eff my egg breaks David's you will
marry me?" inquired Martin.
"Why, Bekky, I wont stand half
chance, for hizzen'sa guinea egg, and
whoever hearn of hen egg breaking
guinea egg?" demonstrated David.
Never mind, it's plan Dave-a
plan"
"Come on, said Martin, exultingly."
The negro Sam was here seen to no.
tice Davids egg closely; and then throw
up his hands, exclaiming,-
"De wimmin is goin' to be de ruina-
ton OBJ de worl. Ho! no! ho! knows
dat egg"
"You, Sam, won't you hush" cried
Bekky.
The combatants approached each
other. peck away said Martin,
holding out his egg. Crack! and to
the astonishment of all except Bekky
and Sam, Martins egg was demolished.
"N1ine amt broke" shouted David.
"No, I reckon it ain't,' screamed
Sam, ip an agony of restrained mirth.
II fix'd dat egg last night. After
massa Dave went to bed, Miss Bekky
came into de kitchen an broke q little
hole in de big eend Of dat dere egg, and
she took out all de white and de yaller
wild a spoon handle, an she made me
bile some pitch, haw! haw! haw! and
pore it into de boiler egg, and when it
got cold you see it was bard as rock,
ho! he! no! no. you couldn't brake dat
egg 'yainst my forred! Dis is de fust
time I ebber hearn of a hen egg whip
pin guinea egg"