The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-02-12

uraI Consequence.
One October day Zeb White, the pos
| sum hunter Of Tennessee, took me along
with him when he went the rounds OF
his woodchuck traps, and as we were
coming home he told me this story:
Il worked so hard fur three or TO-
vars arter the wak," he began, that I
| got all run down and couldn't skeercely
git about. Thar war days when I felt
purity well, and days when I jest sot
around and hadn't strength huff to
move outdoahs. That same var crit
ter named Pike moved into the naybur-
hood He was from Alabamy, believe,
and he let it be known powerful soon
that he was a hefty man in scrim-
mage He talked so loud end blowed so
high that ever body was skeart O. him,
and be jest went around steppin high
and bossin tie roost. Reckon ye hev
met up with sich chaps in the no'th:"
Eyes, I've seen several of them.
THAT perky critter used to cum down
to my cabin and brag and blow and tell
how many men he'd licked, and one day
I gin him plain to urderstan that didn' t
believe in his stories. That made him
mad, and he went away sayin as how
he'd wollop me fur his next victim.
He knowed I was in pore health and
couldn't fight fly, but every two or
! three days he'd cum down and stand in
front of the cabin and veil:
"'Now, then, Zeb White, cum out
yere and giC The awfullest wollopin i
human critter ever received. I'm 10
hand to brag, but I kin tie both hands
behind me and then chaw ye up in two
minits. I've licked Al different men and
never even got my nose skinned. Either
own up that ye dasn't fight man or
cum out and be wclloped.
"That's the way he'd talk to me, !"
continued Zeb, "and I'd git so mad that
l cried like child. Bimeby begun to
git leetle better, and one day when he
was calm Oh me to cum forth and bo
wollored I told him that if he'd show
up week from that day I'd tackle him.
He went away crackin his heels and
whoopin and rejoicin, and the old wom-
an sez to me, seZ she:
"'Zeb White, if 20 was a we'll man
ye could wollop that critter befo' I
could mako a hoe cake, but ye've bin
down the banks all summer, and ye'
can't git we'll il a week. I'm sorry ye
passed yer word, but bein it's passed
We'll lev to abide by it. III git whisky
and roofs tonorrer and brace ye up. "
And did you get better?" asked.
"No, got wuss. Whisky and roots
didn't do mo no good. When the week
was up, l Was in bed and tco feeble to
walk across the room. That pesky critter
knowed jest how it was with me, and
yit he cum and stood in front Of the
cabin and shouts to the Gle woman:
"'Ar' this the dwellin place of
varmint named Zeb White:'
"'She be.
"'Calls hisself the Pcssum Hunter
cf Tennessee, don't he::'
"'Yes, be do
"'Has wrassled with bars and wild
cats and painters, and thinks hlssel1
powerful on the fght?'
"'That's my Zeb.'
"'Then I hain't made 10 mistake.
Would ye do ne the everlastin kindness
to tell him to step out yere while l chaw
his ears off to stay my hunger!'
"'He's sick abcd jest now, but if
yell cum back arter dark he'll make ye
eat grass and bcller like calf!
"'I'll do it, ma'am! Thar won't be
no mo- ;Ielay?'
"'No, sah!'
"'Rc'll cum right out and be pulver-
lied, will hep
"'He will'
"'Then ye kin bs lookin fur me,
Widder White! I'll be kinder sorry to
see death take him from ye, but must
hev him fur my fortyeighth victim!
Good AFTERNOON, Widder White-good
arternoonn
"That's how they talked" said Zeb
as he heaved rock at snake summing
himself on q rock, land Of co'se heard
every word CT it. I jest couldn't help
weepin with my madness. How was I
to go ont and fight him when couldn't
git outer bed? That's what I asked the
ole woman, and she sorter winked and
smiled and sez to me, sez she:
"'Zeb, doan' ye worry no. mo- bout
this wollopin bizness, but leave it all to
me- If that varnint shows up yere to-
night, he'll be the wurst licked man in
all Tennessee hefo' he gifts awayn
"'But who's gwine to lick him?'
"'Never ye mind!'
"She wouldn't say no mo-" continued
Zeb, land was too feeble to figger it
out. I cried myself TO sleep, and it was
arter dark when l woke up. That thar
varmint had cum back, 'cordin to prom
Use, and was in trout of the cabin
a-shoutin:
"'Zeb White, the time has cum fur
ye to be pui7erized. Mebbo won't do
no mo- than chaw yer ears off and Grip
pie ye fur life bat I'll DO that much fur
shore. Cum outer yer hole and stand up
to me like man.
Jest about the time he begun to hof-
Ter my ole woman begun to git outer her
clothes and inter mine.
"'What ye gwino to do?' sez I.
"'Gwine cut to wollop that critter or
die, sez she.
"'But ye ar woman and he's
powerful fighter
"'Zeb White, ye snuggle down and
keep quiet. He's cum fur fout. He's
bin promised one and has to hev it. As
ye can't fight him shall, and I'm
a-feelin that the Lord will put jaw
bone inter my hand to slather him
1t wasn't no use to talk to her.