SQUARE AT LAST.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 139, 9 July 1872, Page 7

SQUARE AT LAST.

(From All the Tear Round.) U Englishman at large is nothing if not a jrtsman, and the New World affords him trular advantages for the indulgence of his

He who in the lightness of is heart says to himself, “Let me get up n d kill something,” is in America seldom at loss for something to kill, and can please iniself as to the size of his game, from the ijdnty quail to tough old “ Ebenezer,” the enowned “ grizzly” himself. \ few years ago, I was much embarrassed )y the difficulty of choice. Florida held out nany attractions ; but, on the other hand, I yas strongly tempted to try the huntingbounds about two hundred miles west of

)maha, where, an energetic Western friend rrote me, all kinds of game were to be had n plenty; especially, he informed me in a ine burst of enthusiasm, “big game,”—deer, luffaloes, bears, and—and—lndians. With

jjany a sigh I turned from this alluring prospect, as involving the sacrifice of too much [ime, and betook myself to the St. John River, Florida. Here I engaged the services of one Lafayette K. Wallop, better known in that part of the country as “ Chunky Lafe,” in allusion to his thick-set muscular conformation, as huntsman, boatman, and general factotum ; and set out in his canoe in quest of deer. Chunky Lafe was a silent man, very sparing of his speech, but prodigal of his thews and sinews ; and he paddled away at a great pace. His powerful strokes sent the liirht craft flying rapidly past the marshy banks, wooded to the water’s edge ; till, just as I was beginning to enjoy the enforced repose of the passive tenant of the canoe, a sudjen shout from the hunter startled me out of pv;semi-somnolent condition. Say, boss,” said the Chunky one, “guess ft’d best lay down in the canoe.” VWhy on earth should I lie down? I do not see any reason for hiding.” “ Wal, fact is Hefty Bill Slocum’s coming lip stream.” “ And what have I to do with Mr Slocum?” I snapped out rather impatiently. “ Wal, yer see, Bill and me is on shootin’

terms, and every time we meet we air kinder bound to have a crack at each other ; so, as I guess you, c’yurnel, ain’t in this deal, you ought not to put up any stakes. This here muss ain’t none of your funeral, but it might soon be if you kep’ sittin’ up than.” Here was a delightful situation ! Two Southern desperadoes burning teenage in an aquatic duel; all remonstrance or interference absolutely useless, and worse than useless ; the agreeable prospect of the canoe being upset in a broad rapid river thickly tenanted by alligators, being coupled with the probability of being accidentally picked off by the rifle of Mr Slocum.

However, as the exposure of my upper works to Hefty Bill’s fire could serve no useful purpose, I followed the advice of Lafe, ami lay down tolerably well under cover, breathing many a prayer for the success of our side. Peering over the edge I saw that our opponent was waiting, ritle in hand, for us to come within range, a feat which wo were

accomplishing with detestable rapidity, while my gondolier’s weapon was at hand and ready cocked, so that he could drop the paddle and seize the weapon at the slightest movement of his adversary. Nearer and nearer we came, not a sound breaking the deathlike silence but the light plash of the paddle ; until at length, Lafe, by a few last vigorous strokes, shot within range of the enemy. Dropping his paddle with lightning speed, Hie hunter seized his rifle. The report of the two weapons r; ng out together as accurately aa if the co: ants had fired by signal. The plash and r. it of Slocum’s bullet told me

my man was , hurt; when Chunky Lafe, lifting his fox-;. .in cap, said, slowly and solemnly : “ Square at last, Bill Slocum ! Poor Sal !” rA canoe floating down the river was all Bat remained to tell that Hefty Bill Slocum had ever existed.

The mention of a woman’s name bv my usually taciturn guide naturally awakened In } y curiosity, but the moment did not seem favourable for investigating the mystery, so * discreetly held my tongue ; but I suppose 1 looked inquiringly enough, as, after paddling swiftly and silently for nearly an hour, Dafe deigned to open his lips. “ Beg pardon, c’yurnel, for bustin’ up your day’s sport with my private biz’, but guess you’ll excuse me when I tell you the story. Thar’s a good friend of mine lives round the creek here, and if you don’t mind we’ll lay tver at his shanty, and after supper I’ll teil you the rights of the muss ’twixt me and pill.”

I consented gladly enough, feeling that liter the scene just enacted, all hunting would >2 utterly tame and spiritless. Paddling a nort distance up a narrow tributary stream, a " a ys called a creek in these countries,) we upon a large and cheerful-looking linmc- * cad, Lafe’s friend received us with true uierican hospitality ; his house, his meat, ' s crink, bis horses, and his dogs were all J our service in a moment. After a stiff i 0 1!? y Monongahela to whet (very unneces,nW our appetites, we fell pell-mell on a Vour y m eal of oysters, fish, and bear-meat, 0 forgetting hog and hominy. At the con'’f™ of a repast worthy of full-grown boawnctors, our host produced a demijohn °a Santa Cruz ; and pipes being lighted, unky Lafe pulled himself together, and uncrating freely, began. T f , er , see : c’yurnel and friend Wash’, n „ f 6 3 rejoiced in the name of WashMegrim,) “ this was a kinder old Id 1 r ,bbe(l off to-day. In the good * cs aiorc the war, Bill Slocum and me

was fast friends, —like brothers I was agoin’ to say, but I’ve generally found brothers love each other in a slack-baked sorter way ; anyhow me and Bill was alius around together, and barrin’ a kinder likin’ for huntin’, playin’ poker, drinkin’, and tight in’, was two as likely young boys as any in Augustine. I can’t say as we was particklerly heavy on work, —no Southern gentleman was in them days ; but with a bit of land for cotton, a tidy corn-patch, a drove of hogs, and a few niggers, we managed to scratch along pretty well. All my relations had passed in their checks long ago, except sister Sal, and I guess a prittier, smarter, and more stylish gal was not to be found in the State of Floridy.” Here Lafe seemed to suffer from a slight huskiness, but imbibing a huge draught of Santa Cruz, went on, visibly refreshed : “ Wal, poor Sal was run arter pretty much by the boys, but I kept a sharp eye on ’em, I did ; for though not very rich, we was high-toned,—no high-toneder family lived in them parts; and my sister was all in all to me, —more nor anybody will ever be agin. Then came the war, and you gentlemen know what that misunderstandin’ brought about. We Southerners rose like one man, and me and Bill weren’t behindhand, you kin bet. Many a hard day’s march and hard day’s fightin’ we had together, with nary shoe to our feet, and nothin’ but a pocketful of parched corn to live on for days and days together. At last came the bad day of Gettysburg, and me and Bill was in the thick of it. Four times we charged up to the muzzles of their everlastin’ guns, and four times we got druv back. Yev see, we had to cross a kinder open space right under the fire, and we were so etarnally whipped before we reached the tarnation skunks, that our regiments were shrivelled up to mere skeletons afore we got within arm’s length. Wal, we come on agin and agin yellin’ like devils, but it warn’t no good ; they druv us back, —and at last I missed Bill.

Wal, I ain’t the man to brag o’ that, but I went out into the hottest fire I ever seen, and brought in Bill, hit pretty hard. We had a bad time that day, but I brought off Bill, and somehow he pulled through, and was sent home down South to recuperate. To make a long story short, I went through the whole war, and when our side burst up, went down home with a sore heart, a ragged suit, and a darned empty pocket. “ Through all the cursed affair, I had looked forward to seein’ sister Sal and Hefty Bill, with the kinder feelin’ I dessay you can understand ; but when I got one evening to Augustine, I found the old shanty shut up, and wonderin’ what was the matter, made tracks for the corner grocery. There I found the folks glad enough to see me, but seemin’ to look queer, and act silently and dummy, as if they was to a funeral. So I says right out, ‘ What in thunder’s the matter with you all, and what’s come o’ Sal ?’ Wal, yer see, the whole thing come out at last. Bill Slocum had come home invalided and dead broke, and Sal, of course, took him in, and missed him as if he’d been her brother ; and, after the manner of wimrnin folks, fell in love with her patient. Sal, I guess, warn’t the first fool of her sex, and won’t be the List by a long shot. “Nowconies the worst part of the story. One mornin’ they were both missed, and there w r as no doubt that that scoundrel Bill had run off with her to one of the cities North, without leavin’ letter or line to track ’em by. My mind was soon made up. I sold the old place and what little was in it for what I could get, and made tracks for the North to find Sal, and mayhap get square with Bill.

“ 1 went through the North, city by city, and at last found my poor little sister ; but, gentlemen, I would rather have found her headstone in the cemetery, than have found her as I found her. I took good care of the poor girl, but it was no use ; she pined away, and I buried her in Chicago, and then looked around for the trail of Hefty Bill.

“ Nary soul could tell a word about him, and poor Sal, God bless her, never would. She was true to him, bad as he ha i used her. Wal, I could not find Bill anywheres, and as I had to do somethin’ to live, came down here, huntin’ around a little, and drinkin’ a great deal ; when one day, at Tim Mulligan’s bar, who should I see but Hefty Bill Slocum himself. Gentlemen, I have been all through a big war, and in many a dashing charge, but I never felt as 1 did at that moment. My head swam round like a young gal’s in her fust waltz, a fog came over my eyes, my hand was on my Derringer,—when I saw a flash across my eyes, felt a warm splash, heard a shot, and all was dark. They told me afterwards that Bill fired a little too quick for me, and that the shot brought on quite a pretty free fight. There was a roughish lot around Mulligan’s, and they weren’t the boys to let a muss go past without taking a hand. So Bill scored the first trick in our small game, but I’d got to get square with him ; and I tried more nor once, but his everlastin’ luck helped him till to-day. But to-day,”—and here Lafe dropped his head on his chest, and stared into the fire ; “I guess we’ve got square at last!”

A petition, numerously signed, is about to be presented to IBs Excellency the Governor, praying that a free pardon may be graiffed to Ewing, who, at a recimt doling of the Criminal Court, was found guilty of shooting a Chinaman, at Sc. Bathans, with intent to d i grievous bodily harm. It will be remembered that at the tiial the accused's counsel moved the arrest of judgment. The matter was referred to the Court of Appeal, when the proceedings of the Court below were upheld, hence the petition for a free pardon.