The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-15
IE KING OF BORDER MEN.
The Widest, Truest story Ned Bmntlinc
ever Wrote.

group. lHi5 10 my hiss ptSsiS'
: R;ook well on ,he leading figure in that group
kylll see him but this once; yet OIL his sad fate
Ei1gcs all the Wild ana fearful realities which are
TO follow, drawn to very great extent, not from
Imagination, but from life itself.
A nobe-loOking, whte.liaircl man sits by a
rough table, reading the Bible aloud. On stools
by his feet SIT two beautiful little girls his twin
daughters, not more Than ten years OF age, while
n noble hoy, OF twelve or thirteen, stands hy the
back OF tho chair, where sits the handsome, get
niatronly looking mother.
1t is the hour for family prayer before retiring
for the night, anu Mr.. Cody, the Christian, always
remembers it in the heart Of his dear home.
lie closes the holy hook and Is about TO knccl
and ask Heaven 10 bless hin, and protect his dear
ones.
Hark The sound OF horses ga!lopping with mad
Bpccd towards his house falls upon his car.
as II possible there is another Indian alarm ~
he says, inquiringly.
Alas, worse than the rcd savagcs arc riding in
hot haste toward that door.
"IIallo-thc housc?, is shouted loudly, as q
large cnyalcade Of horselnen halt before the door.
"What is wanted, and who are yc?n asked the
good man, rs he threw Wide open the door and
stood upon Its threshold.
"You are wanted, you blnck-hearted Niger
come to fetch you Aud ther. Is the warrant p
AS the rutan leader Of the band shouted these
words, the pistol already In his hands was rails
ed, levclled, fired, and the father, husband aud
Christian, fell dead before his horror.strckcn
family.
'lf them gals was a little oldcr-but never
mind, boyp, this will be 4 lesson for the sncaks
that come upon the Border-let's be dr. for there's
plenty more work TO do before daylight l' con-
tinued the wretch, turning the head OF his horse
TO ride away.
"Stopw
It was but single word-spokcn, TOO, by q boy
whose blue eyes shone wildly in face as white
as new.fallen snow and full as cold-spoIen as he
stood erect over the buly Of hiB dead father,
weaponless and alone.
Yet that rMnian, aye, and oil OF his mad, reck-
less crew, stopped as II o mighty spell was laid
upon them.
"Toti, Jake MKandlas, have murdered my
father You, base cowards who saw him do this
dark deed, spoke no word to restrain him. ! am
only Little Bill, his son, but as God in Heaven
hears me now, will kill every fathers son OF you
before the beard grows on my faccr'
"Hear the little rooster crow. He'll fight when
his spurs grow, II We don't cut his comb now,"
cried the leader with mocking laugh, and he
''Monster, you have robbed me OF husband;
you shall not kill my boy,n shricked the mother,
as she sprang forward and drew her son up to
her bosom.
"Colonel, there's big gang OF men comm, over
the prairie. We'd better git," cried n scout, rid.
ing I'm Mt this moment.
"Aye For don't want to kill a woman II I
can he'D II. Column to the right, boys, and fol.
low lne.n
IN minute, at full speed, the party dashed
away after their leader and the wretched family
were left alone with the dead.
Frozen with terror and awe, the beautiful twins,
Lille and Lott,e, crept out TO the doorway, where
their mother and brother knelt over the stifren.
ing form of him who had been SO good and kind
their dear father.
Oh, what o picture Grief was still. Nor sob,
nor tear, not even O moan arose. They were
dumb with agony-raralyzed with q sense Of
utter bereavement.
II is now 1851. The old log house has disap.
peared, but in the same noble grove pretty white
cottage Ia seen. Barns and haystacks all tell q
story OF good farming and profitable results.
On the embowered porch OF this cottage sits the
widow, still in her mourning garb, woIn for him
whose death we have already pictured and near
her stand two lovely girls-thc twin sisters, Lille
and Lottc-now In the early bloom Of beautiful
womanhood.
They look alike, are dressed alike, and are cX-
eeedIngly beautiful.
held q letter in her hand which the mount
l2frier had left as he swept by.
nOh mamma, mamma brother is coming
home He says he WY be here before the sun
sets on the twenty Hfihi The letter is from Fort
Kearney, and has been long In coming"
''Is not today the twenty-hfth3' asked Lottc.
ITO be sure It Is, and he will be here. Our VIII
liam Is Wild, but he never tells falsehood. lie
IS too proud for that Heaven bless him p' said
the mother, in q low, earnest tone.
''He ia not coming alone" said Lille. "nc
brings two friends with him."
at lacks scarce n half hour OF sunset" said the
mother.
At The same instant Lille, who had been glanc.
ing through an avenue which led westward II,
The grove, cried out:
"Thcy are coming They nrc comlngm ~
And three minutes Inter, their horses lrothy and
hot, three riders at full speed dashed up to Tho
Lgate fronting the cottage.
"0h brother |" cried the two sisters joyously
and oil Needless OF the stranger eyes now look
ing on them, they rushed out 10 embrace and kls:
him.
Buffalo BILL, for this was he, had learned TO hidt
all his feelings, but with gentle tenderness III
shook himself out OF their embraces, and present
ing his two friends by name. hurried on to NICE
the dear mother who with glistening eyes, wait,.
( 10 greet her Idol and her pride.
"My good mother y, was all he said, as h,
pressed his manly lips 10 her white forehead.
" t'My dear SOM" was al she said, but page
!, would not not describe the reverence in his tone
!. lor the nndylng love In her look.
Sf. Bill now presented his friends in more form t
NJ sThIs. IL the nom de chasss or VIM. r. Cody til
= greatest hunter, guide and scout in tile far West
now employed In that capacity In General Augnr'
Department, and q great favorltc with General
y yCuhter and Sheridan. man who has Rilie
'xtJ-nine buiIaloes Ia one days hunt, has earue
r1ehe name, think.