The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-01

| youth- Some few remember today how he
went about Kentucky with two revolvere
at his side and talked abolition. and how
his gun had more than once belched forth
deadly fire.
In his old age he thought to take the un-
tutored child. educate her and some day
make her his wife. He bought her toys.
secured governess and teacners- Tne
child longed for the hills. She cared not
for books, but he thought he could make
a graf lady of her, and watched her de-
veiopment as q gardener watches the
growth of rare exotic which he expects
to blossom out into q prize beauty.
Little Dora ran away, but he enticed her
back. She poked the eyes out OF a. oeauu-
full French doll he gave her. Sac threw
books at the music teachers. Then the
old man decided to marry her.
A STRANGE HONEYMOON.
| After the wedding he tried TO teach her
himself. He told her about the history OF
the great country ne was so closely identi-
fed with. Only about month ago he
came to Cincinniti and went home loaded
| with playthings. He took hers a vo.iin,
mandolin. music in plenty. and talked to
mis- friends of how he was going to make
q great lady OF his little doll wife,
Dora laughed at him. She hated the
books and tore them to bits. She couldn't
learn to play the musical instruments and
broke them into small pieces. In the mean
time runners had reached the old mans
ears of certain escapedes during his abb
sence in Cincinnati.
| Nance Biggerstaff, the daughter OF a
neighbor, came to Whitehall to keep Dora
company Nance was fond Of the boys,
and they used to call round O. nights.
There was Jod.e Phelps and Dan Tudor and
Rob White and several more. Then the
grim old rafters rang with merry laughter.
and the stern visages Of Clays long de-
parted glared down from their frames In
silent reproach.
A HIDDEN ROMANCE.
Lying on a cot in the little hut where
Dora is at present staying with her brother
Clell IS young William Bryant He at
tempted to commit suicide last Monday by
swallowing dose of poison, but his life
was saved, and now he is being nursed
back to health by little Dora.
That there is a romance concealed In
the lives of the boy and girl there can be
doubt. Bryant's sister married Clell Rich
ardson, Dora's brother, and the two had
been constantly thrown together. About
a year ago he visited Dora at Whitehall,
and the General thereaened to shoot him
If ne returned. The boy refused to tell me
why he had tried to kill himself, and when
] asked him IL II wasn't about Dora he
blushed to- the roots of his hair.
"Why did 1 leave Whitehall?" Dora said
In reply to my question. Cause want to
see the world; cause 1 want to have some
one to talk to. ! hate old books Yes. sir,
Mr.. Clay was good to me. He got me the
prettiest doll-it was sent from Paris-ard
when he was in Cincinnati he got me
mandolin and a harmonica- Oh, 1 have
lot of nice. things! But guess am hap
pier here"
There Is something pathetic in the ming
led grief and rage Of the deserted old hus-
band. Barricaded in his house against
fancied foes, he wanders about, sleeping
each night In different room, with his
hand constantly on his revolver or his
knife.
OLD MANS vAGARIEs.
He tells himself how he has had to get
guards to protect his life; how he has
cannon fixed so that it can be moved from
room to room; that the house had been
built as fort for. protection against Ku-
Klux, and he would hold it against all en-
enies. No one can learn about any ene-
mics seeking the old mans life. and still
he barricades himself. surrounded by
mountaineers all of whom have records as
"kllers."sT
The old man was leaning over child
chair when I was ushered into his pres
ence. He caressed it as he spoke. Dora
sat in 1t when she first came to White
hail. he said 'iNo matter what fate may
decree, the chair is, hallowed by her pres
ence. have done all could. The world
may scoff or jest; it was my affair. My
conscience is clear. Here you see me II
sorrow. I am alone, alone in the world.
Enemies surround me at every hand. My
eyes are failing; but they shall not kill
me. This house is a fort; it can be held
agairs. an army of men,"
In the little hut down the mountain side
Dora, the child-wife, bends tenderly over
the figure of her boy lover. And the world
wonders how it will all end.
General Clay fancies that another of Do
ra's brothers, William Richardson, is in
fiuencing her against returning TO White
hall. He has offered William 500 to leave
the country. The offer was rejected, and
the old man has expressed his determina-
tion to shoot him on sight. Dora says that
William is in no sense responsible for her
actions,