Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-25
A HERO FROM THE NORTH

A HERU FKUM The NURIH
The sun was beating down upon the
head of the unprotected earth, as if to
settle once for all the long continued
struggle for supremacy, to crafty a
never ending enmity against his victim,
who for ages had circled round and
round about him in vain effort to tear
away from his fiery embrace The
defenseless earth smoked and quivered
under his continued blows, its sides
parched and cracked open in agony,
It's life blood dried up and refused sus-
tenance to the vegetation that clung
trustingly to it, and then in despair
dropped its head and reached its arms
in sympathy toward its sstrcken parent.
The streams murmured in subdued
tones, the crickets creaked a dismal re-
frain. The old feud which had been
waged increasingly day after day, year
after year, seemed about to end; the
earth was conquered and the remorse-
less sun triumphantly drove shaft after
shaft upon his fallen foe.
1t was battle of giants into the
presence of which no smaller creature
should dare to venture In this mighty
conflict weak humanity could hope to
take no part. Yet, crawling between
the earth and the sun, one adventurous
mortal was Drawing the elemental fury.
Slowly he toiled over the low, rolling
hills, their sides bronzed with expos
ure, unprotected as they were by tree
or shrub. No green thing in sight to
rest the eyes from the glare of dried
earth and grass; nothing to relieve
save the l1azy and uncertain outlines of
the distant hills, that danced like a
will-o' the-wisp to the smoky atmos-
phere. The hot air scorched his nos
trils as he inhaled it, and then came
back from his lungs with increased
heat. His face was dry and burned,
and through the gaping pores no CRATE
full moisture came. Yet on he strobe
with steady swinging pace, as if heat
and cold were alike Indifferent to him.
He was indeed well calculated to
withstand the bullets of the weather or
the fiercer attacks of his fellow men.
More than six feet in height, his broad
shoulders and well proportioned figure
made him seem much shorter, and his
easy, graceful movements evidenced q
control of every muscle that could come
only from constant and active exercise.
A long, reddish blonde beard covered
his face, which was bronzed by ex-
posure almost to the color of his beard,
and his long hair fell in waves upon his
shoulders. His whole appearance was
striking, yet the most striking feature
was his piercing blue eyes, which
seemed to look you through and
through and announced plainly that
their owner could not shirk danger or
hardship in whatever form it might
come. His costume was that of a
hunter, and indicated--as did his small
cap, made of the skin of an animal,
even more strongly that its purpose
was to withstand a much colder climate
than that which he was now experienc-
ing Upon his back was slung an old
fashioned muzzle loading rife.
Pausing on the crest of a small hill,
he glanced around him toward the
distant line ofhills and then turning his
course in the direction of their nearest
point he resumed his journey He had
gone but short distance when he saw
the first signs of life that had greeted
him that day As he passed over a
slight rise in the ground he saw large
bullock standing on the slope of the
hill. The animal saw him at the same
moment, and turning toward him stood
looking at the intruder. Soon several
more appeared, regarding him atten-
lively, and then the whole band began
moving slowly across his path, about
one hundred yards in front of him.
Pushing on his course he paid no atten-
ton to them, until they again attracted
his notice by the peculiarly of their
actions. The whole band of about
one hundred cattle were now in
sight, and were circling around
him with steadily increasing speed.
It was evident that he was the
object of their attention. and ne at
tempted TO frighten them away by
shouting and waving his arms. but
thesa efforts uara without avail On
the contrary, the animals had drawn
around him in n circle, and were now
approaching nearer and nearer, draw
ing the circle tighter about him every
moment
He saw that ii was practically impos-
sible to break through their line, and
yet to stand there and await their attack
was certain death Their long, sharp
horns cleaned yieiously in the sunlight.
Glancing hastily around, he sought
some tree or rock that might ofIer some