The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-10-15

sparkling snow. On left and right
were stretches timbered with the
sturdy pines that struggled like an
army over plain and hill, and sent
vanguard up the mountain from whose
farther timber line it seemed to signal
to the troops below. In front lay the
river coiling like q twist of silver
braid, and farther on the everlasting
hills rose, height on height, to pierce
the perfect azure of. the sky.
Two men stood III this amphitheatre
of the north, their rough and bearded
faces turned toward each other as they
had been turned in the cradle swaying
on a cottage veranda SO many years
ago. Their eyes flashed like steel to
steel in the morning light, and their
lips were set in lines never seen by
those two waiting mothers.
cts the only way out of it." said
one, at last, doggedly; as if to bring
to close long and useless argu-
ment. eve didn't come here to meet
each other, and the place isn't big
enough to hold us both. We've both
struck it rich, aud Nell Ransom owns
us and our mines. One can go back
to herewith all the gold of both"
The other finished the sentence:
"The pistol shall decide which one
it shall be-"
Calmly the men paced the distance
and took their places, the revolvers
catching each added CLEAN that
faltered through the pines against the
eastern sky.
"One!" and the line of light rose
to the level of those strong, barred
bOsOms.
"Wait a minute, boys! Wait q
minute"
An old miner stepped out of the
thicket and walked leisurely between
the duelists. He was known to botE
men as a quaint character of their owr
village, q man who had been among
the defeated goldseekers of 40 ant
80. He had struck camp but the da.
previous to this meeting.
'I've ben watchin' We a leetle
boys" he said. 81 amt said much
but I've KEEP a-thinkin.' I know
young blood, an 1 calc'lated it wa
Just about time fur it to bile over; bu
I've got powder to cool it."
He lighted his pipe and pufed medi
{ tatively.
The young men turned angrily.,
ooh, ye needn't get riled, now,
he continued, pulling fine grass an
cleaning his pipe-stem with it, "but
. reckon there amt either one of y
q mean enough to fight over anothe
] mans wife!"
4 He stopped and looked at the rival
sidewise; the words had gone home.
+ 81 calc'late We don't git the paper
regular here; trains is sometimes late
i We know; bein' there amt no track
fur 'em to run on, an like as not 'ye
- mail amt real prompt, an ye don
use yer dust fur telegraphin' when J
amt got no lightnin' chained. S
IS p'r'aps ye don't know that that gal
d Ransom's- there, stand still an G
@ with yer shootin lis married"
+ Two lines OF. light sank sudden
n downward as the pistols fell with IL
r nerveless hands. The old man saw
k with twinkle of his faded eyes.
J. "That's right, boys; now come her
l. and III tell you about it."
# Slowly and with shamed fac
r Sidney Harper and Charles Paxtt
IS drew near and heard the old minel
Q story.
@ eyes" he said, after the whole hi
l. been recited, "she married no-a
" count Teller, an has taken him hor
y, to the old folks. She wasl
s never with dyin' fur lads; but VIII
Il, I came away 1 seen two other vii
to min wuth livin' fur. They're ava
ly in on their cottage porches now
I've seen 'em sit for 80 years. On
y, them babies, them NIUE suaFeis VII
W, E'uster hold an cuddle in their arl
nd amt there; they"
"Stop! God bless you, you
le meddler-"
It. One man spoke, but the othe
a. eyes made answer.
le "Those are the women we'll l.
III for and care for and go home to SET
nSS And, single file, with strange n
o9 looks the men went back to camp
eo Grace D, Boylan, in the Brook
Standard Union.
i'm Quaint Old Curacao.
at Curacao is o Dutch colony, and
gh quaintest little island in the wo1
I'd, It is not bigger than the District
iii n.1,.,I;o INIT hoo obout 40 00O