Year: 1873

| AANN'S "AA>s 'NosJ Was ~~


would be as soon as they got done
raising the house. I told him l be-
lieved Iwould stay and help raise and
then go home with him. To this he
made objections; and said there were
persons there would find out my bust
ness, and after they found out that I
was. a Methodist, would more than like
ly be abusive. The deacon said after
they had drank few times they would
be entirely ungovernable, and he in
sisted on my leaving, and going then
to his house. To all this I told him I
thought they would do me no harm
and told him would stay till he went" "
"Well," said the deacon, 81 have adj
vised you to what I thought was for the
best, if you are abused by them fellows,
you can't blame me, but I tell you
plainly they are the head ones who
make it their business to run off every
Methodist preacher that comes along,
and the head man is here, and 1 pre-
sumo they are now contriving the mat
ter" still protested that they would
not hurt me, or my horse, and the dea-
con left me; he appeared to be very
much vexed to think I would not heed
his advice.


After little while the small keg of
whisky was handed round. They all
drank except the deacon and myself.
The slight was noticed by them, and
one Of the company went to the deacon,
and told him he must drink; and they
made him drink. They came to me
saying: You did not drink; this will
not answer, you must take hold 7
told him could not drink his whisky,
and he must excuse me. He used
some rough language, and then said I
must drink, sing song, tell story,
or wrestle. I excused myself again
told them was stranger there; was
only staying to get done raising; was i'll
tending to preach tomorrow at the
s. House. His answer was: "We
will see about that"


1 saw my deacon was in great pain.
He evidently thought I was in a dread
full situation, but I had no fears; l felt
sure I could take care of myself. My
man stuck to me, and would not be
put off. He made again and again the
same demand. At last, seeing that
something must be done, and in the
hope of making a virtue of necessity,
told him that after they got done rails
ing the house I would make up my
mind to do one or the other. I was,
however, doomed to disappointment.
l had been in hopes he would forget
and let me off; but as the last log was
rolled up, Mark Sutton (for that was
his name) came again, and four or five
others with him, prepared to compel
me to drink whisky by force. I then
told Mark I had concluded to wrestle
with him, which was one of his propo-
sitions.


Well," says Mark, {" that will do. y


But" says I, there must be GER
tain conditions. You must not get an
CRY, and there must be but one hold,
and one fall; and if I throw you, you
must come and hear me preach to-mor-
row."


To this Mark agreed, and those pres.
ent said all right. Said Bronson to
my father, then thought I could
scare the fellow, and get off that way,
but all to no purpose. A ring was
formed and judges chosen, &c. My
deacon once more came to my side,
said he:


You are crazy. Mark Sutton is
the best wrestler in all these parts, and
they will think it great sport to pull
and haul you round"


told my deacon he need net fear,
and to take no trouble about their pull
ing and hauling me around. Said
Bronson, I tell you, Rufus (that was
my fathers name) I felt as if 1 could
have thrown them all into a pile, and
believe 1 could have done so, espec-
tally at that time; for they were all the
worse for drink. I repeated my con-
ditions again; he promised if 1 threw
him to come and hear me preach; and,
added, he would bring out the whole
village. They whispered among them
selves, and one man stepped into the
ring. 1 told them to pick out their
best man, that I should not take hold
OF but one man; to this they finally con-
sented. Mark evidently began to be