USA > Tennessee > Old times in West Tennessee : reminiscences, semi-historic, of pioneer life and the early emigrant settlers in the Big Hatchie country > Part 8
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" Evening red and morning gray Sets the traveler on his way ; Evening gray and morning rød Brings down rain upon his head,"
is remembered by all old hunters, and relied upon in determining the character of the weather for the next day. We had come to make a three days' hunt, returning Christmas eve. The hunt for the morrow was to be in the Big Bend, below the mouth of the lagoon. The Captain had gone after his turkeys, taking Pete. The hunters whiled away the hour until he returned in camp talk and relating anecdotes. The negroes stood around enjoying the jokes, when old Jack put in and said:
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"Mars Cary, has my young hunter master told you 'bout Mistiss and the childen going chestnut hunting, and being most scared to death by the bear?"
"No," said Cary. "How was it, Jack? You tell it."
"Well, you see, Mistiss, she had promised the chil den to go wid 'em chestut-hunting. So one Satur day, after dinner, they all went. Mistiss, she took all the white childen and the little darkies to pick up chestnuts. They went down the creek half a mile-mebbe a little more. The chestnut trees was fuller last fall than they has been since we moved to the country. They had just begun to open, but hadn't begun to fall out; so she took me along with my ax to cut down the small trees that was fullest My young master, there, he went along too. He took his little rifle to shoot squirrels."
" Well, Jack," said Cary, "we want to get to the chestnuts and the bear."
" Ise gwine right thar, Mars Cary, as fast and as straight as I can take you. Well, as I was saying, Mistiss took the white childen and the young darkies"-
"But you have told us that, Jack."
" Well, we will just say that we got to the chest nut trees without going."
"That is it, Jack," said Cary, "go on."
" Well, Mistiss, she and the childen is at the chest- nut trees. The childen, they was running about picking up chestnuts; they want plenty on the grown. Mistiss, she was walking about on the
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high bluff, with a bunch of yellow flowers in her. hand; the trees was on the bluff."
" Well, Jack, what about the bear ? Where was he ?" said Cary.
Well, I declar, Mars Cary, if you aint the most impationest man I ever did see. Aint I getting to the bear part fast as I kin? You see Mistiss, as I said, was walkin on the bluff, and the childen, they was running about after chestnuts; they wasent plenty on the ground."
"But the bear; how did he scare?"
" Well, aint I coming right straight to the bear? As I was saying, the chestnuts want plenty on the ground. They heard em falling thick little ways b'low, and way they went. Mistiss, she was stand- ing on the bluff. She was close by the tree the childen was running to. She just looked up the tree to see if. it was full of chestnuts, and she began to scream, and scream as loud as she could, 'bear! bear!' The childen, they began to scream and. squall. You never did hear sich screaming. The childen hollard 'where, where?' They was scared so bad they didn't know which way to look or run, till the old bear made such a fuss up the tree, rak- ing the bark as she was backing down. The chil- den looked up. The bear had got close down to the ground. Her two cubs, just above her, coming down, too. The childen broke for home, Mistisa she right after them, screaming and squalling as they went. The childen and Mistiss hadn't got no ways before the old bear and cubs was on the ground, running like the dogs was after them, the
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other way. I hollard, and hollard for them to cobre back, but they wouldn't here me nohow, and they didn't stop till they was home."
"Well, Jack, that is a good one, but where was your young Master with his rifle?"
"Lor bless me, he was under the bluff shootin' squirrels."
Just then the Captain came in; he and Pet loaded with turkeys. He had his seven this time,
Two hours before day all were up, guns shot of wiped out, re-loaded and primed, and waiting breakfast. We made an early start for the hunting. ground agreed upon. Crossing the lagoon, we were soon in the switch-cane. Before reaching the thick cane, old "Start " struck a running trail. The half-hounds joined him, and they went upon a fall run in the direction of the river. The hunters pressed on after them. Temple gave Cæsar and Bess word to "go in." Reaching a wet slash, Cary, who was ahead, stopped to examine the tracks, to see what manner of bear the dogs were after. Coming up to him, he said : "It's an old she and two cubs."
Before leaving the place, we heard the dogs in "full cry," coming as if on the "back track. Cary remarked that they had divided. In another moment Cæsar and Bess, with a couple of the half hounds, over-reached the cub (he had become sep erated from the dam, and was making his way back to where they started), and had him stretched upon the ground. When Cary got up he dispatched him with his knife. : The pack were.on a "big ran" after the old she. She was making her best run to
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reach the Big Hurricane. Cæsar and Bess, with the half-hounds, were put in after her, fresh from the killing of the cub. They didn't require to be hurried. The hunters hurried; getting to the lagoon, we brought a halt to hear the movement of the dogs. They had her at a lively bay, in the open woods, near the Hurricane. We increased our run for a short distance. Discovering that she had changed her course, Temple remarked that his dogs had headed her off from the Hurricane.
" That will suit Ab," says the Captain, "it well help him to get up to the killing."
She turned in toward the river, heading back for the big bend. We pressed on after them. She was soon brought to a "stop" again. Before we got up, her course was changed in the direction of the camp.
"Well," says the Captain, "we had better save ' our breath; wait here till she concludes to stop and make fight."
· "Cæsar and Bess will keep her angling about in this open woods till we get up in sight. She'll go no further then," said Temple.
"Then," says Ab, "we had better greet them with our presence."
IIer course changed again, and she was coming full tilt straight to where we were standing. As she got within gun-shot of us, Cæsar dashed in, swinging her half round. She broke again, when the dog clinched her again. By this time Bess was at her place, and fast hold of the other arm, bringing her upon her all-fours, the half-hounds covering her
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behind. She made no further efforts to break, and turned upon the dogs. She fought hard and furi- ous. Raising upon her hind legs, she shook her great body like an earthquake, to rid herself of the dog and slut. The dog let go, and she made a ter- rible effort to get hold of Bess. In a moment the dog renewed his attack, taking her close up to the body, brought her down upon her side. To save himself, he let go. The half-hounds closed in upon her hard and heavy. She rose furious. She had become desperate. Her other arm being free, she made an effort to reach Bess. The slut hung on like " grim death," keeping her body well under the bear. The fight became fearfully terrific, when Cary said :
"The dogs have had enough of it; we will go in and end the fight. Mr. Temple, end the fight, you slut will get hurt."
"Temple was of the same opinion. He waited safe chance and shot her through the heart. She winced under it, staggered around and fell, falling upon the slut. Could Bess have uttered language suited to her feelings, she would have sung:
" We cling to one another until death us do part."
" Well, friend Temple," said Ab, "your dogs seem to be badly worried this time."
"Yes," responded he, "it is always the case when they get hold of an old she that has cubs. The only time the slut was ever badly scratched was by an old she. They always fight harder when the cubs are following them."
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"I reckon," said the Captain, "that we ought to be satisfied now. Mr. Temple's dogs have far sur- passed anything I could have conceived. They are under better command than any dogs I ever saw, and their handling a bear is unsurpassed. This is our last day's hunt, and I think we ought to stop on this. We have already killed six bears, four of them aggregating more meat than any four bear's that was ever slaughtered in these woods."
"Don't forget the turkeys," said :Ab; "I counted twelve hanging on the pole this morning-all big gobblers-that will, as you say by the four bears, aggregate in weight more than any twelve gobblers I ever saw."
"Yes;" said the Captain, "we shall have more than the boys can well pack home. We must have at least two thousand pounds of bear meat. I sug- gest that we end the hunt here; to-morrow will be Christmas, and my friend Ab wouldn't like to miss his egg-nog, and I want my little hunter friend's mother to have a fat gobbler for her Christmas dinner."
It was agreed to end the hunt there, The sun had not crossed the meridian. The hunters assisted the boys with the old she, and we were soon at camp dividing and packing up.
" What is in that big bank of ashes, there ?" said Ab to old Jack.
" Why, its Mr. Temple's barr feet. He put 'em in dis mornin', and told us to mine 'em and keep 'em covered up; I spec deys dun, now."
" Yes," said Temple; "I wanted a good mess of 6
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bear feet before we left the' camp. Jack, are the done, do you think?"
" Yes, sir; Ise been smellin' dem some time. I knows dey is done."
"Pull them out, then," said Temple. "Mind. don't let the hair scorch." .
Jack rolled out a couple of large paws, roasted in the ashes to a smoking done. The ashes brushed off clean, Temple forked one up, stripped off the skin, which slipped off like peeling a roasted onion. and a more delicate morsel was never greeted by man's appetite. None but a bear-hunter knows how to roast a bear's paw; the fore feet are the best The writer can testify to their eating qualities Everything being packed, the hunters parted with expressions of mutual gratification. .
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CHAPTER VI.
Lawyers Riding the Circuit-The Methodist Preacher- The Scalding Cup of Coffee-The Nation's Muster- Bloody Noses and Black Eyes-Proposed Prize Fight -Ab and the Squatter's Wife-John Smith and Daniel Parker.
THE only place for man and beast to find rest, be- tween Brownsville and Covington, was at my father's house. He turned no one away. It was the habit, in those days, for the lawyers to "ride the circuit," to attend all the courts in the judicial district in which they resided. The lawyers of Jack- son and Brownsville practiced in the Circuit Court at Covington, attending regularly the fall and spring terms.
Among the early practitioners were Haskell, Brad- ford and Huntsman, of Jackson, and Loving, Strother and Richmond, of Brownsville.
JOSHUA HASKELL
was the first Circuit Court Judge in West Tennes- see. Tall and good looking, with great respect for his personal, his manner and mein marked him as a type of a well-finished gentleman. When on the bench, he commanded the high respect of the bar; maintaining, with propriety, the dignity due his high and honored position. Many incidents and
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anecdotes occurring in the practice of the courts, at that early period, are still preserved. I am indebted to one of the "Old Folks" -- the oldest of them all- perhaps the only surviving, cotemporary of that period, for the following incident that occurred during the first court held by Judge Haskell in Dyer county.
The court was held in 'Squire Warren's dwelling house, in the winter of 1823-4. The house was a common double log cabin, one end of which was occupied by the family. There were only three cases on the docket. A "log-heap" fire was built outside to make comfortable and warm those in attendance upon the court, who were not on the jury. 'Squire Warren was on the jury. A trading boat had landed at Cherry's bluff, on the Forked Deer, from which a supply of whisky had been obtained by the neighbors, a portion of which had found its way to the 'Squire's house, and was cir- culating freely around the " log-heap" fire, as well as among those in the temporary court-room; and as the boys grew warm under the influence of both fires, a dispute arose between Berry Nash and a son of the proprietor, young Tom Warren. The quar rel culminated in blows. Berry let fly at young Tom, and Tom gave back blow for blow. The old 'Squire had a view from the jury box, through the cracks of the logs, of what was going on around the "log-heap" fire. Becoming excited himself, he hallooed out at the top of his voice to his son, "Hit him again Tom, hit him! Never let it be said that a man hit you on your own dunghill, and you didn't
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hit him back!" Tom, hearing the admonition of the old man, went into the fight in earnest, and badly "used up" Berry. The Judge-permitting the fight to go on until it was ended-ordered the Sheriff, Charley McCrarey, to bring the two young men into court. Nash, the aggressor, was the first brought in, a fine assessed, and the Sheriff ordered to keep him in custody until it was paid. Young Warren was then called up before the court, and the Judge was in the act of pronouncing a fine against him, when the old 'Squire rose from his seat among the jurors, and said:
"Stop, stop, Judge; I'd naturally like to hear the law read that fines a man for fighting on his own dunghill!"
The late William R. Hess, a lawyer in attendance, and who was a friend to both parties, rose, and pro- claimed that there was no such law, and suggested, as the easiest way to settle the matter, that the young men go to the branch, wash their faces, come back and take a drink, make friends and go home. The jury had become so much demoralized by the rumpus, that the Judge ordered the Sheriff to ad- journ court, with the admonition, that if the people of Dyer county did not do better the next time he held court, he would put the heads of all offenders "under the fence." Judge Haskell contributed greatly to the merriment of the lawyers and lovers of fun in their journeying around the circuit. He enjoyed a good joke.
ALEXANDER B. BRADFORD,
a handsome young lawyer, was the most attractive
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of the lawyers that rode the circuit. Dressing well. he was ever clothed in a finely fitting suit of fine blue broadcloth, with bright buttons. He seemed to have been born in the habiliments of style-a very Chesterfield in manners and address. A great favorite with my mother, he paid her the most courtly respect; a warm personal friend of the family, he was ever a welcome guest at my father's house. General Bradford was among the earliest and first lawyers of West Tennessee, and was intimately con nected and associated with the practice and juris- prudence of West Tennessee from the organizing of the first courts, running through a period of more than a quarter of a century. The mention of his name thrills the bosom of all who knew him and enjoyed his personal acquaintance, as a very type of a true man. An old-young lawyer was
MAJOR RICHMOND.
A wit and humorist, everybody enjoyed his society, IIe wore fine clothes, and kept his fur hat smooth by a habit of using his coat sleeve for a brush. The Major was gifted with a fund of anecdote; for the most part original, but not admissible in polite read, ing. He was the leading lawyer in "road cases. He used to say of himself, that he was "h-1 upon roads." . He was sought for and employed in all " divorce cases," and was the best crim. con. lawyer in the district.
GENERAL LOVING
was the idol of the bar in the early history of the courts at Brownsville. His personal was unex-
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ceptionabie and faultless, both in form, manner and features. His name merits a high place in the annals and history of Haywood.
JOHN W. STROTHER, ESQ.,
was the lawyer among the lawyers of Brownsville in the early practice of the courts. Thin in flesh, wiry in nerve and tissue, and careless of dress and the personal, he passed among strangers for less than he "was worth." For more than a quarter of a century he lived in Brownsville. With great gentleness of manner, and purity of heart, he enjoyed a reputation worthy the strict sobriety and purity of his conduct. :
The party of lawyers, with the Judges, stopped at my father's house to stay all night, on their way to the Covington court. It was the spring term .. I remember that it was "gobbling season," when the bark of the young hickory begins to slip. It was Saturday evening. It was the aim of the lawyers to reach Covington Sunday evening, before Monday, the first day of court. They were in no hurry for breakfast; it being Sunday morning, nobody was in a hurry. All nature enjoys sweet repose in the soft mornings of spring, and all hands "and the cook" are licensed to sleep late on Sunday mornings in the country.
Breakfast was ready and waiting for the guests, when a couple of strangers rode up and asked for breakfast and horse-feed. My father told them to get down and come in, ordering their horses to be taken and fed. The breakfast was on the table:
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their coming delayed its being served up until they had washed their hands and faces. They had the appearance of having laid out all night, but were well dressed in broadcloth. On their coming in one of them introduced himself, and then intro- duced his traveling companion as the Reverend Mr. Hutchington. (The reverend part need not have been introduced, as all who were familiar with the fashions of the day knew from the cut of his coat, which was a regular shad-belly, that he was a Metho- dist preacher.)
Breakfast was announced, and they were invited to seats at the table. My father, it was ever his cus tom, said grace-his every day grace: "Lord bless us in what we are about to receive, for Christ's sake."
The reverend gentleman, as he raised his head, threw a glancing eye upon the head of the family as he finished his short blessing, as much as to say "My professional calling is not recognized."
Helping and changing of plates went on from a large dish of turkey steak (which was common with us, as it was only a walk across the field to take down a gobbler any morning during " gobbling sea- son.")
Coffee, an article of luxury in those days, was dished out and passed around. My mother, ever mindful of her North Carolina raising, showed the agreeable, commencing with the nearest guest: ".Judge Haskell, is your coffee agreeable ?"
"Thank you, Madam, most agreeable. Such a cup of coffee I have not tasted in the district."
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"Do you take cream in your coffee, Major Rich- mond ?"
"If you please, Madam."
"Colonel Bradford, I neglected to ask you if your coffee was agreeable."
" Madam, it is nectar itself." Smacking his lips, he continued in its praise until my father had to remind him that it would get cold. Passing around with like questions, she came to the preacher and said :
"And you, sir, is your coffee agreeable ?"
"Yes, Madam, only it's a little cold."
Major Richmond's quizzical eye was upon him in an instant, and then at my mother, who was dumb.
The reverend gentleman, thinking that truth was the propriety of language at all times, braved the cutting of eyes across the table. He may have aimed an arrow for not being called upon to "ask a blessing."
To relieve the situation, which had been chilled a little by the cup of "cold coffee," the humorous Major, addressing himself to the Parson, inquired where he and his friend had stayed all night.
"On the river-bank, sir," he replied, "with the sand-beach for a pillow. We reached the ferry after night-fall. The ferryman had left. After splitting our throats hallooing for him, we made our couch upon the sand."
" Then you must have a pretty good appetite this morning," said the Major.
" Yes, sir. We rode all day, not eating anything since yesterday at breakfast, and a poor one it was."
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.Just then his "cold cup" was out. . My mother asked him if he would have another cup of coffee. He thanked her, at the same time sending up his cup ..
In the meantime a fresh pot of coffee had been brought in, scalding hot, from which she filled his cup and returned it. The Major having him engaged in a lively talk, he had not observed it smoking thinking it was like its predecessor, or possibly colder still, he raised it to his lips and took a hearty sip, filling his mouth full of the scalding fluid. (Gimeny!) So unexpected, unable to turn right 'or left without scalding his neighbor, he let fly, the coffee gushing out of his mouth like an inch and a half squirt gun all over the table. Not waiting to be asked if his coffee was "agreeable," he rose from the table with his bandanna to his mouth, and made for the water pail.
" Well," said his traveling companion, who seemed not to sympathize with him, "my reverend friend has got a touch of the blue blazes this time; wonder if he wont prefer it cold next time ?"
The breakfast closed with the Parson's second cup of coffee. The jolly Major followed him out to the water pail condoling with him, for he was terribly scalded. My mother soon followed with a cup of new cream, offering a thousand apologies for not informing him that she had filled his cup from a fresh pot, and explaining how it was that his first cup was cold, pressing upon him to take a mouthful of cold cream, that it would alleviate his suffering; she was so sorry, regretted so much the mishap, and
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hoped that he would soon be well of it. The inci- dent of the Methodist preacher, and the hot cup of coffee, was ever remembered by the party present on that Sabbath morning, and served as an amusing topic for many years afterward.
The settlements north of the Big Hatchie, in Tip- ton, had began to form voting precincts and orga- nize the militia. A battalion muster was to come off that spring at Hurricane Hill. A big muster in those days attracted every one; the old, who had passed muster, as well as the under age; men, women, children and negroes gathered at a muster. Cakes and pies, with beer and cider, was always on hand in thick profusion; not unfrequently a barrel of " red-eye" was found on tap under the hill near the spring. The drum and fife (no company was allowed to be mustered in without its drum and fife Major) was music most divine, bringing out the most thrill- ing patriotic demonstrations. The drum and the fife, to the tune of "Yankee Doodle" and the "Jay bird died with the whooping cough," failed not to arouse the "spread eagle" in everybody's bosom- glorious days was "old times." General Jackson, the military chieftain of the age, was the rising man for the Presidency ; the eighth of January was yet fresh in the land; a military parade was most enthu- sing; it was the sovereign's day, a nation's muster. The settlements all turned out to the big muster at Hurri- cane Hill that day. The gathering of the deni- zens culminated early. The Lieutenants, with their drummers, had taken their positions to form. From half a dozen hillocks, or shady places, was heard:
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"Oh yes! oh yes! all who belong to Captain Jones company will fall into ranks."
"Oh yes! oh yes! Captain Barnes' company will form; fall into ranks."
"Oh yes! oh yes! Captain Smith's company will fall into ranks." Thus went the rounds until the different companies composing the battalion were formed. Then commenced the drilling:
"Eyes right, and dress! Shoulder arms! Order arms! Drop your butts square upon the ground, with the cocks behind! Keep your left arms straight down your left leg. Now, shoulder arms !" Thus the drill continued until mustered off by the Adjutant Major and formed into battalion, and marched out to the field for further manœuvering according to "Scott's tactics."
The mustering over, the battalion was marched back to the store and disbanded, when a rush was made for the cake and beer stands, many finding their way to the barrel of "red-eye" on tap under the hill. As the day began to wane, the spirit of the "critter" began to brew the usual fights. A squad of jolly fellows made a raid on one of the pie and cake stands, lead by the "Bully of the Hill," Ab Gaines. Gaines had gotten hold of the young ven- dor of the pies and cakes by the nap of his neck, handling him roughly-thumping his head against the cake stand-while his chums were filling their pockets. John Barnes, the blacksmith, was stand- ing near, and being a friend to the young man, beside an advocate of fair play, he remonstrated with the "Bully of the Hill." Gaines resented the
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interference in a menacing manner, when Barnes lit drive, sprawling him upon the ground, with the remark: "You coward; you have bullied this Hill long enough!" Ab rose to his feet and " went for" Barnes, making a pass. Barnes was too quick for him, and Ab went to the ground again. In the meantime the friends of the parties had began to close in and around. The writer, yet in his early teens, mounted the cake stand to get out of the way, and to obtain a better view of the fight. Gaines rose to his feet again, cried "fair play," and went at Barnes the third time, when a well placed blow, over his left temple and eye, brought him to the ground harder than ever. A general fight had begun ; a dozen or more men were having a regular "set-to." None at- tempted to interfere or part them; eyes and noses were suffering terribly; they fought on until "each man had whipped his man." Ab was the first to propose a truce. With difficulty he arose to his feet after the third knock-down, and said:
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