"The Fire War Thar"

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5155, 25 July 1885, Page 4

" The Fire War Thar"

During the celebrated campaign of 1855, Governor Henry! A. Wise visited, while making his canvass, the town of Liberty, situated about 10 milrs west of Lynch burg, for the purpose of addressing the people of that neighborhood on tbe political sUua. tion. He was received with great eclat by the citizens of the town aforesaid, and whs of course introduced to all the local notables, without regard to party. Among these was a Mr Fogy, residing at tbe foot of the Peaks of Otter, a gentleman who was hot awed the least * hen in the pre* ■ense of greatness.

The following colloquy ensued between them:—■

Mr F.—"Mr Wise I am glad to see you." Mr W.—"Mr Fogy, I am happy to make your acquaintance." Mr P.—"But r am sorry to say that I can't vote for you, Governor."

Mr W,— 4' lam sorry for that also, Mr Fogy; but at this is a free country, every '■■: man has a right to vote as he pleases." 'Mr F.—" I'll tell you how I feel about it, Mr Wise, When I was a young man I was wbat is called a thimble-rigger, and I went to all the hoss races in the neigh* borhood with my thimbles and hall, cryin' out, ''Tis here and 'taint there, 'taint here and 'tis there,' a-fool in' many a gaw* kin chap outen his money. Wa'al, for years at all these races, a little hoss named Waxy had been winnin' all the stakes every time. Bets war ten to one on him agin the whole track, an' he allers come out ahead. Wa'al, when I war a-workin' one day as usual with my thimbles, I noticed the ugliest, crawniegt, long-legged, sharp-hipped Ipokin' critter led on the track I ever saw ; and he war called Wee Hawk. I soon found he war entered agin Waxy, and as the people thought it war for a joke, big odds war offerred agin him. I looked him all OTer, an' thongh he war a hardlookin' cuss of the hoss kind, I noticed thar war fire in his eye, an' he war winkin' like as if he'd been thar before. I looked at my pile, and thinks I to myself, .' Now if I bet on Waxy an' win, it won't

amount much, but if I bet on Wee Hawk

an' win.l'll hey a pile worth talk in' of.' I looked agin at old Wee Hawk, an' seem' the fire in his eye a»flashin' more an' more, I concluded I'd risk it. Wa'al, when old

Wee Hawk war brought out alongside Waxy, you oughter heard the Ruyin' the crowd give his rider. ' Take 'im off,* 'Look out for crows,' ' Fasten some hay on a stick ahead of bis nose,' and the like,

war heard on every side. A ll this time Waxy war prancin' around, everybody feelin' sure he'd win. Wa'al, as I war a*

say in' when they war led out to start, Wee Hawk began to rnfle his feathers, and, as the sayin' is, 'snuff the battle from afar,' an' it took three men to hold him. An' when the jedge said 'GoV you oughter seen old Wee Hawk a straightenin' out his long legs an' Deck, an' Jightin' out as if he war another Pagusus or. Hippogriff, which, as I've heard, war great raoin' _; hosses in old times. Waxy war aowhar, an' come out more than six lengths behind Wee Hawk. The fellers who had been yellin'to give him to the crows war not orowin' so much when they found they had id 1 and over to me, and it war the best beat crowd you ever saw. Wa'al new, Mr Wi?e, I never did see a man look so much like a ho.«s as you do like Wee Hawk ; an' though I cant't vote for you, I'll bet my pile on you." Mr Wise laughed heartily at the comparison,. and the result soon proved that the " fire war thar."—Harper's Monthly.