The Florence daily tribune., 1899-01-28

I
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 l almost
worshipcd muscle and Drawn, and To
| possess some day MIR, Bristol's magniti-
| cent strength WAS the height of my
ambition.
Capt. Darby, on the contrary, was so
insignificant" iR size and undemon-
strative in manner that never wasted
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 | 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 drug
store
Il know Capt, Darby is a gentleman,
in his way" | continued. but would
despise myself If l was made on so
small a scale, and yet was expected to
do a mans part in life"
so! so, Is that your gauge of man
hood, my boy? Wen, l thought so, too.
once, until 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 [. 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 us the stream is high
enough the watermen float their tim
ber, 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.
"One day in 1859 news was brought
to town that a party of watermen had
seized a cargo of shingles. under a DIS
puted ownership, and having placed
them on raft, were steering down
the river. and were now quite near.
at happened that the legal owner of
she shingles. MIR. 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 lum-
bermen.
The sheriff, jumping into his buggy,
with Mr.. Hunt, rapidly drove to lit
tie village below the city, which was
the nearest port of entry. Here they
left their horse ana buggy, and walked
up the river again one mile to a tavern
close to the shore, called The White
House. which was a favorite resort of
the lumbermen.
Il had come in from my fathers
farm to have cur team of sorrels shod
at the farricr's, near the tavern, and
was lounging abCnt the porch when the
two strangers came up. One was
large, the other a 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. 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 no pounds. l was too inexperi-
enced to read his character in his face,
but | knew that in 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 heri Just
rounding the bend!' exclaimed one of
the men at the tavern; which an
nouncement 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
wing there.
"On no consideration, however, could
he get any of the men to agree to row
him out to the raft, knowing, as they
did, the desperate nature of those
watermen.
"a law of Pennsylvania gives an of
ticer the right to press into his service
when necessary, invone whom he NAV
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:
IAN l want of you is to put me on
that raft. will manage the rest
alone