The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-11-19
Stlfrt Stury.
THE FATAL SHOT.
Dr. E. H. Bliss in waverly.)

A caravan, consisting of dozen mule
teams, paused just as the sun, round and
glowing with molten red, sank down
on the far horizon of the level prairie
Around them on either side for mary
miles the grass grew tall and rank, inter-
spersed here and there with great va
riety Of flowers. There was not a tree
to be seen, or, indeed, a bush or twig -
With great show Of activity the people
unhitched their teams and built q fire in
their portable stoves. l5rzes,s,
"Y-a-a-s,d that's my opinion exactly.
This var spot about the center of the
great prairie is just the loveliest piece OF
natur in the world. You can't find its
equal this side the Rockies"
81 wasn't thinkin' about the blue grass
of Tllynoi, Jedge, when / went for to
assert that this ere was fine picter, with
the sun over there turning everything to
crimson and yellow-perhaps there
might be finer scenes than this, repeat
SWalJCol. Quenten, we'll leave that TO
Lie. Here, you gal, come here. What
do you think of that grass over there,
lookin' asifIit was a burnin' n
"Think2 don't think nothin'. Jedge
Long; it's far away, and I had rather
tend the bacon than listen to your
yarns" ra,e,st ~t.qtsJy.,t,r.es
"That's the way 'tis with that gal; she
amt. got SO much sentiment as an out
least Indian" ss-.
"Never you mind, Jedge; when it
comes to meal.time you won't forget to
get your share OF corn-pone or fried ba-
con and coffee either. Let alone your
fne talk about the perarie; that don't
amount to much alongside OF square
meal Now, does it?"
"Quite right, Lize," said the Judge.
Decidedly" grufiy responded the
Colonel. ~
The girl went about her duties, prepa-
ring the evening meal for the two mer
and her father, who, by the way, was as
blunt spoken and homely as his daugh
ter. I.as4 Is ya6 +. 4 ss .;oi5g .vlag
Col Quenten and Judge Long were
quite original characters in their way
This was their first trip across the plains
which they undertook in the general ex
c,tement then reigning about the finding
of gold. Falling in with Jonas Clari
aud his daughter, who we're about te
cross the plains,the made an agreemen
with them which, before the first dozer
of miles out from St. Louis, he had nigl
broken by proposing to squat, To fii
matters more satisfactorily to themselves
| the two Iadventurers settled the case b,
buying the entire team, mules and all
and taking the old man and bis danghte
along .'for boot, "as old Clark expressed
lit
! They were now one Of dozen, o
similar teams, whose shadows looke
like wiguams in the semi darkness tha
| had now formed around them.
4 After their repast the three men 50
around the camp-stove and smoked, an
Lie did the dish washing.
& aWaI, Colonel, the wear and tear
travel is tellin' on ye mighty hard :
How We would like to be in Frisco, nov
wouldn't ye, along with the nuggets
are supposed to pick up on the way :
There's no tellin' how long we'll be ge
tim thar, thougb," he added sorro wfull..
The Colonel had lived in the Wes
from boyhood, and well knew what
was to share comfortable farmers lif
and sighed audibly at the formers r
marks.
eye kin jest bet yer bottom dollar
wish I was thar, back in Illinois, whel
come from. These here wastes aroun
2 without a shrub or tree, do not plea
& me or Lize nary time, and I'm sure"
i What his next words would have bet
the two men were never to know in th
world, for at the last word old Clal
II, doubled himself up at their feet corps
while a thin puff of smoke curled
and disappeared just around the corn
of the wagon.
q "Who fred that shot2" exclaimed Il
& Colonel. as both started TO their feet al
: seized their rifles.
i. lQer0 WAS uOb oO uuSu 90 o Su"uo
I to be seen-nothing but the huge canv
!. of the wagon tapping now and th
against the wheels. The moon sho
of brightly across the undulating plain, b
g. gaze as they would not sign could th
o. . discover of the origin Of the shot,
!. !. Stranger still, the neighboring cam
. around them did not appear to be cog
zant of the fact that man had be
. killed. The men looked into the tes
= where Lize was sleeping.
8 awake up, gal, wake up! We wa
!, We to hurry and get yonr duds on,
|, something strange has happened"
Old Clark lay where he had fallen,w
20 a bullet through his forehead there v
= no mistaking be was dead beyond VI
ture.
When Lie beheld what had happer
o she uttered a piercing scream and tt
- fell down beside him. -
g "No use takiu' the matter to he'
Lie: what's did is past mending. II
father has heen sssassinated by unkno
ed hands, and who hss done it is what
his and the Jedge want to know: but II to
- is vengeance, gal, it shall surely oyert
ns ,as the scoundrel.,
% eYes-you bet!"