Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-03-31

VINO had sat down dining this re-
cital, and thrown one leg upon
the table, looked long and earnest,
ly at the toe of his boot, which was
in about the same dilapidated con.
dition as himself, and seemed to be
gazing down the long aisle of time
to the days when he was healthy
young buck, with his breeches lined
with money and the world before
him.
"You have been around some, l
guess suggested the Capital man,
interrupting this revery.
81 have travelled a little,' replied
Jack, rousing himself ~ was four
years in the gold region of CalifOr-
mia. have been in France, Spain
and Germany. Then was young
and had money. What travelling |
have done in the past few years /
have done in slow coaches
"How are you on the walk!"
Every poor on the walk replied
Jack, scarcely noticing the inter.
ruption. 81 am writing up a story
now-'The White Chief of the
Cherokees; or, the Scout Of the
Valley In 40 ! was known as the
White Chief of the Cherokees. ]
lived out there then"
"YOu have seen some thrilling
times, them"
ayes; | went on an expedition to
Cuba in 1850 Oh the Creole, and |
went on the last expedition in 1851,
under Gen Lopez. They hunted us
down like dogs then, and shot fifty
two of us. | was sent to the chain.
gang in Spain for ten years, hut |
was pardoned out in two months
because | was an American citizen.
Then | was nine months fighting
the lncatcte Indians in the revolt
against Mexico
"Were you in the Mexican war;
81 was there when the first gun
was fired"
"Did You serve in the late war;
81 held the small rank of Major
in the 18th Mississippi. ! fought
for the Lost Cause. We were in
the most fearful charge that was
made at Gettysburgh, when the
ranks we're moved down. and the
men slaughtered like sheep. The
mimic balls cnt my hair; but | bear
n charmed life Jack sadly bowed
his head moment, and then look
ing up, remarked: awhile / am
poor and miserable | can never die;
but if | should fall heir to a fortune
| would die in twenty. four hours"
GLOW did You come TO be called
Texas jack" inquired the Capital
man.
"John Cockerill wrote me up in
the Cincinnati Gazette in '73. 1t
was headed The Texas Editor
1t was beautiful article. \ col.
umn and half solid minion.
There WAS knock at the door,
continued Jack, trying to recall the
way the article began, "'and he
came in and stood by the desk, and
he paused and looked at picture
of Horace Greeley and remarked,
There is a man after my own
heart and we went down in our
pockets and gave him our last five
dollar BILL and 40 on. Oh, it was
beautiful thing. II told every
thing about me; where | had been,
the wars | had fit and died in,
and everything. Talk Of a clever
gentleman. There's John Cockerih.
He's fine"
"Does he give upr" inquired the
Capital.
"Give up. He's an angel. !
wish | was in Baltimore tonight.
John is there, you know. | wouldn't
be walking about this way
"Were you ever OH the other side
of the glober
81 was in Australia in 1852, in
the mining districts. Then | went
to California, and then to Aspinwall.
| put 1880 in a newspaper there,
and lost it all in one night by fire.
That was a hard country then.
They we're building a railroad across
the Isthmus. If the bones of the
men who died while building that
railroad were collected they would
reach from San Francisco to Omaha.
1t was sort of fever. They called
it 'shaggers.' They tried men of
all nations OH that road, and finally
got Coolies from the Indies. A
man dropped dead tor every foot of
work done on the road. They bu-
ried them four deep"
"Have YOU been at work recent