Breathitt County news. [volume] (Jackson, Ky.) 190?-19??, 1904-04-22
By BOOTH HARRINGTON



During the second month of the new
regime Of the Herald the working force
Of the paper received an addition. One
night the editor found some barroom
loafers tormenting patriarchal old
man who had magnificent head and a
grand white beard. lie had been
thrown ont Of saloon. and he was
drunk with the drunkenness of three
weeks steady pouring. He propped
himself against wall and reproved
his tormentors in Latin. I'm walking
your way Mr.. -Fisbee." remarked the
journalist, hooking his arm into the old
mans. Suppose we leave our friends
acre and go home"
Mr. Tisbee was the one inhabltant Of
inc town possessing an unknown past,
nnd glamour of romance was thrown
about him by the gossips. who agreed
that there was n dark. portentous Sc
cret in his life. an opinion not too well
confirmed by the old mans appearance.
His fine eyes had a habit of wandering
10 the horizon. and his expression was
mild. vague and sad. lost in dreams.
At the first glance one guessed that
his dreams would never he practicable
in their application, and some such inn
preston Of him was probably what
caused the editor of the Herald to nick
name him. in his own mind. "the White
Knight
Mr.. Fisbee. coming TO Plattville from
nobody knew where. had taught in the
high school for ten years. but he proved
quite unable TO refrain from lecturing
To the dumfounded pupils on archa-
ology. neglecting more and more the
ordinary courses OF instruction, grow
ing year by year more forgetful and
absent. lost in his few books and his
own reflections. until at last he had
been discharged for iDcompetency. The
dnzed old man had no money and no
way to make any. One day he dropped
in ut the hotel bar, where Wilkerson.
the professional drunkard. favored him
with his society. The old man under
stood. lie knew il was the beginning
Of the end lie sold his books in order
10 continue his credit Mt the Palace
bar. and once OF twice. unable TO pro
coed TO his own dwelling, spent the
night in "A lumber yard. piloted thither
by the harder veteran Wilkerson.
The morning after the editor took
him home Fisbee appeared at the Her
aid office In new hat and a decent
suit of black. lie had received his sal
airy in advance, his books had been re-
mn I.tu ii a hn
portorial staff of the Carlow County
Herald; also he was TO write various
troatises for the paper, For the first
few evenings when he started home
from the Office his chief walked with l
him. chatting cheerully. until they [
had passed the Palace bar. But Fis-
bees redemption was complete
The editor Of the Herald kept stead
lily, at his work, and as time went on
the bittcrn IS his predecessors swindle |
had left in him passed away. But his
loneliness and Il sense of defeat grew
and deepeped. When the vistas Of the
world ha9 opened to his first youth he
had not thought 10 spend his life in
snch Il place as Plattville, but he found
himself doing II, and it was no great
happiness to him that the Hon. Kedgo
Holloway of Amo. whom the Herald's /
opposition to McCune had sent 10
Washington. came TO depend on his in I
fluence FOR denomination. nor did the /
realization that the editor of the Car.
low County Herald had come To be
ME!nne's successor as political dicta-
feet upon The young man. The years
drifled very slowly. and TO him it seem
ed that they went by while he stood far
aside and could not even see them
move He did not consider the life he
led an exciting one. but the other citi-
zens Of Carlow did when he undertook
a wfr against the White Caps, deni-
zens OF Six Crossroads. seven miles
west OF Plattvillc. The natives We're
much more afraid of the White Caps
than he was They knew more about
them and understood them better than I
he did.
There was no thought of the people
Cf the Crossroads in his mind as he sat
on the snake fence staring at the little
in the June sunshine On the contrary,
he was occupied with the realization
that fliere had been man in his class
ut college whose ambition needed no
restraint. spromise-was so great--in
the strong belief of the university. a be I
lief he could not help knOwiiig-and /
that seven years 10 day from his com /
81. 4
fence rail in Indiana.
Down the pike a buggy came creak-
ing toward BIN. gray with dust, old
and frayed like the fat, shaggy gray
mare that drew IT, her unchecked, de
epondent head lowering before her
while her incongruOus tail waved in
cessantly. Ike the banner of storming
party. The editor did not hear the
flop Of the mae's hoofs nor the sound
of the wheels. SO deep was his rev.
erie. I'LL the vehicle was nearly oppo-
site him. The red faced and perspir-
Ing driver drew rein. and the Journal
fst looked up ana waved long white
and TO him in greeting.
"IIowdy' do. Mr.. HarISlessT' called
the man in the buggy. "Soalxln' In the
weather. lie spoke In shouts, though
neither was hard of hearing.
"Nes, just soaking" answered Hank.
less. Its such a gypsy day. How Is
Mr. BowlderY7
I'm giyin' good satisfaction, thank
you, land all at home. shes in town"
Give Mrs. Bowlder my regards"
said the journalist, comprehending the
symbolism. How is iIartleyr
Tie farmers honest face shaded over
for second. lies ben steady ever
sence the night you brought him home,
Six Mepks slrninhi I'm Lind Of hnth