davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11

danger was SO alarming and sudden
that she was for the moment stupefed.
Johns quick ear had heard the snakes
challenge, and looking around he tookin
the situation at a glance. In the next
few seconds it looked as if he was pos
sessed of seven-league boots. Almost be-
fore Janet had realized what was hap
pening, John had landed on the snake
and ground it into the earth. and, as If
possessed with a frenzy. he continued
to stamp upon the reptile until it was
ground out of life and shape. The girl
staggered as if she would faint. but was
caught and upheld by the young man,
and in the next moment her high spirit
came to her rescue and she was her
natural self.
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11
CHAPTER v.

Soon after the removal to Texas, Col
Gregory procured the services OF Miss
Betsy Smallwood, sort of fifth cousin,
an elderly lady possessed of certain OLD
fashioned accomplishments and nc
means, to superintend Janet's education.
The only injunction given Miss Betsy
was to keep an eye on Janet" which
she l1,d fulfilled with the utmost hon
esty, and had been met with the LEX
taionlis'' by being kept most rigidly un-
der the young lady's thumb. The peace
had been fairly well kept between
them, and Janet had acquired the most
of Miss Betsy's moderate stock of ac-
complishments, together with sundry
others that would have made the worthy
woman's hair stand on end, had it not
been that she wore Il wig.
Janet had grown up into handsome,
spirited young woman who could ride
like cowboy and fish like 1zaak Wal
ton. She was very much spoiled, out
generous to fault, proud to the utmost
degree, but kindly, and was entirely be-
loved by all. The prominent position
of the family had brought them i1So ac-
ouaintance with all the leading families
for hundred miles around, and Janet
had many admirers, but she remained
entirely untouched in heart. BY the
certain intuition of woman she knew
that John absolutely worshiped her,
but this amused, rather than touched
her. John was like a young hickory
sapling, tall, wiry, enduring-not given
to much speech, great student, having
absorbed the contents of the we'll
stocked book cases that were the
colonel's chiefest delight. He was any
thing but handsome, being freclsled OF
face, rather awkward in manner, wear
ing continually heavy boots, wide wool
hat and ill-ftting homemade clothing,
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11

| but for all this he was the universal IA
vorite, and had rsen TO be the c0lonel's
right hand man. Under his vigilant
eye and sound Judgment the planta-
ton was getting in fine condition and
making money. Even Uncle Jim had
not become Jealous of him, and was
his most devoted friend. A converse
ton between Old Tony and Uncle Jim
in one of their confidential caucuses
| will throw some light on the situation
at the time.
Uncle Jim was sitting in front of his
cabin smoking his evening pipe, when
Tony came ambling along.
''Ebenin, Brer Jeems."
tsEbenin, Brer Tony; hab cheer"
Tony takes a. seat, pulls out, fills,
lights his pipe and smokes meditatively
awhile--and commences:
"Look heah, Brer Jeems, whar dis
thing gwine ter eend?"
"What thing, Brer Tony?''
s'Bout young missy and dat John
boy"
II d'lnow whut yer mean
"Wy, Brer Jeems, yer know dat boy
he DIES wushup little missy"
"Don' mount ter nuthin, Brer Tony,
! yer see she amt fer sech persons as him,
| not dat
II hasn't anything agin de boy, he
berry good boy, he de best farmer in
! dis country, he got old head on top dat
long body, but arter all he nuthin but
po white trash. misdoubt ef he know
| who his grandfather wuz, and, in cose,
| marster, aldo he so good natured, not
gwine to let his darter marry wild no pc
! white trash
''Dat may be SO, but I hern de folks
say dat de boy done save up nuf money
to buy him good farm" .
''Mebbe so, mebbe so, Brer Tony. I
am onbeknownst as to dat, but den you
see, he not got de breed, and Marster's
terrible man bout blood and all dat, not
but whut she won't do jist as well to
marry him as to take some of dem
sprocious younsters dat come gallavant-
in roun heah all de time, and amt got
nuf mariners to say: Uncle Jim, please
do dis or dat but jist bawl out: ole
man, hump yersef,' and me not so berry
ole man neider.''
Having smoked ont his pipe Tony de-
parted. leaving Jim to his nominations,
who, chuckling to himself, soliloquized
thus:
"I'clar ter my soul, belieb dat boy
jist Like dem birds whar dey say hides
dar heads and thinks dey is all hid; he
jist go long, and fool hisself thinkin
nobody knows, and evybody on de plarn-
tation kin see dat he heels ober head in
Tub wild little missy. Pc Hboy, lots O.
trubble head o. him.
Some days after this memorable con-
versation, John was in distant field
overlooking some clearing up Of new
| ground when Janet in one of her fire.
quent rides came to the edge Of the
clearing, and, as the fallen trees were
too thick to ride freely, she got down;
tied her horse and started across to
where John was standing on a huge log
giving directions. He did not see her
coming and she had approached within
fifty feet Of him when hearing a pe-
culiar, sibilant, defiant sound she
looked down, and found herself within
two feat Of a large rattlesnake who was
giving out bis warning and preparing,
TO sMilse. The girl was brave, but the
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11
CHAPTER Nv.
ON The TRINITY RIVER.


The Gregorys settled down to the new
life with great cheerfulness. About six
miles distant was the little county town,
with it's weekly mail, small but very
fierce weekly paper, three stores, a
drinking saloon, gambling hell and
about fifty residences. There was of
course the usual complement of me-
chanics, and cotton gin and grist
mill. In the vernacular of the country
Lawsonville was right sharp town.
1t was great loafng resort, and on
Saturdays hundreds of horses would be
tied up to the racks and fences, and the
owners of said horses would be busily
engaged whiting sticks, chewing to-
bacco, drinking whisky, gambling and
talking politics Of course, not all Of
them doing these things, but some Of
them at each of these engaging pursuits.
Col. Gregory when in Georgia had
not mingled much with the mixed null
titudes who congregate in small coun.
try towns, but in time a lack Of com
pany and social disposition led him
towards Lawsonville quite frequently.
until finally it came to be pretty reg
ular thing for him to ride over Satur
day and spend half the day, at least
His kindly ways made him many
friends, and the promptness with which
he knocked down bully who was dis
posed to be offensive won him the re
spect of these people, who worshiped
personal courage. His great stroke was
made one day when noted bully ha0
attacked smaller and weaker man; a
crowd was standing around, but afraid
to interfere where such a desperate
was concerned. Gregory came up just
as the smaller man was beginning tc
be severely punished, and without stop
ping to think rushed in and separated
them. The desperate, Bill Nucko1ls
had taken one or two drinks of vile
whisky, which, with the conflict just
interrupted, had fred him to the pitch
of murder. With an oath he drew an
ugly-looking bowie knife and rushed on
Gregory, who had no weapon except
stout cane in his hand. He had, how
ever, lost none of the strength and
vigor of his youth, when he had been
the athlete of his regiment. So he held
his ground until Nuckolls was fairly
within reach, when with dexterous
thrust he brought his stout hickory
down upon Nuclzoils' right wrist with
such force as to shatter the bone and
send the knife flying many feet.
The colonel walked away with great
GOODNESS and the defeated bully sat
down and beloved with rage and pain.
From that day forward Gregory was
the strongest man in the county.
On the plantation big, roomy log
house had been built, and with the aid
Of the furnishings from the old Georgia
home had been made quite comfortable.
The negro quarters had all been put in
good shape, and Uncle Jim with his
sturdy laborers had deadened the tim
Der and planted a hundred acre. the
first year, and was widening his Dor.
ders at great rate. The lands were
very fertile, and Uncle Jim was in great
spirits over the abundant crops.
The boy, John Hewson, had dropped
into a curious position about the place.
A little room had been added to the
house, as special place for him, and
this he had fitted up very snugly. He
was the best rider, best hunter and best
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11

look as they plodded YEARLY along
showed the fatigue of steady travel.
The drivers seat was occupied by a ne
gro man about fifty years DID, who re-
joiced in the sonorous name Of Anthony
Bartholomew Gregory, abbreviated by
common consent to s'Uncle Tony"
Old Tony was huddled up in a lump,
with a heavy blanket on his knees, and
well wrapped up in a thick old overcoat,
with heavy gloves and black SLOUGH hat.
Nothing was visible of him but his fiat
nose and pair of bright black eyes as
yet und:mmed by age. While it was
quite impossible for him to get wet
through, yet after the fashion of his
tribe he was keeping up a steady mono
tone of grumbling all to himself. ''Git
up dar, Butcher, 'clar to goodness you
is suttinly de most LATEST beast ever
seed;" with that he would flourish his
whip as If he were going to cut the lazy
Butcher into pieces, and would wind up
by giving him gentle tap that had not
one-tenth the effect on Butcher that the
Insulting speech had. Then old Tony
would break out again:
"You 'Poleon, if dey is wus creeter
Oh dis yearth dan Butcher, you is dat
creeter," whereat Napoleon would prick
up his ears and for few moments step
out briskly, only 20 relapse into the
weary Flooding gait that seemed to vex
Tony SO greatly.
After a few moments old Tony re-
commenced: "Well, oh all de foolish
est things I ever heerd on, dis yer no.
ton of masters is de wust. Jes think
ob one Oh de fust men in Jawgy breakin'
up all in a mint and draggin' hisself
and Miss Martha and little missey, and
me and po' ole Uncle Jeames and all de
rest Oh 'em way off to Texas, whar de
lnjuns III have all we all's skelps in no
time. Git up dar, Butcher"
Inside the carriage Col. Henry Greg
cory, his wife, Mrs. Martha, and their
little daughter, Janet, a bright little
miss of thirteen, were all making them
selves as comfortable as the WEAKNESS
begotten of long journey would
allow. The colonel lay back with
worried look on his kindly face; Mrs.
Gregory, pleasant and rather hand
some lady Of early middle age, leaned
back in her corner with an expression
Of face which seemed 70 say that she
was resigned to any fate. Janet, after
exhausting her parents with the usual
numberless inquiries about the country,
and the people, and the streams. and
the thousand other things that children
ind TO ask questions about, had fallen
into light slumber.
Following the carriage came half
dozen of covered enigrant wagons
laden with household goods and about
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11

strong effort of the will he controlled
himself and said, quietly: ''Let me have
the statement"
1t was handed to him and without
further conversation he went to his
hotel Getting to his room, he opened
up the statement and looked at great
mass Of figures which were as Greek to
MIN except as to the conclusion, where
appeared line in red ink: Balance
due BARLEY 6, Co., s159, 1884. 90" The
colonel had never tainted in his life,
but he felt very much like it at this
moment, and he sat down feeling very
sick.
Henry Gregory had never before known
financial worry, but after the first
shock he had faced it like man. He
went home and took counsel of his wife,
the result of which was the conclusion
that it would consume his entire prop
erty to pay his debts. Fortunately Mrs.
Gregory had q good property which was
not in any way encountered. They
found a purchaser for everything ex-
cept some fifty slaves, which they re-
served, and enough live stock to haul
thee to Texas; surprised the Savannah
factor by paying him off in full, settled
up everything and found themselves
with fifty slaves and twenty-five thou
sand dollars III cash ready for new
start in a new country, and at the time
this story opens had been on the road
some six weeks.
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11

Young Henry Gregory came home Tor
his vacation, and was received with
great eclat. He was a little older than
John and rather disposed to be bump
tious until he found John could out-ride,
out-shoot, and outrfsh him, whereat he
bowed down at Johns feet to learn the
secret of such excellence.
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11
CHAPTER III.

The boy, John Hewson, was by no
means handsome. A shock of light
colored hair that stood up in a most de-
faint fashion, with small, steely gray
eye, gave him rather e. fierce look. His
nose was nondescript, his mouth wide
and filled with regular but rather large
teeth, and his jaw was as square and
resolute as Napoleon's. He was not
talkative or communicative, but was
active, alert, and his extreme quickness
and hardihood gave promise Of pow
erful and resolute man.
Uncle Jim did not take to him kindly
at first, mentally chasing him as ''po'
white trash" but the next morning he
completely captured Uncle Jim's heart.
The old man always prided himself on
having the best mules in the country,
and was very proud of them. AS they
were crossing a stream at rather un-
certain sort of ford one of the drivers
allowed his team to get a little out of
the right,course, and the mules struck a
deep place and there was great peril of
mules and driver drowning. Uncle Jim,
who was standing on the farther bank,
fairly danced with rage and fear, but
could do nothing practical.
John, who was standing by, threw of
his heavy shoes and coat, put his pock-
ct knife between his teeth, and was in
the cold river in a moment. He cut the
traces of the drowning mules, seized the
frightened driver by the coat collar with
one hand and mules tail with the 9th
er. and in trice mules, driver and John
were at the bank.
Old Jim had stood in speeches. Won
der. Now, he found vent in words:
.sBress my soul, de Lord be praised,
sholy thought Mars Henry bout to lose
he two best creeters. You wuthless
nigger, you ought to git drownded, you
aims pittin in trubble and amt wuf1
20 salt
While jim was relieving his feelings,
the boy found piece of rope, swan
back to the partially submerged wagon,
fastened one end of the rope to the
tongue and passed the other around a
tree on the bank.
Uncle Jim, now waking up to a
sense of the situation, went to work
manfully, and in a few minutes they
had succeeded in getting the wagon to
bank with no more serious damage
than good wetting of the contents.
Col Gregory was several hundred
yards in advance, but Janet, putting
ner head out, saw that something was
wrong, and raised an cutlery, where
at her father looked out and, seeing that
something was really wrong, had the
carriage driven back. When they got
to the ford, the wagon was being
drawn upon solid ground, and John
was standing by dripping wet, with his
eyes glistening from the excitement
and exertion, but his teeth chattering.
The facts came out with strong com
mendation from Uncle Jim stfur de-way
dat boy TUX holt @
The Gregorys naturally felt very
kindly towards the lad for his courage
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11
CHAPTER L
" Az f A r Z r s,

G II ZEE r l. Els S
December after
noon in the year
1857; a fine mist
ing rain h ID
been fallin g
steadily all day,
making all those.
who were com
PEELED to be out
doors thorough
ly chilled a n d
uncomfortable.
Toiling up a
long red hill in
mort b W es tern
Louis i a u a in
motley process
sion came first a
heavy family
carriage drawn
by a pair OF
3 tanch coach
horses, W hos e
dropping heads
and bedraggled
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11

pretty good pluck in boy who could
sleep under such circumstances.
The colonel went up to the boy,
touched him with his foot, and the boy
sprang to his feet with such suddenness
as to startle his visitor.
"Wen, what dye want?" came in
quick, abrupt speech from the boy.
''What are you doing here?" asked the
colonel.
''sleeping.' -
SIS this the best place you can fndP"
Yes
'What is your name?"
"John."
"John what?"
"John Hewson."
sHow old are you?"
Fifteen"
s'Where are you going?"
'sTexas."
"What for?''
''To get ivin'."
''Know anybody there?"
"No.''
''Where are your people?"
Dead" and for the first time the
boys lip quivered and his voice seemed
to lose for moment the defiant ring
which had run through his answers.
*'Well, lad, it is hard journey on foot,
and we are going that way and have
plenty of room, SO if you will, you can
jump in one of the wagons and go with
u.s.
'T'm obliged to you," replied the lad,
in softer tone than he had yet used,
"but I've footed it so far, and I reckon
! can make it the rest Of the way"
At this point Janet, who had been
awakened by the stoppage and who had
come up behind her father, rushed into
the fray.
"Why, papa, the poor boy is all wet
through; of course he must go with US,
and we will get Uncle Jim to make
him nice place in one Of the wagons
where he can be comfortable.
The boys face softened still more,
but he showed no sign of yielding.
The colonel had made rather unusual
effort for him and was about to turn
away, when an idea struck him and
he turned again to the boy.
t'Where are you fronn?"
"Jawgy."
That settled the colonel.
''Of course you will go with us. I
like to see lads who have got their own
way TO make show independence. so,
to make the thing square, I will hire
you, and tomorrow we will agree On
the terms"
''Than1zy, sir, I'll be glad to go along
O. We on them terms"
The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11
CHAPTER II.

Col. Henry Gregory was the third Of
his name, His grandfather was a Vir~
ginia colonel in the revolutionary war
who had emigrated after the war to
lower middle Georgia and bought an
estate ON which he had lived many
years, dying at a good old age and leav-
ing his large possessions to his only son,
the second Henry,
Henry Gregory, the second, served in
the Creek war under Jackson, but with
that brief exception his whole life was
passed on his plantation, looking after
his crops, managing his negroes and
dispensing liberal hospitality. He
had two children, a son and a daughter,
the daughter dying in her teens; the
son, Henry the third, was appointed
cadet at West Point, graduated fairly
well, served two years on the frontier,
and then, while at home on furlough,
becoming captivated by pretty Martha
Hollins, promptly resigned, married
and settled down. This third Henry
was strong, handsome man, very gen"
erous and liberal, the soul of honor, in
clined to be hasty in temper and totally
lacking in those business qualities
which had enabled his grandfather and
father to accumulate the broad acres
and the two hundred slaves he had in
herited. He was an ease-loving man,
who was happiest when his spacious
mansion was we'll filed with his friends,
very proud in his way and with strong
prejudices, altogether type of the very
best planters of the old regime.
This third Henry had also two chill
dren, son and daughter. Henry, the
fourth, as he was commonly called, was
at the time our story opens a student at
the Virginia military institute, and the
daughter Janet has already been men
toned.
About a year before our story opens,
the colonel being one day in converse
ton with his head man, Uncle Jim, was
informed by that worthy that owing to
the deterioration Of the lands, and the
great increase in the working force on
the place, farming was no longer a
paying business. The colonel had him
self, in hazy sort of way. had an idea
that his financial affairs were not -four
lSluuSs dIu CuClC = ILL oVCAAAOu ~ AAuSA
disturbed over the state Of affairs on
the plantation that he concluded to go
down to Savannah and see his factor.
He was received by his factor, a bland
man, with the usual factorial con-
science, with much urbanity, because
had he not in twenty years made a
handsome fortune out Of Col. Gregory,
and there was not one of his clients
more careless about settlements. The
colonel plunged at once into business.
BARLEY, how do stand financially?'
.sWen, colonel, doyou know that was
just thinking a day or two since that |
had better speak to you. | am really
afraid that your affairs need looking
into closely"
'sWill you make me up statement
to-day?'s'
Now, as matter of fact, the willy
factor had for several days had that
identical statement in his desk, and had
been studying It daily, with . view to
deciding whether the colonel had ~
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-09-30
NEWS IN BRIEF.

1t is reported at Houston, Texas. that
the Southern Pacific railroad purchased
Arkansas Pass road.
-Four persons were killed and one IA
tally injured in windstorm which
swept over Brooklyn and Long Island
city.
The second trial Of Actor M. Il. Cur
tbs at San Francisco for the murder OF
Policeman Grant Il year ago will begin
Nov IA
August Gustafsou of Kewanee, ILL.,,
stepped from d railway track, to avoid
a train, on to another, and was in
stantly killed
Jacob BreitcnStcin, a carpenter, shot
and mortality wounded his wife aud
himself at San Francisco He was
Jealous.
England's cotton spi nners have re-
fused Il per cent reduction proposal
OF the masters. and Il general strife In
the trade may follow.
Speeches dcnouncing the American
government for excluding the Chinese
were made ut the Pan Prcsby terrain
council in Toronto.
The Grssel well in the oil fields near
Portland, Ind. which was expected to
flow oil in large quantities, has proved
to be merely a gas we'll.
The visible supply of wheat in the
United States and Canada last week
increased $500. 600 bushels, and oats
65S, 600 bushels, nut corn decreased
60, 600 bushels.
T. J. Lyons attempted to deliver an
anti Catholic lecture in CHEYENNE,
Wyo, and fight was precipitated Ia
which two men were wounded
Premier Gladstone in the North
American Review answers the argu.
ments of the Duke of Argyle in regard
to home rule and compares the Irish
scheme to colonial antoine my.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-09-30
Fear That War May Result From
Russian Interference in
Behring Sea.
Instructed Only to Make a Pre-
tense Of Selling Amer
lean Vessels.
Very Serious Consequences to
Canada Possible-Treaty
Violation.

OTTAWA, Ont, Sept. 27.-1t is re-
ported here that the captain Of one of
the British Co.umoia sealing vessels
seized by the Russian in Behring sea is
here for the purpose of furnishing the
government with atfidavits of his
seizure and information as to
others; also that he makes the
following statement: Having been
in the Elltic he understands
the Russian language, and while a
prisoner on board Russian gunboat
learned from the conversation and ac-
tons of the Russian officers that they
were instructed to make only pre-
tense of selling American vessels, the
real object being to assert such rights
in Behring sea as would materially as
sist the United States in the approach
ing arbitration. Be this as
it may, cablegrams regarding
these seizures are passing daily
between the British and Canadian gov
ernments, and the sending ola British
gunboat to the scene is regarded as
ominous. The contingency is certain
ly contemplated of a war between
Russia and England, and if these
seizures and consequent violations of
the treaty of 1923 between Russia and
England are regarded as a casus celli,
with the United States assisting Rus
STA, the possible consequences to Cana
da are very serious.