The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-05-22
IN ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

- y - y - Nf~NF~N
Blll Burt rested his horse a moment
at the crest OF a foothll overlooking
Siakevllle. There was yet a glow GA
the top Of the ragged peaks which Was
more than hundred miles from the
Sangrc de Crisio range. bat the twi-
hght had faded In the valley and the
clustered lights Of Statewide glowed
cheerlly In the distance.
Eill Bur, looked long and earnestly
10 the direction OF Statewide. Dis
mounting, he leaned against the
gnarled stump of pine and slowly
hllcd a biackencd briar pipe.
"rherc Is siakcvillc. and It looks
good for a man who has seen nothing
but COW punchcrs and ggcasers Tor six
months" said BILL as he impaicnlly
kicked loose stone ana sent Il III. Nag
down the slope "rhat brightest Hight
there u Tom Carney's joint. Bct .lnt
Tom ~ back Of the bar right this min
ute Can almost smell that hot Scotch.
six monthsg That's q long lime With
cut drink. Bet I'm drunk hfore
midnight"
For half an hour Burt pulled away
silently az the black pipe Ills eyes
were fixed ON S,akeyillc. whose lights
cleaned brighter Ia the gathering dark
ness. hut his mind was on the past. In
memory hr reviewed the last ten years
of his life Thlrty-two years old did
not rest lightly on 1914 Burt True.
tie wcll-hu u shoulders and powerful
limbs showed NO signs at life's dcsper
ate battle. but the black curly hulr.
which fell In abundance from beneath
thc faded s0mhrcro. was ieckcd with
gray and the tanned face was that ~ a
man we'll advanced In the foriics Al
twenty-five. elected by q big majority
I 10 d. punsihlc legal office Ia a p1qu.
luus Eastern city; ai tWeuty-tar q
member Of the legislature aud ono OF
. the ACKNOWLEDGED leaders Of the hoIsn,
ai twenty-five a drunkard aud self
! constituted outcnsi from he stcnri ~
I his early iriumphs. Agar lii"r Burt
was ON the frontier. aud :ir SIX years
lei wild and desperate life aa A cow
/ hoy. pr0sp scior, ranger, guide AMI Tor
several months as faro dealer. lhesc
six yeats had been spent u sug
struggle against whisky. once in reach
of llnu1r. Burt was drunk. SUD MS
he world disappear, and for months
world be- buried on the plains ur IN
the mountains. Here he was safe
When there was no whisky 10 be- had
pill Part had ne desire for 70; hut thf
return 10 eamp or town meant a pro
tracicd dehauch.
'Slx months Is long time" reflected
Elll as be- placed his foot IN the silrrug
and headed his pony toward Siakevlllc
"Mrhhe I've gotten over u. I'll take q
charce anyhow. liui you can bet I'm
not going 20 stay away from any sa
icons or other places of entertainment
on that account. \ man who cant
siard on liquor when he Is stacked ~
against Il might as well quit II I int
| want drink I'm going to take u. II
don't want u there Is no sucker IL
Stakeville can force u down me.
pnl Burt found that he wanted .
drink. aud that he wanted several o
them. Long before midnight be- wal
drunk. ard an hour later celebrated hii
return 10 civlllzn lion by "wlnging' /
man AMI incidentally by demolishin.
part OF the back bar Of Tom Carney
cafe. At the end of week the saving
OF six months hard work had beer
rqunrder,d. rll awokc one mornlnl
fcycrcd. pennllcss and desperate.
There Is nothing In this Kind 81
life Tor me-" said Burt a. lac suryeye,
swollen face and rcd eyes in ih
fragment Of q glass which dec 'rutei
his room In q lodging house. Il Nigh
ns we'll end Il now az any Time"
Iip picked up hia gun and examines
{, carefully. Standing Ia front VI 10
gln =. be- placed the mrzzlc against hl
forehead he hrll ii there q moment
! lost IN thoughi. aud then placed
hack ia his belt.
That's no way Tor a man tn die.
raid Enl ruri. ~ man Is % cowan
90 Kill himself especially when be- Il
h,r,hrsky brute Hike me. How can
tx ~ | have IT, aud Hurt smllc
grimly Il remainder last night tina
rcn,r enc said lilg lake was iu town
+ IalD Is n bully good shot. Gucss ! CA
, nX 20 To have Jake shoot me. II wuul
De- water on his wheel. aud let me on
e. lad joh"
r'g Jake was w town. and Stakevlll
Vas ca It's good behavior 50 FAR as d
VAS concerned. No ole knew ho,
J many mcn big lake had Killed. bu