The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-10

sweetheart and running away With her to
Europe.
~
While the hrst few chapters are cleyerly
written to Introduce the divorce and Sec
ond marriage upon which the plot de-
Ponds, the real interest Of the book begins
with the arrival OF the hero, Roy Hillard,
in West Texas. where. with the dauntless
spirit OF "briar- breaker"--a local name
for the hardy pioneerhe sets to work to
wrest living from the soil. The story's
title Is explained in this passage
The public lands OF Texas, free from
the earliest times of cattle roaming
over them. we're offered 10 the early
sos for sale These rich and fertile
acres we're eagerly bought, the pur-
chasers being generally men OF great
wealth. and many or them strangers
VINO had no interest In claims and
communities already existing. The
building OF wire fences 10 inclosc vast
tracts OF these newly acquired lands
had now been going steadily fol ward
Tor moro than year There
was certain recklessness In tho pro-
ceediDg--a disregard both OF possible
ownership and property--which ex-
cited profound indignation. In some
quarters the public roads and familiar
by-ways were closed UP; many small
freeholds belonging to fhe poorer men
we're fenced in; even larger places
were practically barred from COM
munication with the common Highway.
But. worst OF ALL the water supply,
scarce at all times In this region, was
In many instances cut If; springs.
ponds and water holes were rnged
about with the formidable wire. Some
times this was legitimate proceeding
on the part OF the new owner; some
times It was the ignorant or the Will
full misconception OF an agent or
squad of workmen. Thousands of cat
tie had already persisted, but the in
dignant remonstrances of the people
we're met with indifference or con-
tempt.
These sturdy Texans, who had been
wrestling all their lives with the ele-
ments. the climate and the soil, were not
men to submit tamely to the loss OF hard
won prosperity. The meek doctrine OF
the non-resistance did not appeal to their
minds and they proceeded to take the law
into their own hands. Immediate action
was necessary to save the perishing cattle.
Roy Hillard was among the leaders in this
but would have checked the
wire-cutting after II had opened the water
ways to the suffering stock. Here the
author shows that she understands the
rural community. The bob wire war,
begun as stern necessity. was continued
as a means of excitement. 1t furnished a
needful element OF sensation in lives that
knew more OF toll than diversion. With
the fickleness of the mob Hillards fol-
lowers deserted him when he attempted
to preach moderation, and allied them
selves with dangerous leader. who had
no interests at stake in the community.
and encouraged the wire-cutters in sheer
lawlessness as an amusement for himself.
~
The Mesquit Creek nelghborhood fur
nishes such rustic types as the author
has already made famlliar--near relatives
Of Nanny Guyger, jimmy Trlmble and
Newt and his gaunt helpmate. Prominent
among these is Billy Crouch, a pioneer Of
note who dwells in a two story house, "a
circumstance which gave the family a GER
tain distinction among their friends and
Still there are some who
the arrangement unnatural, not
to say iniquitous," Mrs. Green Parsons
severely, "one room on top
Of another amt no better than one room
the postmaster OF the settlement; manipu-
Iating with great dignity tho candle box
sacred to postofilce affairs which is
showed under his bed when not called into
play by the eXlgencies of the bi-weekly
mail, Billy is also politician, but pre-
Iers national to local politics. as affording
4 wider scope for his soaring wisdom,
There is nothing that he does not feel him
self competent to explaln--from the tariff
% the new bill agin three-cent postage
stamps" BillyJs hard working wife and
ong-legged daughter. Lorena, are also
Instinct figures.
Another member Of the group is Amen
5agley, distinguished by his 'inveterate
habit of wearing a coat" The author
lids. But he was much respected in the
community" In the person of crofa. tho
hlmney builder, we'll digger and grave
ligger of the settlement we have one OF
hose queer characters so often encount-
red in rural districts. II is apropos OF
he attraction felt by animals and children
oward this man that the author makes
he Just comment: These, by the way,
lave apparently no sense OF what we call
,eauty-that fairness and proportion of
orm and feature which makes the exter-
or attractive, and by which we. confessed
y, are sometimes deceived, The dog fol-
owing his hunehbacked master with In
devotion; the child pressing
is blooming cheek to a Scared and with
red bosom, or cooling oaresslngly into
nonstrous black fnce--such things prove
hat there is subtle divlnatlon in un-
sophisticated creatures which reaches
beneath the envelope of flesh and finds
omethIng which more perverted eyes can
lot see"
The story is certainly the best thing
Mrs. Davis has ever written. 1t abounds in
irsmatic situations, aud is bright in dla-
ogue and graphic in description. The su,
hor shows a marked ingenuity in the
development OF the story, and while the
'rding is not what the reader expects OF
iesires, Il is all the more startling Oh