Year: 1874

From the Courier Journal


It was Asa Brashear himself who told
the story. Asa, as everybody in Louis
vile knows, is not unacquainted with
cards. 1t is possible that ne is better
acquainted with the Queen of Clubs
than he is with the Queen Of Sheba. 1t
is probable that the blue and gold of
the King Of Diamonds is more familiar
custom to him than the picture of Solo,
mon arrayed in all his glory. 1t is also
highly probable that Asa is fond Of a
social glass or two. But this is how he
happened to tell the story Asa is lame
of one leg, and we asked him one day
what was the matter with the defective
limb.


"How did happen to break my leg,
did you say? Well, it was curious
thing, and I'll tell you about. You see
I'd been drinking pretty hard for a
week or so, and thought I'd lay off and
get over it. live up in the third story,
thirty feet or so from the ground. and
my window comes almost down to the
floor. It's mighty easy to fall out of
that window, and there brick pave
ment down below which isn't as soft as
feather bed. So you see fellow
that ID fall down there would be mighty
apt to hurt himself. l fell down there
once, and know how it is myself.


cit was nearly dark when l went to
my room that evenin', and l thought
ia sleep awhile and see if the trouble
in my head wouldn' t stop. 1t was a
whizzing sort of feeling, and, l didn' t
feel exactly right about what l saw.
In fact, the last drink l took
that day there was fly in it. At
least thought so; but Jimmy, who
was behind the bar, looked sort O funny
when asked him to take it out. How
soever, l soon fell asleep, and slept l
don't know how long; but | woke up
rather suddenly, and heard strange
kind Of noise out side the door. Itwas
awful dark, and the noise on the steps
sounded like thousand men with felt
slippers on striking thousand rattan
canes on the steps, and all in military
line. All at once music struck up but
the door suddenly opened, and a blaze
O light came in that blinded me so that
l couldn' see any more than when the
door was shut. When l got over the
daze l looked down on the floor, and
there was long file of soldiers. not one
Of 'em higher n my finger, all a-march-
in into the room, headed by band Of
music, and with the Kurnel, who WASH t
bigger II any O the rest of 'em, mount
on horse correspondent.


"Well, they marched into the room
and formed in files in front of my bed,
and was looking at 'em all the time.
When they had all got fixed in proper
ranks, the fellow on the horse got down
and the band stopped playing. After
he touched the floor the kurnel com.
menced to grow, and before he stopped
CROWN he was as much as eight feet
tall. kept lookin' at him all the
time, and then he got up on the bed and
took screw from his pocket and
screwed it into the cealin'. Then he
stepped down again and caught one @
them little soldiers by the nape Of the
neck and tied string around his neck
and stepped upon the bed. And l was
lookin' at him all the time. Then
he tied the other end Of the string short
up on the screw and let 60 o the little
soldier. The poor little feller kicked
around for while and grew black in
the face and then died, l s'pose; at
least he didn't make any more fuss
that night, When the Kurnel saw he
was dead he got down again, and as
soon as he touched the floor he began
to grow smaller and smaller until he
was no bigger'n he was at first. Then
he got on his horse and the band com.
menced to play, and he shouted For.
ward, march, and the little soldiers
| commenced marchin out Of the room.


"Now there was one little soldier that
seemed to be watchin' me all the time,
and when the rest of 'em commenced
marchin' out, he slipped back from
one file to the other and so on till he
had got to the rear rank. When the
last of the little soldiers but him had
got out of the door, this little chap he
came runnin' back to the bed and says


"'Asa, put down your leg


"Well, l put down my leg and the
little cuss climbed straddle my foot.


"'Now, Asa says he, pull your les
up in the bed.'


I SST L.