The Washington herald., 1907-08-18

Eugene P. Lyle has followed up his
very successful first novel. THE Mis-
sourian," with an equally romantic and
adventurous tale, The Lone Star" whose
subject appeals still more strongly to
every American. II IS an epic Of the
Southwest and stirs the blood irreslsti-
bly,, this dramatic story; and the reader
understands for the first time what kind
Of men Houston and Crockett and Bowie
and their companions really were. and
what the Alamo tragedy meant. 1t is,
indeed, a star cast which Mr.. Lyle pre-
sents in his book
History was certainly lavish with her
star cast in this Texan drama. furnished.
nearly every one Of them, by history.
Lyles pen pictures Of these heroes are
remarkable. He has the faculty Of put
ting with a few unerring strokes. the
whole picture upon his canvas; Of pre-
senting not merely a figure, but condi-
tions. an epoch. Nan is not merely the
heroine Of a charming romapce. She is
Texan womanhood itself. In a couple Of
paragraphs We see. and. moreover, know
Santa Ana, a man, OF rather man
devil. and knowing him. we understand
the whole spirit Of Mexico as she was
under his mesmeric spell
Bowie a Daredevil.
There was that wild daredevil Bowie.
the d'Artagnan IN the flesh. If ever there
was one. Nothing short Of odds, and big
odds. could ever arouse him to q state Of
perfect happiness. Here is a pen picture
Of Bowie as he was first seen by the hero
Of The Lone star" in the famous Duel
Of the Sandbar:
a lean, 1.-THE, heavy-boned p3trician
was swaying sullenly. He had curly red
dish hair and sideburns. one hand vas
pressed 10 his ribs. With the other he tried
to aim his weapon. But an antagonist
from behind dubbed a pistol on his skull
and as he crashed TO his knees a second
man leaped on him. Yet even then he
flung them of, and reclining gainst log
he aimed once more AT his first man. He
and the other fired together, and at that
The lean giant pitched his length. face
downward. and I could see the splendid
limbs relax and the crimson break like
wine over his fine linen. Instantly his
FIRST antagonist was leaning over him with
a sword cane. As in a spasm my giant
rolled over on his back heavily, like
man asleep. But his eyes we're open. and
they were piercing, steel-gray eyes. and
as he rolled his arm swung a stiff circle.
and a long knife in his hand met the
breast over him, and sank so deep that
the hand fell from It and thumped palm
upward on the sand. His antagonist
pitched across his body. and died there.
Il has been no trouble 70 identify my
chevalier OF the knife. Everybody knew
jim Bowie"
How Houston Began.
There was sam Houston, who began by
fighting the Creeks. Wounded, and posi-
lively ordered 10 the rear. he lodged from
under Jackson's eye and all alone charged
the Indians into the mouth OF the ravine.
He was left TO die. but he lived just the
same, TO be governor OF Tennessee. When
he fell again II was in a worse way-a
moral degeneration, sinking TO a degraded
'sQuaw man" among the Cherokees, guz-
cling whisky in swinish desperation to for
get his gnawing melancholy. Here We find
him In The Lone Star:
A man spTaWled on the grass, face
downward. lie was a huge blanketed fig
ure and the great fat expanse OF his
shoulders rose and fell with each heavy
drunken breath. He wore moccasins. mud
stained leggings yellow leather breeches.
and a s0iled buckskin hunting shirt on a
time gaudy with beaded ornaments. his
wavy dark hair was braided into an In
dian queue. in which. awry or half falling
out. We're some limp eagle feathers.
Bowie turned on US in comical dismay.
I am looking he said, 10 a gentleman
who fought undeh Jackson, who sc'ved
his country in Congress, who was guv'noT
of Tennessee; and I am directed. gentle
men, I am directed 10 an Indian sOt.'
And with the frank smile that SO be-
Titled others, he thrust his toe under the
mans body and rolled him over on his
back.
Party Is Amazed.
we stood amazed. The mans skin
was as white as our own. The hloOdshot
eyes. opening on US under stern brows.
slowly gathered fury. and when he rose.
and majestically for one in
his condition, and Strengthened to his
august height, and fastened that gaze
upon the man who dared touch a foot 4
him. for the life of me could see none
less than n deeply angered Southern gen
tleman- The gaudy blanket slipped to the
ground. and with it that vile title of Big
Drunk seemed to fall from him. and he
stood before US. the paleface viking
from the dissolute Indian chief.
THE mysterious stranger flung wide