The Columbus journal., 1909-07-14
HE Calf Skin club had as


S&,NS place with Judge Grower
in the chair. When the
routine business was fin.
ished the chairman rose and said:
We now will hear from Judge
StOakes who We trust has a story rela.
tive to circumstantial evidence. Judge
Stoakes.'
Judge Stoakes, a large man of dig
nified presence, whose silver hair
alone bespoke his 20 years, rose and
began:
My story is of the troubled DAYS
in Missouri following upon the civil
war. when factional rancor still ran
high and the conQueror and the con.
quered lived together In outward
amity but with secret suspicion. I
had just hung up my Single in a
little town in the southern part of
the state which had been the hot-bed
of fractional warfare, now captured
by Lyon, now held by Price, and re-
peatedly preyed upon by the rowing
bands of irregulars of either side.
Among the most noted leaders of these
latter was Col. Jim Farrar. Among
the northern sympathizers he was
classed with Quartrell and the Youn-
gers. but when the struggle was over
he settled down quietly in the little
town of Chester. and his tall form,
his flowing moustaches, his campaign
hat and long coat became him as the
costume did many another warrior of
the lost cause.
Col. Farrar's household consisted
of but one daughter. II years of age.
and of that rare type of beauty which
SO often crops out in an adventurous
and warlike stock. Her name was
Lucille and she soon set the heart of
every young man in a flame. l my.
self fell at the first glance, and as I
look back down the long stretch of
rosy lips and the flashing eyes of Lu-
cile Farrar as watched her in silent
alteration in the meeting house, upon
the street or flying along on her pony
which seemed as full of life and
spirits as its fair rider
1T was silent alteration upon the
part of us all. for never a glance did
the fair Lucille have for any of us.
But when Melvin Leisure came to
Chester it was different. Something
in her woman's heart must have
drawn her toward him. for all the in
difference and all the scorn were
gone and they gave themselves up
willingly to love that quickly ran the
gamut from passing interest to pas
sionate devotion.
The very mention of a sutton for
his daughters hand was sufficient to
send Col. Farrar into a rage terrible
to witness. He noted the growing
intimacy of Lucille and Leisure with
Jealous anger. But he could not watch
her always. and many time when he
WAS away looking after the interests
of his extensive plantation near the
town We less fortunate youths saw
Leisure starting on long walks with
the fair Luciio.
Melvin Lesscre inherited all the
frey impulsivenes.I of long line of
French ancestry al was not the
youth to brook long this uncertain
entente of his lovemakirZ He had a
big plantation several miles from
Chester and had moved into town for
the social advantages that looked
large to us then. He was ampi- able
to support matrimony in a style equal
to the best in the community. He
was handsome, studious and cOur:ly
in his manners and seemed to be
eligible from any point of view. The
local Madame Grundy could find no
reason why Melvin Leisure and Lucille
Farrar were not perfectly matched
couple.
But the rock on which their happi-
ness seemed destined to break was
that of factional rancor. Col. Farrar
was of the south unreconstructed and
unreconstructable. GaSpard Leisure,
Melvin's father, had cast his lot with
the north and had died at his own
doorway defending his property
against the enemies of his adopted
flag.
Melvin Leisure was no match for
Col. Jim in Drawn or buster, but he
hesitated not to go to him with his
suit, and the storm he provoked give
you as it was later reconstructed
through the searchings of the law.
Never, by the Almighty, never!'
roared the colonel. Before l would
see my daughter married to one of the
accursed assassins of my country
would Stay her with my own hands.
Get out of my sight and never dare
to raise your eyes to daughter of
fha EarrarS'