Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-09-12
HIS

BY ANDREW C EWING


idea Of plantation life and thought l
/ should like to I've one OF the southern
/ IRE eaters OF that period
! | found the planters more peaccable
/ than had expected. at least the best
Of them, though when they did fight
I they fought to kill. Those who had
come OF good stock. fathers OF fam
lies, had no bloodthirstmeSS whatever
! But there were Il number of ugly men
! In the south. who always went about
armed and of whom every one was
more or less afraid.
4 Notwithstanding that shooting was
+ rare found when ! got where 1t OK
! had thought | would. Indeed no ono
/ took me tor shooter. | was small
and youthful looking. The long limb
! ed sons OF the south did not seem to
! consider me of much Importance. The
only person who fauCied me was the
planters daughter, a girl about my
own axe. She had Il number OF adj
mlrers among those gentlemen, bur
she said they didn't know anything
J tACtIl IItul UpIStS, anu that NtuIuH L
suit her at all could write verses
to her, and, having fine tenor voice
and she guitar, could sing love
songs to her accompaniment.
Her father. Randolph Hunter, had
no idea that love affair was In
progress between me and his daughter
until 1t had gone so far that It was
scarcely controllahe Then when he
found II out he said to me:
"Pe'mit me to remark. sub. that yo'
attentions to my dawtcr must stop ut
once. If | eve catch yo' communicate
ing with her In any way whateve' |
shall give yo' tifty lashes, the same as
would give one of my se'vants.
Hea' is a check TO 20 salary, sub,
made ont to the end of the yea"
According to my ideas before COM
ing to the country, should have
thrown the check In his face and shot
him dead. Instead, put the check in
my pocket babe him good morning
and took my departure, But | did
hot-I could not-leave the country
where dwelt my love. l secured n po-
sitIon as tutor in the home of another
planter, who had no daughter Of
marriageable age.
One day soon after this heard that
Mr. Hunter had had n difficulty with
n slave dealer. The trader had offer
ed to buy slave husband without his
wife. Hunter had replied that he new
err parted families The trader after
this Information offered him n special
~ high price for the man, whereupon
Mr. Hunter broke his cane over the
mans hcnd Neither of them was
armed. and the affair at the time went
no further. though feeling seemed to
exist that there would be and very soon.
| Before going south ! had bought
revolver, expecting to have many fra
cases with It. Though the southern
ers seemed to consider me too dell
cate-perhaps insignificant better ex-
presses ito have any trouble with.
didn't think 1t prudent to part with
my weapon. | carried II mt my hip
under my coat, where II would not be
seen, as the southcrners did. One day
I had occasion for it's use. but not as
| had Intended.
Taking an afternoon horseback ride,
I suddenly heard shots that seemed to
/ come from point just ahead Of me
and around turn In the road. My
! first inclination was to turn about to
escape stray bullets, but this was 80
| little In keeping with my previous
chivalrous ideas that | kept OF and,
turning the bend, saw Mr.. Hunter and
another man, both on horseback.
pumping lead Mt each other from re-
volvers.
But they were too far apart to do
much damage Mr.. Hunter was near
est TO me. A moment after | came In
| sight Of him he threw his revolver In
the road. inferred he had emptied
It. A moment later his opponent drew
a second weapon and rode forward,
Squirting my horse beside Mr. Hun
ter, handed him my revolver. The
matter being one OF life and death to
him, he paid no attention TO me. but
clutched my pistol. His opponent. who
! had now come very near fired shot
at him and missed him. Hunter re-
turned 1t with no better effect. Then
the two pistols exploded at once. hun
ter's opponent fell Off his horse In the
road and died In IA few minutes. Hun
ter's left arm was shattered.
For few moments the conditions
were singular. A man lay dead In the
road His slayer contemplated him
momcntarily then turned and looked
at me.
I, "Well. suh." he said. Il suppose am
Indebted to 20 TO my life.
II am pleased to have saved 1t for
+ your family" | replied.
He turned again 70 his enemy.
who was heE" | asked.
4 "a Niger trader, sub.
\ When we parted Mr.. Hunter asked
me to call upon him during the even
ing | met my love on the veranda.
and she jumped for me. throwing her
arms around my neck. found her
father within, his arm in sling,