The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1909-01-15
MY HERO.

my home IN Little Rock, Ark, to spend
several years IN the east. ] was rather
proud Of the rough and ready ways Of
our western mon and regaIed my girl
friends with stories Of their bravery,
! really didn't know much about brays
men except what ! had read In novels.
Nevertheless | often kept my 80
cistes s~psIlbovnd with my tAhs 81
heroisip.
| wal 20 fascinated With my stories
that on my return home | was on the
lookout for some Of the drastic scenes
had depicted. | was not disappointed
In viewing a scene, but | was disap-
pointed In the bravery Of just such q
man az | had selected for most OF my
heroes. ! was at Tue time on q pas
xsngar train Of the Iron Mountain
railroad In the first car, and IN front
Of ne WAS my typical brave. lis wore
his hair long under the broad brlm OF
his sombrsro, and a pair OF enormous
rsyOiycrs were stuck In his belt. He
couldn't have been more than twenty.
Ave or twenty.six years old and was
very handsome. Somebody told me
that be was an express messenger.
II was about 10 o'clock at night that
felt a jog. and the train slowed down.
Then the forward door few open, and
Y masked man stepped In with a shot
,-,Y, "a, lIs bu,NIa Iha i,ttt - u-hi,h hn
Immediately brought to his shoulder,
pointing the muzzle ut the passengers.
"Slt stilIg' he yelled In Il stentorLan
voice. IN shoot up the car II any
one moyss!"
He hadn't more than spoken the
words before another masked man
passed In front Of him and demanded
the yaluables Of the first passenger he
reached. He relieved several Of them
before he anne TO my hero. As soon
as he caught sight OF the messengers
reVolvcrs resting useless In their
holsters he snecred: You're a purity
one, amt you? III take your guns.
You needn't trouble yourself to touch
EN-"
He auatched one of the pistols out
Of my adored ones belt, then the other.
and raped the owner over the head
with It's butt, bringing II stream Of
blood over his face. Then he took
what money the man had and his
watch and chain aud passed on to the
next passenger. When he got to the
end Of the car he went out. the man
at the door still pointing his gun at
NJ. In this position we remained TIL
we heard a shout, and the man at the
door went out. Pretty soon after this
the conductor came into the car and
told us the robbers had gone.
But what an awful fall my hero had
made from the pedestal on which
had placed hint He was still wIping
the blood of his face when the train
moved on, and every one was guying
him. We stopped at the next station,
and he arose from his seat TO get of.
| was angered that he had nulllfcd
the Ideas | had given my eastern
friends OF western bravery. Just as
he was going out OF the doorway |
cried.
Coward
He turned and looked at me IN q way
! shall never forget.
where do you liver he asked
quietIy'
"ln Little Rock"
Maybe III call on YOU In a few
days" he said, maybe not"
He spoke In such n soft. sad voice
that | regretted what | had done
After | got home | kent thinking Of
my dethroned hero. Before the rob.
berry | thought | should fan in love
with him because he looked so hand.
some and brave. After he spoke 10 me
In that sad. half reproachful wov
thought 1 should fall In love with him
because felt so sorry FOR him.
couldn't understand why he was going
to call on me, but | hoped he would
because | wished TO apologize for call.
Ing him n coward. We girls ARE queer
things anyway, Three DAYS after NV
arrival | took up n morning pnper and
rend the following under big black
headlines
Last night John Wharton. tn, .,pr..,
messenger who was on the Iron Mountain
us,h mat was he'a up a rev days ago
mountains .hot ,wo ~ ~ m .N', MI n'ns
done tho robblnK. killing both OF them
and captured two Others single handed.
What doomed up before me after
reading the words was the messenger
himself at the q door, looking ut me
sad and reproachful when | called
him coward. and the blood wclled up
In both cheeks. | had hoped that he
would keep his word and call on me.
but now ! hoped he wouldn't. How