The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1908-06-25
IN A TIGHT PLACE.
Conduct Of a Man Who Thought
Himself a Coward.

From the CHARLESTON News.
"All you've got TO do to make Jefi
Davis Jump into the Arkansas river
is to point a corncob pipe at him"
Recently some men on a train were
tanning over this remark, made not
long ago by personal and political
adversary Of the senator from Ar
kansas. The travellers seemed to
agree that they'd hate to have any
body say anything like that about
them.
swell, | don't know how true this
remark may be as applied to the
Davis person. observed a Texan In
the group, but It is my opinion that
such a remark could be truthiully
applied to very few men. Most men
are courageous In tight pinches, even
the men who imagine deep down In
their consciousness that they are In
stinctively and inherently cowardly'
"Take, for example, the case OF
Judge Freeman Of Texas. Freeman
Imagined himself to be coward. He
had overwhelmingly, he said
been put to test, but he wac dead
certain that he would crawfish In q
tight place and show himself TO the
world as coward.
"This was before he ever ran Tor
office In Texas When he first ran
for Office In q Texas town a peculiar
ly vitriolic editor OF a paper publish
ed in the Texas town began to at
tack Freeman In q manner that
could only mean blood.
Judge Freeman's friends got
around him and told him that he'd
have to kill, or at any rate wing, the
editor or getout Of Texas.
Freeman, came -te-me- iR-his
trouble.
al feel like I'm going to show the
white feather In this business, he
said to me. You know what I've
often told you. I'm q natural born
coward. I've got a yellow streak.
just nov the yellow streak is work
ing this way: I'm more afraid OF
killing that fellow than | am OF get
ting killed myself. I hate the bust
ness and | hate to think that IL 1t
comes to q showdown I'll crawl.
1.-TWO days after that the editor
published another vile broads!de
against Judge Freeman and then we
all knew It would happen.
"The editor left his Office for home
that.siternoon. He hadn't taken a
dozen steps before he caught sight OF
Judge Freeman emerging from the
postofiice, about sixty yards down
the street. Somebody standing In
the doorway called out to Judge
Freeman at the same instant and
the Judge caught sight Of the editor
advancing upon him.
"Both men drew and fred at the
same instant. But they were poor
shots, both OF them, and their bull
let's were wide. And they continued
to fire as they advanced upon each
other. -
"There was nary sign OF weak
ness in Freeman. On the contrary
he looked perfectly cool. He was
naturally handsome man, and his
face looked trsnsfgured and fine In
that intense moment.
"There were only four cartridges
In the editors gun and he fired all o
them without making hit. Wher
he had fired all four shots he threw
his gun on the ground to indicate
to bis opponent that he was through
with firing, and that editor looked
to me like q man ready to run.
"Judge Freeman still had twt
cartridges left In his gun: But vhel
be saw bis enemy throw his pisto
away, the big heart OF the man ap
peared. He lowered his gun an
stood In the middle OF the sidewalk
waiting.
"The editor advanced upon hin
seemingly for the purpose Of thanh
ing the Judge for bis generosity !
not continuing the firing, and {
making up. The Judge, seeing thi'
followed his enemy's example an
threw away his gun, in which ii
two cartridges remained. So thel
he stood, entirely unarmed.
"As lsoon as Freeman cast ava
his gun, the editor, who had adven
ed close to him, suddenly whippe