Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-07-20

his thought in his drunken features.
At times he seemed tempted to shoot
NE through the glass and again. he
remembered apparently that 1Rs
boy, and that to kill me would Sc a
little out of his line, and could do him
little good
AS before, kept my eyes ON him,
and every eye in the schoolhons0 was
fixed with mine on that pane Of glass.
His curiosity soon overcame him. and
ne came in again, apparently little
good nature by the fresh air. And
found means about that timetto lraw
my lecture to a close.
In that part of Kentucky the min
listers descend after q service, and the
people come forward and shake hands
with them. I was 8 sort OF Ire vet
minister, and the pre.c..es at [
stepped down. The first man to come
up and extend his hand. which he did
with swagger, was Seagrayes
/ took the hand which he extended,
and asked, "Will you tell me your
name, sr:'
He told me his name with emphasis
aud evident pride
"Do you live about here. Mr.. Sea
graves2" ! asked. It was stupid
enough question, but it was ali that |
could think to ask. To my si1lprlse
it abashed him. He felt an apparent
humiliation that lie had left it posi-
bic for any man to enter Jackson
l.,
Turning on his heel, he went out
Ny friend, the minister, got to-
gether group Of people TO walk with
us to our stoppin place aIc protect
me in case Of need. We passed the
rutfian, who was watching. for us in
the shadow Of the school aouse. and
his attitude and growing curse con
vinced my friends that he precau-
tlons were not unnecessary.
BY the time Pa! had tax Ell one OF
two additional drinks, he appeared to
repent of having let me off 80 easily,
and came galloping upto tl e log house
where we were entertained. I had
gone to bed and was ma king some
mental calculations Of the thickness OF
the walls when | heard his voice.
Z My landlord went ont &c the fence
and reasoned with him. Pal,lemanded
that ''the preachers should k,e brought
out. He wanted to see both of them.
If we did not come olt. he Ould come
III and fetch rs oat. And there was
more talk Of this sort. empf lasized now
and then by the firing Of bullet over
the house
My host pleaded the laws that govern
hospitality, and seem ed t % be urging
= .-~,-&7, =: ~t~---~tlHn nf nv
duct Somewhat lnollifi' d, Pal at last
rode off, and as the light of the new
day was coming III, [ cea sed to wonder
il he wonld return ag ain and fei.
asleep.
That was tne last .i1le ] saw Pal
Seagraves: bat I was .c Id q year age
that he has settled do wn into shift
less farmer. and ride Oh his raids no
more About three years since. his
nerve shaken and his aim less true.
he found him self with empty pistols
looking into the loaue q barrel of a re-
volver III the hands Of younger and
eqnally desperate man, aud gained his
life b- the hardest begging upon MS
i1nees.
The stock IN trade OF such a des-
perado IS chiefly the fear which his
lame excite> The power oe his name
10 frlghten once broken. his poor.
snaIn courage cozes ont, an 1 he stands
confessed co ward | never knew a
rufian who had not IL hii, some patent
elements Of cUgardice. The swagger-
inS and hustel Of the & sporadic rarely
30 with true courage. whlch. as ! have
! seen 1t. Is aln>os uniformly modest
and at the root, moral
Now. they told me, "Anybody can
klck Pal Seaeraves around" and
when a light t egins, and YOU see a
man going tiroG gu the brush TO where
he's tied his horse, and hitting the
road right Iively-that's Pal.''-
Youths Companion.