Samuel Budd--who, rather than lose his
position in line, threw himself into a pool of water: all to the
surprise, scorn and anger of the mountain onlookers, who dwelled
about the town. Many were the comments the members of the Guard
heard from them, even while they were at drill.
"I'd like to see one o' them fellers hit me with one of them
locust posts."
"Huh! I could take two good men an' run the whole batch out o' the
county."
"Look at them dudes and furriners. They come into our country and
air tryin' to larn us how to run it."
"Our boys air only tryin' to have their little fun. They don't
mean nothin', but someday some fool young guard'll hurt somebody
and then thar'll be hell to pay."
Hale could not help feeling considerable sympathy for their point
of view--particularly when he saw the mountaineers watching the
Guard at target-practice--each volunteer policeman with his back
to the target, and at the word of command wheeling and firing six
shots in rapid succession--and he did not wonder at their snorts
of scorn at such bad shooting and their open anger that the Guard
was practising for THEM.
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