The Press., 1894-09-06

~N~~- -- ~~-~>" what was the matter with Grimes dazed head, he had an entire monopoly of the complaint. On bright Sunday mornings there was formal service on the parade ground, and plumed heads bowed slightly ill the etiquette of mili- tary devotion. But Father Grimes was as much out of place there as he was at the suffers and stood afar off, failing to understand perhaps what all this had i'll common with camp meeting ill far western Virginia or with such piety and worship as would have been accept able to his fellow believers of the Unit ed Brethren in Christ
 Of course he had littl1 control of the hoydenish Sary. That young woman shared somewhat in the current be- lief regarding her fathers mental con- dition. Living in the same house, they had no companionship, and while she cared for his common wants and daily meals that was the extent, to all ap- pearance, of her interest ill him. He perhaps constituted the sober side of her life. She would have been ready to do battle for him with ready tongue, but
 
 vately regarding him with as much care lessness and half contempt as was pos sible with her knowledge of the fact that he really was her father and she could not help it.
 The incident which placed Father Grimes prominently before the public in new light-an incident all the more remarkable because it was the last i'll his career-came about in this wise: There wandered into Concho a long haired and ambrosial man, who claimed to have been one of those hard riders from the Lone Star State who figured so exten- sively in the cavalry force of the late Confederate army. He was broad shoul- dered, tall, swaggering, of military carriage and claimed to be ''still @ rebel and fighting man, sir. " Now, Hanks was not just Yankee, but he and this child of chivalry soon found means of disagreement upon another matter. The Confederate used often to say that he lid not care profane expletive for Miss Grimes, but he ''made it point to allow no man to stand before him ill the graces of Twin woman, sir. " So ill a few weeks Hanks and he looked askance at each other, and finally refused to play poker at the same table and avoided mutuality ill bibulous exercises by common consent. The wicked Sary, gifted with peculiar insight into such matters, fattered the new beau and smiled upon him with beams particular ly bright, albeit she divided her favors and gave Hanks enough to keep him alive to the stature and strength of his rival, and the dangers arising from de- lay and absence These things did not pass unnoticed by the others, and keen lookout was maintained for the hour when the difficulty should culminate The patient sitters upon benches and the industrious carvers of deal boxes kept the two men ill sight and watched them with an eye to being present when the time came. They discussed the chances among themselves, much as they dis cussed the projected race for 300 yards between Hopkins bald face and the spotted pony. They knew Hanks, and generally considered him the better man. There was a slight inclination to prejudice against the Confederate per haps. "He's full O brag," they remark ed "Hain't seen his grit yet.''
 One night Father Grimes sat in the inner room of his poor house. The cot ton cloth which did duty as glass puffed in and out ill the window frame, and the "grease dip" burned yellow and dim on the edge of it's broken cup. There was the usual chatter and coarse laugh ter in the outer room, and he knew that the Confederate and Sary were there This gallant gentleman was in his, best mood that night, and the laughter of the girl and the mans tone of light raillery reached Grimes wakeful ears l with annoying distinctness The old man sat in his bent posture near the light and studied out the words of big worn volume upon his knee. His griz- zled hair lay in tangled confusion upon his neck, and as he stumbled through the sentences he spelled and whispered the words to himself The night was his enemy and torment. He was passing the dull time of age and affiiction, and, withal, gathering comfort from the only book he possessed or needed. It was no 
 It is said to have been the Bible.
 Presently the outer door opened, and with a gruff salutation Hanks entered His arrival from his last drive could not have been more than an hour ago. He had not wasted time ill paying his re- spects. He sat down at the rude table and looked at Sary and her companion. That Hanks was in an ugly humor was quite evident. It was equally evident that he was bent upon the operation known among his kind as 'pickin a fuss" He did not attempt to conceal his feelings and glowered at his rival and still sat silent. The dark purpose of the border rowdy was in his eye, and the jealousy and anger of all his lawless kind was apparent ill the studied delib- erateness of all his actions The other looked at him with a cool grin of def- ance At meeting of this kind two such men have little need of tongues Presently the late conner rose slowly, moved his chair and sat down almost in front of his rival The old man in the inner room heard the movement and started and listened, closing his book. Having thus changed his posi- tion, Hanks placed his hands upon his knees, looked his rival obtrusively in the face and calmly remarked:
 'I shouldn't wonder, mister, eff l thought you was low down kind of a cuss.''
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