The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-07-09
A Hcro Though q Coward

Dave was Il coward and he had al
ways borne the reputation OF arrant
cOwartlicc ever since he had awlcd
over the side Of hi, dugOut CRADLE to
wnllnw along with the underiOot world
on the white eand before his parents
cabin ,oor. Though country born and
bred. y passing thunderstorm struck
him with terror, and the sight Of the
bincl5 waters Of the "crick caused q
remarkable agitation OF his knees.
He was Il coward, pure and simple
The brstlng Of II coon routed him un-
condtionully and q deter mined 'pOssum
could rob the hen roost before his very
face. Indeed, Dave was u coward, and
his cousin, Sue Spivey, laughed up
roariousy when the poor follow perpc-
tratcd his initial and only act of boast
ing. He had said to her one day very
solcmniy and no doubt sincerely
Toe purtcc yo' honah an happiness
! ud th'ow away my wuthlCss life.'
ordinarily Dawes speech was unpol-
ishcd and provincial, but on this occa-
sion it rose TO the dignity Of what he
felt the occasion dcmardcd.
Sue knew full we'll his timorous dis
position, and would have thought it
safe to count on his poltroonery in any
event. But day was sadly near which
proved to her the full worth OF the
poor fellows grandiloqucnt assertion.
Long before the late unplcasantncss.
and until this day, uoneypath was
only siding where occasional trains
took water and passed each other.
Two or three log shantics, without
special prctcnsiOns to any architecture
al dissimlarjty, marked the site OF the
town, distinguishing it from the vast
area Of impen ctrablc swamp that
backed it and the arid waste Of sandy
bottom through which the glistening
polished rails of the grand trunk line
writhcd and sinuatcd. Along that
glowing metal highway troops of both
armies passed and rcpasscd, gaZcd
at curiously by the few old women and
senile males left in the village, but OK
citing no other emotion than u blank
curiosity that died out oven before tho
whitc mist Of the linc sand stirred by
the soldiers feet had settled behind
the rctreatng bands.
Dave was :, native OF IIoncypath and
lived with an aged father in one OF the
shanties. Sue dwelt with hcr mother
in another nearby. Dawes father WAS
a hot bloodcd Southcrncr, whose pa
triOtiSm answered to the first call to
u,
the smell OF powder and rcfraincd
from action, prcferring TO suffer tho
opprobriOuS cpithetS which were lib.
orally bestowed upon him and the con-
tempt OF the county generally to facing
he knew not what horror upon the
battlefield. He was not q philosopher
and could not plead in eXtcnuution Of
his neutrality that the martial slaugh-
ter of his brother man was Il crime
and that tho whole sacrifice Of human
life was immoral.
Dave was simply a coward and ac-
ccptcd mcckly. tho obloquy which tho
condition imposed, not even the taunts
and cutting sarcasm OF pretty Sue
Spivcy being able to rouse tho instincts
OF battle in his craven soul.
Before the strife ended Sues mother
WAS gathered to her final rest, being
put cut Of sight in tho little sandy
graveyard, with only the comment of
the two remaining neighbors. And
thCn Dave and Sue tOilcu early and
late III order to wiring from. the starry
lng acres an UNMARRIED livelihood Of
yams, Cornbrcad and bacon, more often
the cornbrcad without the cmbellish.
mcnt OF potatoes and bacon, particu-
larry during the weeks after IL hungry
fol1.ging party PASSED that way.
One day Dave WAS working among
the young potato vines in an open arid
iuld behind the cabin, whom Sue ran
out to him in troubled hastcd
"Oh, Dave, I'm pow 'fuI skcurcd "
she painted.
"Skccrcd o'what?' he asked, with
out intcrmsston Of tho bent labor.
Somc-somc soldiers just went
down the road, an they spoke to me
SISSY like" She hcsitatcd, aud Dave
looked up to see her pretty face scar
let and her brows bent together in
angry lines,
swell, what did they all say" he
demanded, in his accustomed slow
arawl, after waiting in vain for her to
proceed.
"They lowed they all was a-comin'
back"
, Il. rMhe Nh. vas they sSGiii yGai5 now t :" he
lipl5TeGd, uneasily, his faco banching in
anticipation OF the martial visit
an they was five OF en-
"Our fellers? ~ little surprised and
strengthening his back. Come on
back to the house, Sue" and, shoulder
ing his hoe, he trudgcd stolidly on bo.
fore. "Don't you be skecrcd," as they
reached the yard. 81 reckon they
won't do nothin'."
OF the two 1T wopld have been mani
fest to the most casual observer thai
he was the worst "skecrcd," but h,
walked on till they reached the house,
and Sue cried out:
"YOnder they come now-all five"
Dawes face blanchcd to Il sallow
whiteness. but he pulled her quickly
inside tho door.
"What you gwino to do?" She asked
nervously, keeping near her cousin, but
he apparently did not hear. Ho haC
taken down rife that had belonged tt
Sues brother, who had also offered II,
his life on the altar Of the cause, lcav.
ing his weapon to his sister as IL means
of defence In just such emergencies as
this.
"What you gwine to do, Dave 2" the
girl persisted, coming closer and lay
ing hor hand on his arm. Dave SHOOK
several cartridges into the cylinder OF
the rifle, and waiting in silence, appa
rently not aware that Sue had touched
him. Only few moro moments to
wait and then the last act in the com.
monplacc little tragedy. A loud po md
ing at the rickcty cabin door, and a