Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1897-08-07
CAPTAIN CLOSE
ny CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
lcopyrishs 1894. By J. q. Appinoott Col
V.--CoNTINUED.


was remarkable. The knot Of civilis,
listeners, who had come to get such fu'
out of the situation rs tho circum
stances would permit and who ha'
been indulging In no little half-stihe,
laughter. were evidently amazed at thi
new side to the Yankee officers char
acter, and stood silent and decidedly up
prcciative listeners to his denunciatioI
OF the luckless Parmelec. The soldiers
who had for some months been tasting
the comforts Of military service unde
civil control, and trudgirg all owe
Chittomingo county day In and day out
on the mysterious mission Of SERVING
process" were evidently tickled tina
their commander should Mt last hav,
seen for himself what they had NOR,
than half suspected all along-thnt
Parmelee was an arrant coward, who
had held his position and made his
record for efficiency in enforcing the
laws only when big squad Of regulars
was at his back.
As for Lambert, whose sole knowl-
edge OF affairs in the south was derived
from the accounts published in the
northern journals and inspired almost
without exception by "carpet-bag" poll.
ticians, and who fully expected to find
himself pitted against determined ar
ray Of ex-confederates engaged in the
slaughter Of federal officials, white and
black. the young New Highlander be-
gan to look upon the whole affair rs
another practical joke devised by his
new associates simply ito test his grit
or gullibility." This, at least, was his
first impression, until the sight Of the
main body Of the company swinging
into the square under command Of the
first sergeant, and another look at
Closes burning brown eyes and Parme-
lees hangdog face convinced him that
SO far rs they were concerned there
was no joke.
But how about the chuckling natives
now augmenting their number every
moment? Certainly there could be no
doubt us to the contempt they felt for
"the squire" as they facetiously termed
Parmelec, or the ridicule which Closes
appearance lad excited until he had
well-nigh finished his denunciation Of
the civil officer. Then for an instant
there was almost ripple of applause.
They watched him MS. in his uncouth,
ill-fitting, unsoldierly gnrb, the COM
mander strobe angrily back and be-
gan searching the wall and window
shutters Of the Jail for signs Of bullet
marks.
Meantime. gradually recovering con-
fidencc or hope, the besieged in the Gel
lar Of the Westinghouse began to par
ley. The bell ceased ringing, and hum
bic voices were heard asking who were
outside. A brusquc order in Closes
gruffest tones TO "Come up out OF that
hole and account for your prisoners"
seemed to cause unlimited joy. There
was sound Of unbarring doors and
scrnmbing on wooden stairs, and pres
emily the portals opened an inch or
two and cautious peeps were taken.
The sight OF the blue uniforms was
enough. The defenders, white and col
orcd, to the number of six, dusty but
uninjured, came gladly forth into the
afternoon sunshine. by CAD, fellows,
we had hard work standin' off that
crowd till you come" began the fore
most, another Of the Parmelee type.
"Thcre must ha' been half Chittomingo
county in here, and the bullets few
like"
But here guffaw Of derisive laughter
from across the street, the crestfallen
face of Parmclee, and the quizzical grin
on the sun-tanned features Of the SOL
diers. put sudden check to his flow Of |
words. There stood Close, glowering at |
him.
"Flew like what, you gibberin' idiot? |
The only bu!let-hole in the hull square
that hasn't been here for six weeks Is the |
one in that wuthless mule there. You
dam towards ran for shelter an let
your pris'ners loose; that's plain rs
the nose on your face. don't care
for the pris'ners-that's your business;
but what l wants our mule. Lieut..
he continued, addressing his
silent junior. "I'm rs ready rs any man
10 fight for the flag. but for six months
now I've been sittin' here furnishin'
posses to back up these fellers maxim
arrests oil over the country, because
them was my orders. haven't seen
\ niger abused. haven't seen the
uniform insulted. / haven't seen n sign
II kuklux; nothin' but some contra
band stills. I've obeyed orders an
helped 'cm to make arrests OF people
don't personally know nothin' about,
IN you see for yourself they dasn't lift
hand to hold 'em. I'm tired O. backin'
Up such gang Of towards, an don't
are who knows II. March the men
Jack to camp, sir. I'm goin' after that
mule"
VI