The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-21

throats to tho Indies, and Haunted In all
companies the loose neck ties and ex-
pansive shirt collars of the past. Their
infatuation extended. to others. who con-
sciousy or unconsciously wore to tho
day OF their death tho negligce shirt
patterns. One OF these gentlemen be-
came, n little after the breaking out of
the Mexican war, a distinguished leader
OF the fierce democracy In the lower
branch OF the Federal Congress- the
other Ia still remembered by many of
our mddle-aged citizens as one of the
brightest ornaments OF the Virginia bar
a. mlghticr spirit than either OF the
twain above cited had, to all appear
ance. submitted to the influence and
fascination OF the author of "Childc
Harold" and Manfred No one whose
critical acumen Is of the best can read
the Raven, without detecting in It's
undertones the melancholic despair and
sincere scepticsm of Cain. Poe, feel
sure, wore in his youth the broad,
turned-down shirt collar and swinging
necktie. Ills swimming all the way
from Mayo's bridge to Warwick. dis
lance OF six or seven miles, as the river
runs, suggests very naturally the mus
cular feat OF Byron. who had swan the
Hellespont from Sestos to Abydos. He.
too. was n Greek like his spiritual pro-
totype, and espoused with ardor the
heroic struggle for independence of the
Greek patriots.
Customs of the Old Slaves.
The most of these customs have be-
come obsolete. owing probably TO the
new lights that have been flashed into
the eyes with dazzling effects upon the
brains nf the more ambitious Afro
Americans. One OF the pastimes for
merry and frequently INDUCED In by our
citizens of sable complexion was the
game OF cut Jackets. II took place usu-
ally between two draymen after saucy
but good natured dlscussion-or shall I
say disputatfon-as to which one could
handle his whip more sklifully than the
other.
/ have seen two sturdy fellows cutting
Jackets for upwards of q quarter OF an
hour without losing temper or manifest
ing other feeling than that of n mutual
delight. Big wells would be raised up
under cover of shirt or Jacket by the
fiery lash. which neither opponent seemed
to be aware of. or to feel as long as the
deIirium lasted While the whips were
loudly cracking and skiifui strokes were
being made by one or the other, an adj
nliring crowd OF like sable complexion.
unable to restrain their .pent-up feelings,
would explode in cheers OF delight and
vociferous yah-yai-yahs! Neither par
tisan in this unique duel of the whips ap4
peared to suffer a defeat, or 10 use n we'll
stamped phrase OF the pugilistc ring. to
be Knocked down and out" When twas
all over. the lookers-on would deal out
their compliments to the sweating fell
lows so impartially as to leave the worst
whipped man well pleased with his own
courage and endurance.
So used were the blacks to these rough
encounters as hardly 10 vince under the
lashes OF the law. One of thesa, after
his chastisement, was asked II he were
badly hurt. 'sho! man." he replied. Il
done cut Jackets befo'''
"Butting."
Butting. like ut-1ackets, used to be
quite common among our slaves. In any
proposed match between a white man
and a black, one might safely bet his
money on the latter. The Africans
skull, as savants we'll know, Is longer,
thicker and less capacious than the
Aryan. The most of his burdens in the
olden time were toted on his head. Thus
provided he would climb to the Hottest
step OF a ladder with less concern for his
own safety than might be felt by those
who'd view him from below.
I was once witness O. butting
coming out OF tobacco factory, and
seeing the field clear, ran into each
other as bulls are won't to do before
locking horns in a deadly embrace. The
cracking of skulls began after the first
rush. Each combatant laid hold OF the
others ears with the grip of steel
vice, and every effective butt was fol-
lowed by a painful, or triumphant grunt.
looked for n fatal issue of the fight,
as they would sometimes loosen holds,
fall back, and come together again with
staggering blows on breast and head. 5
observed that they neither boxed when
apart, nor wrestled for advantage when
they clinched. He who appeared to be
the stronger had his man pinned to the
factory wall SO as to place him COM
pletely in his power. 1 left the scene
without doubling who would come out
of the struggle winner.
There are even now, at this late day,
certain hard-headed fellows who are
not ashamed to own their ability in the
butting match. Major c.. a gallant
Confederate of Mahone's fighting brig
nde, said to me one day: Before join
Ing the church l was always quick
enough to resent an insult or to en-
gage the first man met in a shindy.
When found him too clever for me, I
would run in upon him head foremost,