Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-12-18

hame was Reginald Croswaite, but we
called him Wretch for short-left college
somewhere in the dusly east, his fam
lily decided that hard study had wrought
havoc with the poor fellows health,
and.forthwith sent him to try sun-cure
as only Texas furnishes it AS mat
ter of fact, he had studied nothing more
serious than beautiful assortment of
Bohn's cribs. His i'll health was due to
causes not connected with the intended
routine Of college life.
So the peaceful little community of
Jinville, Tex, awoke one day to the
consciousness of the fact that it har-
bored Reginald Croswaite, Esq, gor-
geous in store clothes and an English
accent Old man Bowman, who in
some remote and inexplicable way was
related to the Wretch, and atsswhose
house the latter stayed, expressed him
self about the newcomer in the general
store one day.
Hes queer critter," he said, FAN
amt SO pesky fond of him as should
be, he bein' kim O. mine. doan' right
ly onerstand his ways, mebbe, bein'
brung up different like, but amt er
hankerin' after seein' er chile er mine
that away"
And that was perhaps the feeling Of
all of us there in Jimville. We were
plain folk, and Texas seemed very fair
to us. AS for the things the Wretch
Dragged to us of sometimes in his con-
descending way-well, the east was
welcome to them. Dante and Delsarte
might be necessary 9adjuncts in that
sheltered life "downN east"--in Texas
they were out of place. There was
tragedy enough in our daily lives, and
any cowboy will tell you that riding
the range will give you more grace
than all the aesthetic professors in the
world.
1t was winter-by the calendar and
northern weather-when the Wretch
came to u.s. AS the spring came on we
thought surely the glamour of 1t would
seize him also, for there is nothing
more glorious than Texas spring.
When the juicy grasses begin to cover
the pastures, growing almost visibly,
with wild flowers of strange beauty
and variety springing up mushrooms
like, on the face Of the earth; when
the mesquite trees shoot out their slen-
dec knife-like leaves and the cedars
take on new fragrance, new color
when the soft gentle balm of the south
breeze induces feeling of absolute
rest-the person who can be in Texas
then and not feel something of the JOY
of living where spring is so glori-
GUS is not person fit for decent
society. But the Wretch never opened
his mouth in praise of anything Texan.
/ think the Wretch had but few
friends in Jimville. His cigars and his
whisky may have made him somt
friends among the sort of men who
fawn on anyone so he but ''stanc
treat"
His only amusement seemed to bt
riding, He generally rode to Mars
town, the nearest post office, and hi
face wore an almost happy look wher
he came back from there. We supposed
he was getting letters from home. Hi
way of riding the trot was thing tina
Jimville laughed at He said he wa
''riding English" We said the pony's
name was "Rube,n and incidental,
venturedthat if he were to ride that wa,
for days at time his hide would be il
shrcds small enough to make saddl
strips of.
Spring drifted away before the fierce
summer sun, and he was still with il
And then the new schoolma'arn came
Tho old one had been offered a schoc