The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-01-27

A Story OF Texas and Unlcoi County, Ten
nessee.

Democaat.
81 was sheriff of one of the border
counties of Texas from ~ to '84, and I
saw quite lot of things worth seeing" ;"
remarked Colonel Ben Harris, of San
Antonio, one afternoon recently, as he
leaned his chair back in tho shade in
front of the Binkley House of this town.
81 had several little experiences that |
didn't think much of at the time, but
that almost take my breath away when
[ think of them now. l dent know
how happen to be alive today, unless
its true, as they say, that there is some
kind of special providence over children
and fools. saw good many things
that would do to laugh at-afterward,
and good many that would do to cry
over. Many time I've had to go to
some fellow that was leading a quiet,
honest, respectable life in this western
country, and jerk him up and send him
back east, because he'd killed some fel-
low or robbed some bank, or something
of that kind. I never could feel sure
that it was quite right to break up
happy, peaceable home this way, no
matter what the fellow might have done
back east, and
ALWAYS FELT BLAMED SORRY
when it had to be done. I don't think
that ever in all my life felt any sor-
rier for poor fellow, though, than I
did for old man Rob Dixon"
"Tell us about it, Colonel" asked
several of the hotel loungers in chorus.
"Well, I don't know but will, ~ re-
piled the Colonel, meditatively. "Aside
from its pathetic aspect the story has
several features I never knew to be
duplicated. If you don't like the story
yeu'll at least say that you never knew
another like it. Dixon was about the
peaceablest, mild-mannered old fellow
| ever saw. He had come from the
mountains of Unicoi county, in East
Tennessee, and his whole appearance
and demeanor was that of the typical
Tennessee mountaineer. He talked in
a long, slow drawl, and had a most de-
cided talent for taking life easy, There
was something pathetic in the indolent
stoop of his long, lank form that went
far toward winning the hearts of us COW
fellows for him. True, he worked hard
in his way, but it was hopeless, dis
pirited way, as if he knew he was fated
not to succeed, and was only trying to
keep up appearances. His partner was
another mountaineer, brawny
YOUNG FELLOW NAMED sNEED.
who had considerable more push than
Dixon, but still never seemed to catch
on to the Texas way of doing things.
He took care Of Dixon, fought for him
once or twice, and looked after his in.
terests in general. The two were very
generally well liked, but the older man
was the more popular of the two. Oh
course, they didn't prosper very much
financially. Luck was against them
Luck generally is against people who
try to do business in Texas in back
state way. After awhile the old mans
health broke down. Then the hot winds
struck the little patch where they wert
trying to raise Texas cotton in Tennes
see fashion and ten days later they
didn't have any cotton. Then the Texa
fever broke out among the longhorl
steers they were trying to raise lik
mountain oxen. and after that they hat
mighty few cattle of any kind. FINAL,
We got tired of seeing the old fellow i
such bad way and so lot of the fel
lows from the ranches agreed to raise
purse of money and send him back t
his old mountain home. The commit
tee appointed to inform him of thi
fact found him
Q SICK AND LYING ON THE FLOOR
OF his mmesirable shanty with Snee
g sitting by his side and holding HI
hand.
"'Air you uns a-goin' to send hil
back with me?" asked the old mai
raising up on one elbow and glancin
y at Sneed.
Him? Not much, snorted tt
IS spokesman. He's young and stror
and able to work for himself We Te.
ans helps fellows that can't help then
!, selves
" Marry step do / go without him
N replied the old man, settling dow
s again, and no argument could bud:
him from this resolve. After some
., effectual attempts in this direction Il
!. committee went off and left him.
Some days after this Sneed came i
to my Office in the courthouse to beg
3 short extension of the time for payil
a. the few dollars OF taxes he owed t
: county. He seemed very much d
IN pirited, and in order to cheer him ur
m little I spoke of the DEVOTION the 0
u man had shown toward him. Ton
surprise, instead of appreciating IL
reference he laughed bitterly, and
timated that the old fellows feeliI
:" " might not be altogether unselfsh.
W W rsproached him for saying this, aft
DixoA had refused to go home witho