The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-07-25
A BOYS DEFENSE,

~ was InWlIy'IWO years fSo, NAI
San Francisco was in her infancy.
Quite u crowd had gathered ol
the street, aud tho nter of attrac
tion was u big follow, who stood will
u newspaper in his hand, rayiug and
cursing.
"Whats tho matter, Wo'l?' asked
u now conner, who was evidently fa.
miliar with the irale mnn,
Mattor?" rcturno Wolf, for That
was his namo, matter enough, an
rough enough it'll DO for somo folks
Them young whclps that prints this
paper has gone IN published somo.
thin bout mo o, I'll fix 'em! They'd
bottor never ha' been born! They d
better go an kill themselves alttl
ten minutes it'll be IN easier doath
fur EN-"
Wolf was anotod desperate, who,
it was said, had killed III Jro than
twonty men, and bat fow know who
did not fear him. lIo was at that
time chiof of gang Of loafels and
gamblers that were nearly always to
be found lounging in the vicinity al
ludod to, and disturbing the peace Of
the whole neighborhood daily with
riotous conduct. II there was any
law in tho'o days it was seldom OK
ecuted against such characters, and
in tho full consciousness that they
wore feared they did pretty much as
they pleased.
Tho newspaper which had givon
desdly oifenso TO Wolf was q little
weekly journal, and it's ollico was in
the second story of building on the
same street with tho hotel l have
mentioned, and only q fow rods dis
tant. 1t was published by two young
men-or, | mi int say, boys, for they
were only eighteen and twenty years
old, rospoctiyel y-namod Darrell
and Kaynos. The papor and its use
full propriotors were already known
in tho city of San francisco.
The article which had excited the
wrath Of the ruflian Wolf was bold
denuMication Of himself and crowd,
and it particularly mentioned him
by pspo, charactcrzing him as o
"rlqs(eriug bully" 1t was the work
Of young Darrell, q fearless boy hail
iu4 lroul one of the Western States.
Before leaving his home i'll the Mis-
eiasippi valley, he had acquired u
Inir education, 80 that he could at
Icast edit newspaper in those early
days; and he poss, ss5d, besides, that
courage aud daring which may DO
n,tural in tho first plAco, and which
aro moro thoroughly developed by
exposure TO dangers and hardships.
Young Kayno was quito different
kind of person in point OF courage,
being Of unusually rimorous nature.
To return to the scono ON Sacra-
monto street. Working himself up
i'll his very worst mood--and his
best was bad ouough--Wolt toro the
paper to atoms and started for the
publication Office. Ho was followed
by curious rabblo, most Of them
were olated with tho prospect Of u
murder, though there were some
present who would have remonstra-
ted with the evil-hoartod man, had
they dared.
'Jest you watch" said Wolf, us he
reOsied the door, "lf you want to Sec
the'rbloody carcasses tumble out o
the window. 1t won't be long. ]
don't spend much Time ON sich fal-
lows
1t was tho intention Of the cruel
hearted man actually to cut the
throats of The boyish Journalists and
throw thoir bodies out at tho win
d W, for the qualification of the
crowd, aud the further oXal' alton OF
his already fearful name. So the
mob on tho street awaited tho issuc
with fcverish expectation, as Wolf,
ilourishing his knife and revolver,
entered tho rude franc building and
rushed up stairs.
All unconscious of their danger,
the two young editors were busily
pursuing their usual work i'll their
primitive Office. If thoy had heard
tho noise without, they paid no ut.
tention bit, supposing it was mere
ly u street row such as they were 40
customed to hearing ovory day. Dar-
rell was sitting at rude tablo writ
ing, and Haynes was at the counter
arranging some paper for the mail.
They heard tho clatter of heayyl
boots or the stairs, but supposed it
WIS some rough miner coming up
to subscribe for the paper, or, per
haps, to SOC a lawyer who occupied
Two or three rooms on the same
floor; for tho building WAS only a two
story one, and the second floor was
occupied exclusively by them and an
at torney-theirrooms being separat-
cd from his by narrow hallway that
was reached by the flight Of stairs al-
luding to.
"Ah, ha! I've got yc, my young
impsl' exclaimed tho dcsperado'
bursting in. /
Haynes recognized him and turn
cd pale. Being at the counter, which
faced the door aud extended across
the room, he was naturally the first
mark for VOLTS vengeance.
"Yo young rascalsl" he Missed,
scowlinc like q mailman. "Yell
never write nor print nothin' more,
bout me-" Here no tlourlshod his
L l..e, NI