The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-10-28
A HOT TIME IN FINcHyILLE.

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accompanied by another Fredericksburg-
er, drove to the neighborhood OF Finch
vile Tor the purpose of doinga little hunt
ing. When approaching the town.
before even the steeples were in sight. we
met number of vehicles full of good
Spotsylvania citizens all busy discussing
some subject. 1t was evident to the most
casual observer that something unusual
had disturbed the serenity of that old
town that had not known no excitement
since the days when Grants army was
encamped near by
Passing prominent attorney of Fred
ericksburg, seated on an old stump in
conference with magistrate. we Judged
10 might prove OF profit to lnger a while
TO learn the meaning of the evident excit
ment and perhaps to hear an elegant and
eloquent speech, for, Mr.. Editor, the air
OF that section is productiv of eloquence.
as all the world knows (rhe Lion of the
/ Wilderness had his lair some years ago
not very far from this spot.
Ireading our way through the large
number OF vehicles that surrounded the
house that stands at the head of the main
boulevard, we met an old man whose ap-
pearance brought to our minds the par
son in GOldsmlth's deserted village and
sitting down with him on the porch of
the house that had been converted into a
temporary temple OF justice, we heard
from his lips the following story:
W hen l was boy | used to know an
oil jingle that ran
a Barlow knife and Barlow blade
/ The best old knife that ever was made. 3"
But now they say in Finchvilie;
The Barlow dog and the Barlow bite.
The best old dog in sight"
/ Now TO explain: On last Saturday one
| oil our most popular citizens was driving
along the main street heah in Finchvile
/ lie must er been leetle might nervous
Tor he grew mad at the barking of an old
dog namd Billy Barlow. the property of
an old Indy who says she is mighty nigh
er hundred years old This heah citizen
SO the naburs say, started in ter cuss
/ the dog. The old lady ran out and asked
him what he meant by using such Ian
guage to an old dog like that The old
lad, s voice is shrill and loud, and the
nervous man speaks ruther loud at times
hisself. so you may know what a time
we had in Finchville.
Twant no quiet time. | kin tell Won.
The man was n talkin' like he wanted
the folks at Brooks store to hear what
he had to say; the old lady war a saw
ing the air with her talk. and Billy Bar
low war barkin' like as If he had freed
every squirrel in the wilderness. The old
the honey suckle bush. and seed and
heard the hull of it,
The man SWANS that he war only bus
in a Billy Barlow, but the old lady and
the gal SWANS that he war a cussin'
them. Theys er gOin to try him now.
The question is. war this man a cussin'
OF Billy Barlow or of the old lady?
Much to our regret we could not stay
TO hear the speech which we know the
Aforesaid attorney had up his sleeve for
such subject might we'll call fourth the
eloquence of even a Demosthenes. We
crossed the narrow gauge and went to
the house OF Mr.. Parker where we were
expected. Parker provided us with dogs
but warned us not to shoot any dogs or
any turkeys for the question ofdogs was
then uppermost in the minds of the COM
munity and as for the turkeys il was
clear against the law" 1t was agreed
upon however that rather then have
our clothes tore of. as Dave Harum said
when asked to take drink, we would
shoot at all turkeys that attempted TO
do violence to us. We found only SOUR.
rels but we had the pleasure of meeting
BILLY Williamson. Billed spied a squir-
rel tail up in a crotch of a tall oak.
We could see nothing more than the tail
but Billy shot and down dropped the
squirrel, shot through the head. Upon
remarking at the excellence of Billv's
Workmanship one of his neighbors said
1T want no tellin' whar Billy war a
gwlne to hit fur he war as cross-eyed as
medder mink
Wednesday night the neighbors gather
ed at Mr.. Parker's and rehearsed all the
scenes and Incidents in connection with
the now famous Billy Barlow and at this
time we learned that the nervous s Z. s
had been fined ten dollars, but we could
not learn whether he had been fined for
using strong language to Billy Barlow.
to the old lady or for disturbing that
graveyard-li quiet that has reigned in
tlnchville Tor 10 these many years.
After we retired we could still hear the
friends OF Mr.. Parker discussing in low
tones the pedigree and past deeds of
prowess Of Billy Barlow. Thursday on
the way back to Fredericksburg. we
met several groups of people talking of
the great day in the history of Finchvile.
The news has even reached the town
Itself and now any of our citizens Jour
neying through the wilds of Spotsylva-
mia must expect to be compelled to listen
TO The tale of Billy Barlow with all it's
variations.
Finchville has made a name for herself.
for she has presented to the popular
mind new question, for in the future
the question as to who hit Billy Patter-
son will be forgotten and the newer
question thrust upon the Spotsylvania
publie-"WGs $. I. S a cussin' of Billy
Barlow or OF the old ladv3- ops