The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-05-25
THE FIGHTING EDITOR.

Old Dayss
Col. Horace FeatheTstock was scarcely
twentv-one when he entered the Office OF
the Eagleville Tri-Weekly TOmahawk
and Mirror, and he had been there
.cerceIy three weeks when the summary
and scientific manner in which he elected
powerful backwoodsman, who had VEN
tnred to demonstrate against a savage
personal reference to himself determined
the chief to appoint FeatherstOck to the
arduous and responsible position of fight
inc editor: a post which he held for
seven years with honor, to himself and
credit to his paper. He was a good shot,
and similar in his suddenness to light
ming. It is said that during his stay in
the Tomahawk Office he killed nineteen
men. In fact, the number Of those who
Numbered in their dealings with him was
80 great that it became current hui
mOrous saying in the region that Feath-
entsck kept a graveyard of his own.
There lived in a neighbOring county
gigantic and bloodthirsty rufian, who
hsd often heard of the renowned fighting
editor of the Tomahawk, and, having
held his own, and sometimes more, with
everybody he had ever met, he resolved
to 90 to Eagleville and clean out the
colonel. When he appeared in the Tom
ahawk Office he might, but for his great
size and ferocious aspect, have been mis-
taken for the drummer of a firearms es-
Enlistment. All his pockets were full
Of assorted weapons, and his belt looked
like fence with pistol pickets. He
stalked in with an air of brutal insolence,
and said to the colonel:
Are you the Tomahawk's fighting
editor 2"
The colonel modestly allowed that he
was
u understand yeu keep select bury
ing-ground of your own"
eyes," said the colonel, al must ad-
nit that I do find it necessary to keep a
private cemetery" -s.....
The rufian reached down in his right
hand outside coat pocket, and lifted out
an immense old-fashiOned revolver that
bore striking resemblance to a young
Calling gun. He swggered mp to the
colonel, and banged the muzzle of the
pistol down so savagIy that it made a
deep dent in the desk, and the words
that accompanied the action were:
Well, I've come to be buried in. that
graveyard!" s.
For the first (and Tasty time in his life
The colonel weakened. It seemed to
him that life had never seemed so sweet
asIust at that moments sentiment fos-
tered, doubtless, by the knowledge that he
was standing face to face with a man
who was fully determined to kill him,
but if for an instant his courage
Wayered, his auavity never forsoOk him,
and he looked up with a smile:
' am right sorry, my friend, that /
can accommodate you, but my graveyard
Is full, There really isn't room for an
other one"
was afraid you couldn't find room
IN It for me" said the stranger, and ne
wrapped his words in a sneer that made
tue colonel think that life wasn't worth
AGENT |, If the stranger had answered
tae colonel with pleasant words, he might
nave retired on great victory, but that
Sneer changed the whole programme,
Inc colonel reached under his desk to
Tue pistol,shelf, and brought out weap-
on that looked like the elder brother Of
'ae strangers shooting iron. The ex-
preston Of his face was changed, but he
went on talking in the same cheerful,
measured way, just as though without
Interruption he was adding to his pFevi-
GUS remark.
? thOugn thaG one IS Closed iuIi,
! nave just opened a new cemetery,
\ e"u my sexton has dug a sample grave
S !, &. should think (here he ran his eye
along the stranger from his
w @ his eyes, and fixed them theoe)
would ft YOU"
1ne strangers grip on himself was
gone, The change had been toe sudden !