Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-08-28
fighting a splendid fght-at the
edge Of a mountain stream.


edge Of a mountain stream.
To some men life is a continual
nagging skirmish; to others 1t issa
single decisive engagement won or
lost; to still Others, and these are
legion, life is a long, drowsy sum-
mer camp. The men who deserve
the medals Of honor are the hard
and haggard fellows on the skirnish
line who have to fight to live, who
get their training under fire, who
keep the small of their backs to the
fields they have won and who make
the history for the campers to read.
The second class have mortal forces
superior to their infrmities. They
surround their natural enemies in
the beginning and slaughter them
once and for all. These men are to
be praised They are also to be en-
We'd for the admirable balance Of
brain and sinew which their fathers
gave them. They are the successful,
the happy, the admired, men. But
the evil Instruction within them
was never whole hearted nor unkill-
able.
But YOU want a hero? Go, pick
one from the lean, painting, worried
fellows who are forever on the Skin
mish line, whose foes are themselves.
These have mighty virtues, but their
weaknesses are mighty too. These
know no peace. Their foes are as
stubborn as the incoming tide, as
virile as poison, as relentless as
granite. \ man indeed is he who
Systematically starves a host of ugly
passions.
In the last month big Darby made
many trips up the trail to the shack
of Marie and her mother, and Juan,
the poor Porto Rican peon, clutched
at the belief with all his simple mind
that the white man was an angel
from heaven, and because it was the
right way. because he had made up
his mind, Trooper Darby had
strength to lead Marie into the right
way. When ne journeyed to San
Juan TO get his finals cashed, all the
American soldiers in the capital city
were talking about a new war in
China. Big Darby took no drink,
though there was much money in his
pocket On the way back to Coroxal
he wondered if the war in China
would mean much action.
1t was evening when he walked
up the trail, and by his side wa:
the old priest of the district. Silent
ly they walked together upward
upward toward the heights. Marie
was there, Juan was there, and il
the doorway the old mother sat in
the deepening twilight mumbling
old refrains.
The moon beamed down upon the
mountain tops, while the priest ut.
tered softly the words of the old
old story, and the moon played il
the depths of the running rivers anC
whitened the great cliffs-and tn,
soul of one of Uncle Sans cavalry
men. When it was all over, bis
Darby paid the priest and placed ;
roll in the trembling hands of Juan
the poor OK driver fortune away
up IN the mountains Of Porto Rico
where pennies are dollars.
Then big Darby kissed Marie, tn,
bride-for the first time-and hel(
her fast in his arms an instant, be
cause she was sobbing a little. Their
he FASTENED down the trail to tn,
town-for the last time-and at tn,
canteen he bought round of drink
for the boys and told them that h,
would start for the States in a cou
pie of days to enlist in one of tn,
new cavalry regiments which wer,
being equipped for Chinese service
-Pittsburg Dispatch