Square at Last.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 231, 4 July 1872, Page 9

Square at Last.

(From " All the Tear Round.")

The Englishman at large is nothing if not a good sportsman, and the New World affords him singular advantages for the indulgence of his pet proclivities. He who in the lightness of his heart says to himself, " Let me get up and kill something," is in America seldom at a loss for something to kill, and can please himself as to the size of his game, from the dainty quail to tough Ebenezer, the renouned "grizzly" himself. A few years ago I was much embarrassed by the difficulty of choice. Florida held out many attractions, but, on the other hand, I was strongly tempted to try the hunting grounds about two hundred miles west of Omaha, where, an energetic Western friend wrote me, all kinds of game were to be had in plenty, especially, he informed me, in a fine burst of enthusiasm, "big game," deer, buffaloes, bears, and — Indians — . With many a sigh I turned from this alluring prospect, as involving the sacrifice of two much time, and betook myself to St. John Eiver, Florida, and engaging 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, I set out in his canoe, in quest of deer, Lafe paddling away at a great pace. Chunky Lafe was a silent man sparing in his speech but prodigal of his thews and sinews. His powerful strokes sent the light canoe flying rapidly past the marshy banks, wooded to the waters edge, till, just as I was beginning to enjoy the enforced repose of the passive tenant of a canoe, a sudden shout from the hunter startled me out of my semi-somnolent condition.

" Say, boss," said the Chunky one, "guess you'd best lay down in the canoe."

" Why on earth should I lie down ? I do not see any reason for hiding."

" Wai, fact is Hefty Bill Slocum is coming up strean." " And what have I to do with Mr. Slocum ? " I snapped out rather impatiently.

" Wai yer see, Bill and me is on shooting terms, and every time we meet we air kinder bonnd 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' settiu' up thar."

Here was a delightful situation ! Two Southern desperadoes burning to engage in an aquatic duel, all remonstrance of interference absolutely useless, and worse than useless ; the agreeable prospect of the canoe being uptet in a broad rapid river thickly tenanted with 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 good purpose, I followed the advice of Lafe and 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, rifle in hand, for us to come within range, a feat we were accomplishing with detestable rapidity, while my gondolier's rifle was at hand 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, a* Lafe, by a few last vigorous strokes, shot within range of the enemy. Dropping his paddle with lightning speed the hunter seized his rifle. The report of the two weapons rung out together as accurately as if the combatants had fired by signal. The splash and ricochet of Slocum's bullet told me my man was unhurt, then Chunky Lafe, liftiug his fox-skin cap, said slowly and solemnly !

" Square at last, Bill Slocum ! Poor Sal ! "

A canoe floating down the river was all that remained to tell that Hefty Bill Slocum had ever existed.

The mention of a woman's name by my usually taciturn guide naturally awakened my curiosity, but the moment did not seem favourable for investigating the mystery, so I discreetly held my tongue, but I suppose looked inquiringly enough, as, after paddling swiftly and silently for nearly an hour, Lafe deigned to open his lips. ' Beg pardon, c'yurnel, for bustin' up your day's sport with ray 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 raind we'll lay over at his shanty, and after supper I'll tell you the rights of the muss 'twixt me and Bill.'

I consented gladly enough, feeling that after the scene just enacted all hunting would be utterly tame and spiritless. Paddling a short distance up a narrow tributary stream (always called a creek in these countries) we came upon a large and cheerful -looking homestead. Lafe's friend received us with true American hospitality ; his house, his meat, his drink,, his horses, and his dogs were all at our service in a moment. After a stiff horn of Monogahelato whet (very unnecessarily) our appetites, we fell pell-mell on a savory meal of oysters, fish, and bear-

meat, not forgetting hog and hominy. At the conclusion of a repast worthy of fullgrown boaconstrictors, our host produced a demijohn of old Santa Crnz, and pipes being lighted Chunky Lafe pulled himself together, and expectorating freely, began. ' Yer see, c'yurnel and friend Wash' (Lafe's friend rejoiced in the name of Washington X.. Pegrim), 'this was a kinder old score as I rubbed off to-day. In the good old times afore the war, BUI Slocum and me was fast friends, like brothers I was agoin' to sa) but I've ginemlly found brothers love each other in a slack-baked sorter way : anyhow me and Bill was allus around together, and barrin' a kinder likin' for himtin', playing' poker, drinkin' and fightin', was two as likely young boys as any in Augustine. I can't say as we was partickerly heavy on work — no Southern gentleman was in them days — but with a bit of land for cotton, a tidy corn-pacch, 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 aprittier, smarter, and more stylish gal wasn't 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 :

" Wai, poor Sal was run after 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 inisunderstandin' brought about. We Southerners rose like one man, and me and Bill weren't behindhand, you 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 muzzels of their everlustin' guns, and four times

we got druv back. Yer see we hud to cross a kinder open space right under the fire, and were so etarnally whipped before we i-eached the termination shunks, that our regiments shrivelled up to mere skeletons afore we got within arm's length. Wai, we come on agin and agin yellin' like devils, but it wurn't no good ; they druv us back, and at last I missed Bill.

" Wai, I ain't the man to brag o' that, but I went 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 derned empty pocket.

" Through all the cursed affair, I had looked forward to seem' 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. Sol says right out, ' What in thunder's the matter with you all, and what's come o' Sal ? ' Wai yer see, the whole thing come out at last. Bill Slocum had come home invalid and dead broke, and Sal, of course, took him in, and nussed him as if he'd been her brother, and, after the manner of women folks, fell in love with her patieut. Sal, I guess, warn't the first fool of her sex, and won't be the last by a long shot.

" Now comes the worst part of the story. One mornin' they were both missed, and there was no doubt that that scoundrel Bill had run off with her to one of the cities North, without leaving letter or line to track 'em by. My mind was soon made up. I sold the old place and what little stuff was in it for what I could get, and made tracks for the North to find Sal, and mayhap get square with Bill.

" I went through the North, city by city, in my weary search, 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 T 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 trne to him, bad as he had used her. Wai, I could not find.Bill anywheres, and as I had to do somethin' to live, came down here hnntin' around a little and drinkin' a great deal, when- 1 one day, at Tim,. Mulligan's bar, who j should I see but Hefty Bill Slocum himself. Gentelmen 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 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 noronce, but his everlastiu' 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 ! "