The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-09-04
THE MAN WHO WAS KICKED,
Hut. Nevertheless, a Man Whom All the
Camp Found Cause to be Proud of.

But, Nevertheless, a Man Whom All the
Camp Found Cause to be Proud of.
first saw Davis at H Academy,
when, at the beginning of the spring
term in 1860, he sided into the further
end Of seat to lean against the wall.
He was then about p years of age. A
tall, gaunt, awkward man, clad in a
faded, ill-fitting suit of homespun, and |
walking with an undecided, hesitating
gait, with his head thrown forward, and
one uncertain hand helplessly rubbing
receding chin, was the figure presented
us he went out of the hall at the close of
prayers. Infirmity of purpose was writ
ten all over him. He had an air of be-
ing old without ever having been young.
His face was long, with large features,
high cheek bones, a long nose, promi
nent mouth, and a receding chin, from
which struggling whisker protruded a
certain way, as though in doubt wheth-
er to grow longer or disappear altogeth-
er. 1t was a very weak face, with an
infirm culver of the hardly closed lower
lip, and vacillating, half timid eyes of
very pale blue. Its weakness and indie
cision might have been comical had not
an expression of earnestness and seri-
BUSINESS made it pathetic. His speech
was hesitating and appealing, as though
craving constant indulgence for his te-
merity when speaking at all. Yet there
was such assurance of his hearers SYM
pathy and help, that it generally carried
its point.
From the time when Davis first sidled
into the seat and leaned against the wall
for support, he continued leaning, only
exchanging the wall for his classmates,
or indeed any one who would carry his
weight No sooner did his support give
way in one direction than he transferred
himself to another, and leaned all the
harder. During the years of his academ-
zeal life, his manners retained their
primitive rusticity, despite the constant
|attrition to which they were subjected at
the hands of his fellows. His taste in
dress took no turn for the better; his
bearing and gait changed not an iota !:
and when he set out on foot for the hill
region whence he came, he seemed ex-
actly the same old young man that had
sided in upon us three years before.
A short time afterward | learned that
he was teaching the school in his native
village. 1t turned out, however, that
he carried his habit of leaning with him
even there. He asked the advice of his
pupils as to what he should do so fire.
quently that the took advantage of his
weakness to do pretty much as they
pleased. They barred the master out,
refused to attend recitations, save
at their own pleasure, and otherwise
enjoyed themselves to such an extent
that the trustees felt compelled to de-
mand his resignation on the ground of
lack OF government. After that he went
into the country and taught district
school, boarding round among his pu-
pills. 1t was while thus engaged that he
became temporarily resident in the fam
lily of small farmer, possessed of a
grasping, questionable character, and
several daughters for some time in the
matrimonial market These latter were
thin, sharp-faced, managing maids, who
partook OF the unattractive characters
ties OF their sire. The most unattractive,
perhaps, of them all set her eyes upon
Davis, in lack of better material, and
actually became his wife before that hes
itating person had decided what to do in
the matter. After this he drifted out OF
my knowledge, and his memory, with
that of other class associates, rapid,
merged into the sere and yellow leaf Of
recollection
In the summer of 1871 | was one of 8
semi-official prospecting party in west
ern Dakota. We intended to penetrat.
the Indian country as far as the Sour
River, near the British line, returning
by way of the Black Hills, if circum
stances permitted. The dozen men con
shutting the party were all heavily arm
ed, and we had, by way of impeachment
three mule wagons. The day befor,
we started from the small town which
for the fortnight previous, hat
been our headquarters, a tall round
shouldered man sauntered into the camp
and, leaning against waeon-wheel
looked kindly but inquiringly about. ii,
wore long coat of alpaca of ecclesias
teal cut, and Il wideawake hat, fustiar
trousers, and low CATERS tied with ;
string. His face was long, and its fea
lures large, and a retreating mouth, al
most destitute of teeth, gave a greater
prominence to his rather elongated nose
He carried a black silver-headed stick
and altogether he was curious mixtur,
of the clerical with the rustic. Afte
being made the butt of considerable rid