The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-07-24

ssThe Most POIfteat Man,
In my day and generation, first and
last, l have been about considerable.
And freckon what little Ihaven t learnt
in regards to dogs and horses and men
and things in general was tore out Of
the books many years ago. But / do
think the most politest man 1 have ever
saw since here | have been is old Col.
Jeems NJ. Hunter-which the colonel
now lives on his fine plantation over on
Bear Greek, and on che interest which
his money draws. He is one Of these
old-time, before-the-war gentlemen
Col Hunter Island withoutan doubts
the most serenely and superbly polite
old rooster you would meet up with in
a whole years travel.
Now in his old days the mainest weak
pints with Col. Hunter is his long toddy
and his fine saddle horse Along in the
past Christmas he lit out one day, and
the next news we got he had went over
to "Old Kaintucky' and bought hitn-
self rich with the finest saddle horse
that money could fetch-a big brown
geldin with black trimmins and a blaze
face-'as graceful as a deer and as gem
tie as a cat" Now every mornin by
the first crack of day the old colonel is
up and out takin his mornin ride and
braggin on Brown Tom to everybody
that will give him a chance.
One mornin last week he met up with
Blev Scroggins down at the old Beech
Ford, and nothin would do but Blev
must halt and git down and pass on all
the strong and winnin pints Of that fine
saddle horse.
Have you got your weapon with you,
Blew" says the colonel.
Naturally of course Blew had his six
shooter strapped under his left arm.
"By gads, Blew, I don't raley believe
Brown Tom would git skeered of a v
clone spiked with cannons, but 1 never
did try him to see how he would stand
fire. I wisht you would please be so
kind, condescendin and obligin as to
shoot off your weapon, so can see what
he will do"
At the word Blew went down after his
weapon with great glee. With pure
delight and from common cussedness
he pulled the trigger quick and steady,
and bang! bang! bangi bangl bang!
bangl spoke the sixshooter fast and
furious and loud. And then s
quentially when the echo from the last
shot died out down tine swamp and the
smoke cleared away, the old colonel
was pickin himself up out of the middle
of the road, whilst Brown Tom was
burnin the wind for home. There was
mud IN the ~colonel's clothes, and mud
in his eyes, and mud in his long white
hair. He want to say bad hurt, but the
whole thing was SO student and sur
prism till it knocked his breath out
for a few minutes and took several new
stitches in his back.
But even then and there-under the
circumference of such painful sur
roundins-Col. Jeems M. Hunter didn't
forget that he was a thoroughbred and
natural-born southern gentleman. He
pulled himself together as best he could
and stood there stiff and straight "a a
gun stick, wiped the mud out Of his
eyes with his coat sleeve, made a low
and gentle bow at Blev and said:p
II am much obleeged to you, Mister
Scroggins-very much obleeged to you,
sir"
"You are more than welcome
colonel" says Blew.
Then the old colonel give Blev the
partin salute and limped off down the
road towards home, with Brown Tom
three miles ahead.