Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-07-04

opposed the secession movement Ill ZEN
lucky. Hightower was raold advocate Oh
separation, and, on one occasion, wneh nc
and my father met at a political gathering,
they argued violently with each other, then
ouarreled and then engaged in fight. a
number Of friends interfered or there
would have been blood shed. AS 1t was,
the combatants escaped with few shght
bruises. Every one lneW that the matter
would not be suffered tC drop, and II was
evident that the Hightower and Stark lam
lilies, with all their branches OF kin end
twigs Of connection, would &c drawn into
the quarrel. Such proved to be the case,
for, within a week from the day OF the
nfalling out'' the Starks and HiGhtowers,
numbering fifty or sixty men to side, met
in the little town of Haleburg and spent
bloody afternoon. John HightoWer and my
father were among the si2ta,
Ishall never forget what my brother said
to me when he had come home and told
US of the fight. Twas about nine years Old at
the time, but was so full Of Il desire for High
tower blood that l sat nursing an old pep
per-box pistol, Notwithstanding weapon,
Int one that [ am sure could not at q
distance of ten PAGES bury a bullet IN
niece Of soft pine. Mother sat sobbing,
holding little sister Lizzie close to her
breast, Dave, my brother, turned to me
and said:
Howell, 1 am gsigg into the Union army,
together with Humbef OF our male rela-
tiyes The HightowerS aPe going into the
Confederate army, so they pretend; but l
am afraid that they are going to hang
around here and do all the harm they can
to cur people. want you to keep my re-
volver and my shotgun within easy reach,
aud whenever Hightower comes on the
placs / want you to shoot him. Do you
hear?''
Did heart Co+sid i tree-toad crying for
ram hear it thunderl / WAS stricken with
grief, but [ felt the hot blood 81 pride
tingling through my veins. I ran TO mother,
mt nv arms around her neck and told her
that would protect our home. AT this mo-
ment can see her halloWed face-a face
that then bespoke q brolzen heart. She put
little Lizzie upoH Chs trrpdle-bed, and sink
ing down on her knees stsetebed forth her
trembling hands and prayed.
NV brother did not return from tA6 war,
Three of the Hightowers and two adheFsats
TO the Stark side of the feud came back, bat
they were all killed IN 4 fight that occurred
eariy IN 1866 BY this time was ''pretty
coed ehu1k of 4 boy and was quite old
enough to keep shrewJ watch of Zeb High
tower, the only remaining male member Of
the family He was Of about nay age, and
had acquired knack, had heard, of Kill
ing birds with a revolver
OF course held in high disdain the re-
rorts Of his wonderful craftsmanship and
/ am sure that with the cause l had for
hating him, ! felt a contempt for his re-
puted courage. We were kept apart, ex-
cert OF one occasion, when we met at
church. We fcgEht. hardly know how il
came about, but ztzow that l went home
with much less hair thas Z bad brought
with me that morning. For number of
years l did not see Zeb, partly owing 10 tue
fact that spent the most of my time at an
Eastern college, and partly accounted for by
the fact that l did not look for him. How
ever, one day shortly after had been grad
uated without honors, Zeb and I met at a
county fair. We exchanged several shots
and [ went home with bullet hole IN my
left arm. Not a great while after this en-
counter met, at the house Of friend, the
handsomest, loveliest girl had ever seen.
She was Zeb Hightower's sister. When the
soft glow of her beauty fell upon me my
pride was blotted out.
&c was as though cewdrop had fallen
upon black speck, ] don't know how we
thawed the frost OF family bitterness, but