Griggs courier., 1898-07-29
THE sHERlFF's VICTORY
By BRUCE ELDER.

GOLIATH, of Gath, the renowned
" champion of the Philistines, and
David, the shepherd boy who con-
quered him, could have presented no
stronger contrast in stature and bulk
than my fathers two occasional Wis.,
.itors, Mr.. Bristol, the grain merchant,
and little Capt. Darby, the shy, quiet
but genial gentleman of leisure.
was on intimate terms with the
former, boy though was, for almost
worshiped muscle and Drawn, and to
possess some day Mr.. Bristors magnif-
cent strength was the height of my
ambition.
Capt. Darby, on the contrary, was SO
insignificant" in size and undemon-
strative in manner that never wasted
q thought upon him.
Coming out from our gymnasium
one day, with every muscle in my
body strained and aching from the
training which had just been receiv-
ing, l met Mr.. Bristol and together
we sauntered down Kearney street.
He called me youthful Samson"
bantered me about my trapeze feats
and at length said, looking me square
ly in the face:
what do you expect to gain by your
skill in that direction, Mark?"
Nothing that l now know of, sir;
but might is right and when I'm as
strong as you I'll defy any fellow to
make me his football
Just then Capt. Darby, passing, sa-
luted us, and disappeared in a drug
store.
II know Capt. Darby is gentleman,
in his way" continued, ''but would
despise myself if was made on SO
small scale, and yet was expected to
do mans part in life"
$50! so! Is that your gauge of man
hood, my boy? Well, l thought SO, too,
once, until a sheriff taught me better.
My early home was near Harrisburg.
the capital of Pennsylvania. The Sus-
quehanna flows directly past the city.
This beautiful river, though a mile
wide, is not navigable except in the
spring of the year, when the early
rains and melting SHOWS swell it con-
siderably.
''As soon as the stream is high
enough the watermen float their tim
Der, in the form of RATS, down from
the forests at the head of the river, in
New York, to the market at its mouth
or along shore.
zone day in 1859 news was brought
to town that party of watermen had
seized a cargo of shingles, under dis
puted ownership, and having placed
them on a raft, were steering down
the river, and were now quite near.
''It happened that the legal owner of
the shingles, Mr.. Hunt, was in Harris
burg at that time, and, going to the
sheriff, he ordered that a writ of re-
plevin should be served upon the lun,
bermen.
'The sheriff, jumping into his buggy,
with Mr.. Hunt, rapidly drove to a lit
tie village below the city, which was
the nearest port Of entry. Here they
left their horse and buggy, and walked
up the river again one mile to tavern
close to the shore, called The White
House. which was favorite resort of
the lumbermen.
II had come in from my fathers
at the farrier's, near the tavern, and
was lounging about the porch when the
two strangers came up. One was a
large, the other small man. The
large man soon explained the situation
of affairs to the loafers seated around,
and they became at once much ex-
cited. 1t was going to require pluck
and determination to arrest a party of
Susquehanna lumbermen.
"'Think you can do it, sheriff? 2 said
the host.
HE addressed the small man. Twas
amazed. He the high sheriff of Dauph
in county, holding such responsible
position! Ridiculous!
HE was not more than five feet in
height and certainly did not weigh
over 10 pounds. was too ineNperi-
enced to read his character in his face,
but knew that in a fair fight could
toss him over my head, and uncon-
sciously felt contempt for him.
"'That's the question. sheriff. said
Mr.. Hunt. 4 propose that
"'There's the rart. See her! just
rounding the bend!' exclaimed one of
the men at the tavern; which an
nounccment prevented Mr.. Hunt from
explaining his purpose, for the time
for action had arrived.
'Follow!' said the sheriff.
"And running down the river bank,
he was fortunate enough to find boat
lying there.
ION no consideration, however, could
he get any of the men to agree to row
him out to the raft, knowing, as they
cid, the desperate nature of those
watermen.
"a law of Pennsylvania gives an Of
fcer the right to press into his service,
when necessary, anyone whom he may
please. They refused at the peril of
arrest. Thus the sheriff was compelled
to order two men to the oars, saying,
as he did so:
"'All want of you is to put me on
that raft will man:pe the rest