The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-22

drops OF water upon the panes, and was
then for the first time aware that II was
raining A moment after vivid flash OF
lightning illuminated the darkness with
out, opening up phosphOrescent vistas in
the mcsquites with startling suddenness
Brief az was the interval for observation,
IL was sufficient 10 confirm my suspicious.
Amid the loud reverberations Of the
thunder clap that followed, / was conf
dent that ha1I seen man lurking In the
scanty shru5bery outside.
Icannot describe how much ! was dis
concerted by this discovery. was alone
in q wild and lawless country, where a
man might he attacked and murdered
without chance Of succor. ! was III
lighted room, whose unshuttered windows
stared into the black night 50 glaringly,
that practically was as defenseless TO an
enemy hid in the darkness without, as IL
shut in n glass case. As this thought
leaned 10 my brain, suddenly extin-
guished the light and CROPPED for the re-
volver and cartridge belt, resolving 10
make rs determined stand as possible
Securing both, buckled on the belt and
backed against the door, in order to resist
any forcblc entrance. In this defiant at
titude / waited, the storm continuing to
rage without.
A Texan thunder storm is at all times
awe inspiring. do not think ever lived
a more thrilling existence than during the
brief interval ] crouched in the darkness
Of that little cabin, which was necessarily
lighted by the blue flashes that seemed TO
leap from window 20 window, and which
shook TREMENDOUSLY under the crash of ;he
SCATTERING reports that followed one al
other in quick succession. My excitement
reached its height when, during one Of
these sudden Nominations, / perceived
pressed against the pane and peering INTO
the room u wild, red face, with long gray
beard and dishevolCd hair streaming in the
wind. The apparition, seen by the lurd
lioht. was so malevolent that / think !
was only prevented from firing at 1t by the
brief interval Of the fash. When the
lightning cleaned again the face was
gone, and was certain now ! could hear
some one grouping his way along the side
of the house, evidently supporting him
self in that way against the charging
gusts of wind and sharp fusilladc Of the
became uneasy and barked loudly.
"Ifuiloa. hcrcF' shouted gruf voice.
hastily rclighted the lamp and opened
the door in some trepidation.
There entered a tall figure. 50 gratuit
ously limp ana bedrangled with rain as to
be almost groiesque; so worn with travel
and with such an utter WEAKNESS OF life
in the eyes as TO be really pathetic. The
clothes that he wore were torn ana
ahraded. exposing a sub-stratum OF red
flannel at the knee, which gave him a
ludicrous suggestion of having worn him
self down 10 tie quick from the excess Of
his deyo,ions. His shruuken pantaloons
eucroachcd upon the calves OF his legs, ana,
rs he was without stockings, this lack al
intimacy with his hob nailed shoes exposed
n pair Of very gaunt and reluctant ankles.
His beard and hair were long, struggling
and unkempt, and were surmountcd by
an extravaoant slouch hat Of the frontier
pattern. Running over the scant details
Of my former apparitiOD, mentally classl-
fled him AZ once as a "hordcr tramp"
But | was lonely that evening and dig
posed TO be polite. therefore Offered
him the only chair in the room, stretched
myself upon the low bed and calmly
awaited developments.
Good evening" he said, in rather
husky but pleasant voice, rs be lapsed into
the chair. Then he took of his broad bat
with q swirl Of scattering rain drops,
wiped his forehead with Il red bandana
handkerchief, rBminated q few minutes,
replaced his hat, and finally producing II
pipe and plug OF tobacco began slowly
cutting up and crumbing the latter-thc
usual frontier preliminaries to = smoke.
watched his movements with absorb
ing interest. lie reminded me 50 fOrcibiy
Of pictures of the lalnented John Brown,
that was more than ever inclined TO nc
cept the singular conflicting conditions
of that martyrs soul and body, rs e2-
emplified in the popular song.
When he lad finally lighted his pipe and
emitted several curling rings OF smoke,
this odd figure vouchsafed the information
that he had come across country IN the
hope OF assisting rs in shearing. | IL
formed him that we had Just finished that
day for the season. He seemed TO ex-
perience some regret at this, and for
time smoked on in silence. AtlenSth, his
eyes happening to fall upon my rein
pushed volume, he took il up, glanced
over it hastily, and laid it down again.
"YOu have been reading Macaulayg"
he said assented in some surprise.
"Ahr' said my strange guest; "a won
derful man. 4 wonderful man, that same
Macaulayl What genius, what learn
ing, what a noble style he had, to be surel'
Then throwing his head back and mar
rowing his wild eyes, be suddenly broke
out;
",An acre in MiddleseX is worth prin-
cipality in Utopia; the smallest actual
good is better than the most magnificent
promises Of impossibilities; the wise man
of the Stoics would, 10 doubt, be grander
object than q steam engine. But there
are steam engines And the wise man q
The Stoics is yet to be born. \ philosophy
which should enable man TO feel per
fectly happy when in the agonies Of pain
may be better than philosophy that can
assuage pain. But We know that there
are remedies that viii assuage pain; and
we know that the ancient sages liked the
to0,hache as little rs their neighbors. ~
sat up in some amazement at this
,f-,-. - rsouto,.tr I'.r fho pocf thr.u