Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-01-16
HORSE SHOE
ROBINSON
A Tale of the Revolutionary Struggle In
Upper Carolina.
By JOHN P. KENNEDY.

Horse Shoe.
Know it, any man might guess as
much by the way you shovelled dowr
your supper. I happened by chance tc
pass your window, and seeing you al
| it. faith! for the soul of me l couldn't
help taking a few turns more, just tC
watch the end of it. Ha! ha! ha! give
me the fellow that does honor to his
stomach And your dolt head must
be taking offence at my looking al
you! Why, man, your appetite was
most beautiful rarity; I wouldn't have
lost the sport of it for the pleasure OF
the best supper I ever ate myself"
Indeed" said Robinson, drily.
please upon the trencher!" ex-
claimed the other, with the air of a
pot companion; that's the true mu-
sic for good fellows Of your kidney!
But it isn't everywhere that you will
find such bountiful quarters as you
get here at the Blue Ball ain that
cursed southern country man like
you would breed a famine, if you even
do not find one ready made to your
hand when you get there"
Where mought you be from?' ask
ed the sergeant, with great gravity,
without responding to the merriment
of his visitor, and purposely refraining
from the answer which he saw 1t was
the others drift to obtain relative to
the course of his travel.
1T was natural enough that you
should have mistaken my object, con-
tinued the stranger, needless Of Horse
Shoes abrupt question, "and have sus-
pected me for wanting to hear some
of your rigmarole: but there you did
me wrong. I forgive you for that,
and, to tell you the truth, hate
your"
That's not to the purpose" said
Horse Shoe; "I axed you a civil ques-
ton, and maybe, that's more than you
have a right to. You can answer II
or let it alone. I want to know where
mought you be from?"
"Since you are bent upon it, then,
replied the other. suddenly changing
his tone, and speaking with saucy
emphasis, "I'll answer your question,
when you tell me what mought be
your right to know"
Its the custom of our country" re-
Joined Horse Shoe, II don't know what
it might be in yourn, to larn little
about the business of every man we
meet; but we do it by fair, out-and-
out question and answer-all above
board, and we hold in despise all sorts
of contwistifications, either by laying
of tongue-traps, or listening under
caves of houses"
"Well, most wise and shrewd mas
ter, what do you call my country?
Ha! ha. ha! I would be sworn you
think you have found some mares
nest. If it were not that your clown
pate is somewhat added by overfeed-
ing, I would hold your speech to be
impertinent. My country. I'd have
your sagacity to understand"
Tut, man, it arn't worth the trou-
BILE of talking about it! / never saw
one of your people that 1 didn't know
him by the first word that came out
of his lips. You are an Englishman'
and a red-coat into the bargain, as
we call them in these parts. You have
been a sodger. Now, never bounce at
that, man! There's no great harm in
belonging to that craft. They listed
you, as likely as not, when you was
flusticated with liquor, and you took
your pay; there was a bargain, and II
was your business to stand to it. But
1 have got a piece Of wisdom to whis-
per to you, insomuch as you are not
in the most agreeablest part of the
world to men Of your colors it would
be best to be little more shy against
giving offence. You said some saucy
things to me just now, but l don,
grudge your talking. because you see
I am an unaccountable hard sort OF
person to be instigated by speeding.
Verify, you are a most comicaI
piece Of dullness," said the other, In
spirit of railery. In what school die
you learn your philosophy, friend
You have been brought up to the
wholesome tail of the plough, should
say-an ancient and reputable occupa'
ton"
when l obsarved, just now" re-
piled Robinson, somewhat sternly
that couldn't be instigated, I meant
to be comprehended as laying down
kind of general doctrine that l was
man not given to quarrels; but still, Il
! suspicioned a bambooZlement,w which
am not far from at this presen
speaking, if it but come up to the con
hagrating of only the tenth part o.
the wink of an eye, in a project tC
play me off, fore God. I confess my
self to be as weak in the flesh as e'eI
rumbunctious fellow you mough
meet on the road"
Friend" said the other, Il do no
understand thy lingo. 1t has a mos
clodpolish smack. 1t is neither gram
mar, English nor sense"
Then. you are a damned onman
nerly rascal" said Horse Shoe, "an'
that's grammar English and sense, al
three"
"Ha. you are at that! Now, m!
lubberly BOBBY, l understand you" re
turned the other, springing to his feet
DO you know to whom you are speak
ing?"
Better than you think for" replied
the sergeant, placing himself in al
erect position to receive what he ha'
a right to expect, the threatened as
sault of his adversary. II know you
and guess your arrand here"
You do?" returned the othe
sharply. You have been jugglin
with me, sir. You are not the gud
geon I took you for. 1t has suite
your purpose to play the clown, eh
Well, sir. and pray, what do yo
guess?"
Nothing good of you, considerin
how things go here. Suppose | was
say you was, at this self-same iden
ticaI time, a sodger of the kings?