The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1881-02-17

the right Of the faithful man 10 con-
duct The ceremonies. On a sunday
afternoon, when the sun shonc bright
on the apple blossoms, when the
blue jay fitted and the "sap sucker"
pounded the old black trees. Buck
stood at the head Of bis masters
grave. Fra nds and nelghLors gath
cred around and children peeped
over the red mound into the deep
cavity, shuddered and drew back
For full Eve minutes Buck stood
without uttering a word.
81 dean know how ter prsach a
funeral, Lord" be said, "but know
what bis Is ter feel de pullin' oh de
heartstrings. Ez a smile can change
ter q tremblin' OBJ de h3. so does
sorrer set heaviest on dc heart what
was once illed wild JOY. Ny marster
had heart eE big ez de Imagination
oh chile, an ez de heart is de
birthplace OBJ de soul, my marster Is
on de right han OBJ G0d. close upto
de throne. May we ell meet death
wid as little fear. an may de angels
be ez glad ter see us all ez l know
dey has been ter make de heabenly
'quaintance Of Mars Louis Gull.
Amen"
Dent fed to Texis, but was brought
back, and, by some technicality, ae-
quilted. He let Tennessee imme-
diately after the trial, and went no
one knew or cared where.
. =
Several weeks ago, a tall man
stood on Superior street, in Cleve-
land. Hishair was almost as white
as the snow at his feet. His face wore
sad expression and his eyes wan
dercd as though tired Of every object.
An old colored man came walking
along. Seeing the white haired man,
he stopped, gazcd intcntly for mo-
ment, approaehed the stranger and
said:
lis yer name Mr.. Dent ?"
Eyes, that's my name :"
"Did da uster call yer Mr.. Bad
DentT p
eyes do you know me 7"
81 does. My name is Buck Gull.
| uster blong to Mars Louis GULL.
Don't yet recollect me2
"Why, yes, Buck, how is your
health p extending bis hand.
"No, sar; yer doesn't touch my
ham in de gragp Of friendship. wuz
at de picnic, yer riccolleck, when
yer stobbcd Mars Louis. He died
m my arms. Fore he died he made
me promise dat I'd kill you in a far
dght casen de law didn't bang you.
Now l poses ter fght.yer wild bar
low knives"
"Did Louis make you promise
this ?"
ayes, sah."
Then you must keep your prom
ise. Whatever Louis GULL said
must be done, and shall nc done. l
have never refused to fight any liv-
ing man. Where shall the encoun-
ter take place ?"
"In de little orchard near tic Gle
farm house" F"
"When p
eJes ez soon ez we ken go dar."
The two men boarded the next
train and went to Nashville Engag-
ing a private conveyance, they went
up into East Tennessee and stopped
at roadside inn, near the old
Gull farmhouse. II was agreed
| that there should be one witness to
the encounter, and after engaging a
man, Dent wrote an explanatory
letter and gave it to the innkeeper.
Il was Sunday afternoon. The
three went through an old orchard
orchard only in memory, for nothing
but the decayed trunks OF the trees
renamed. Buck led the way He
stopped at q sunken grave. "Dis is
Mars Louis grabe,n he said, "Stan
on de udder sile. Doan step ober
hit"
Dent, without uttering a word,
took position as directed. The wit
ness stood few yards away, and
was to count three when all was rendy.
The two men, old men, drew their
knives, zone, two, three" They
grappled in a deadly embrace A
desperate struggle for old men.
lDsnt wrested his right arm from the
grasp Of Buck, and with a sweeping
stroke severed the black mans head
from his body. Buck still held Dent
around the waist. Is he fell backward,
plunged his knife into the murderers s
heart.
When the coroner came the two
men lay dead across the grave,
locked in a tight embrace A strange
sight; the pale face Of death and the
ashened hue OF earthly dissolution.