Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-26
The REDEEMING ACT.

y
WAYS borne the reputation OF arrant
cowardlce ever since he had crawied
over the side Of his dugout cradle TO
wnllow along with the underfoot world
on the white sand before his parents
Goblin door. Though country born and
bred, passing thunderstorm struck
him with terror and the sight OF the
black waters OF the 'cricls'' caused a
remarkable agitation OF his knees He
was a coward, pure and simple. The
bristling OF coon routed him uncon-
ditlonally and n determined 'posaum
could rob the hen roost before his very
face. Indeed, Dave was a coward and
his cousin. Sue Splvey laughed up
roarously when the poor fellow per-
petrated Ills initial and only act OF
hoasting. He had said TO her one day
very solemnly and no doubt sincereiyi
Toe purtec' yo' honnh an happiness
I'D th'ow away my wuthieas lifc.r
Ordinarily Dawes speech was un-
polished and provincial, hut on this oc-
casion It arose to the dignity OF what
he felt the occasion demanded
Sue knew full well his timoroua dis
position, and would have thought II
safe to count on his paltroonery IN any
event. But a day was sadly near which
proved TO her the full worth OF the
poor fellows grandiloquen, assertion
Long before the late unplensantness.
and until this day. Honeypath WAS only
n siding where occasional trains took
water and passed each other. Two or
three log shanties, without special pre-
tensions to any architectural cissinil-
ority. marked the site Of the town, dis
tinguiHhlng II from the vaat area OF
impenetrable swamp that backed II
and the arid waste of sandy bottom
through which the giistening polished
rails OF the grand trunk line writhed
and sinuated. Along this glowing
meta, highway troops OF both armies
nasred and repnssed gazed at cuiiously
by the few old women and senile males
lert N the village, but exciting no other
emotion than a blank curiosity that
died out even before the white mist Of
fine sand. stirred by the soldiers feet,
had settled behind the retreating
bands.
Dave was n native Of Honeypath and
lived with an aged father in one OF the
shanties. Sue dwelt with her mother In
another near by. Dawes father was a
| hot-biooded Southerner, whose patriot
ism answered TO the first call TO arms,
but Dave was timid. fearful of the
smell of powder and refrained from nc
tlon, preferring to suffer the onpro-
brions epithets which were literally be-
slowed upon him and the contempt Of
I the country generally TO facing he knew
not what horror upon the battlefield. He
was not q philosopher and could not
/ plead extenuation OF his neutrality
that the martial slaughter Of his broth
| err man was a crime and that the whole
| sale sacrifice of human life was i'm
moral Dave was simply coward and
accepted meekiy the obloquy which Tho
condition imposed, not even the taunt'
/ and cutting sarcasm OF pretty sue
| Spivey being able TO rouse tho instincts
of battle In his craven soul.
Before the strife ended sues mother
l. -. lnV aEf
put out OF sight in the little sandy
graveyard, with only the comment OF
the two remaining neighbors. And then
Dave and Sue toiled early and late
in order to wiring from the starving
acres an UNMARRIED livelihood of yams
cornbread and bacon. more often the
cornbread without the establishment
OF potatoes and bacon. particularly
during the weeks after n hungry for
aging party had passed that way.
One day Dave was working amonf
the young potato vines In an open. arid
field behind the cabin, when susan
ran out to him In troubled haste.
"oh. Dave, I'm pow'ful skeeredF ph'
painted.
.'Skeered o. what?" he asked. with
out intermission OF his bent labor.
"Some-some soldiers Just went down
the road. an they spoke to me-sassy
like"
She heuitated, and Dave looked up tc
see her pretty face scarlet and hei
brows beut together in angry lines.
well. what did they all sayr' HI
demanded I'm his accustomed SLOW
drawl. aftst waiting In vain for her tt
proceed.
"They 'Iwed they-all was a-comin
back
''Who W = hoy. anyhow he asked
uneasily. his, brow blanching in antici'
| alton Of Tho martial visit
They was Mosby's men. / lowed. an
they was i've OF en-"
our fellers7' q little surprised and
strengthening his back. Come on back
to the house Sue" and. shoulderlnE
his hoe. he trudged stolidly ON before.
they reached the yard. Il reckon they
won't do nothin'."
OF the two II would have been mani
fest to the most casual observer that
lie was the worst ''skeered.' but he
walked on till they reached tho house
and Sue cried out:
"Yonder they come now-ail ive OF
'em.'
Dawes face blnncheG to a sallow
whiteness. but he pulled her quickly
inside the door.
what you gwine to dor Sue asked
nervously, keeping near her cousin. but
he apparently did not hear. He had
#
to Sues brother. who had allo offered
up his life ON the altar OF the cause,
leaving his weapon TO his sister as a
means OF defense in Just such emersen-
cies as this.
what you gwine to do. DRve?' the
girl persisted, coming closer and lay
Ing her hand on his arm. Dave shook
several cartridges Into the cylinder OF
tho winchester and waited in silence.
apparently not aware that Sue had
touched him. Only a few moments
more to wait and then the last act In
the commonplace little tragedy. A
loud pounding at the rickety cabin
door and derisive. imperative voice
| demanding:
IN. in there. open up or we'll make
spilnters OF yer oil door, The threat
WAS garnlshed by several strong ex-
pletives and accompanied with more
vicious pounding.
Then for answer went the spiteful
snap OF the Winchester, followed by
a surprised howl OF pain, more voluble
profanity and footsteps IN rapid re-
treat.
Dave went to the window and
through Il lSnothoie IN the shutter re-
viewed the situation OF the enemy
Then through tho aperture the rine
again spoke. with decisive leaden
emphasis, and when the smoke cleared
away the man inside beheld one Of
The besiegcrs lying prone across the
freshly heed potato rows. while another
iimped painfully In the rear OF the