Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-03-09

| Texas. Inc WRITER eApldlilS lidt ~
makes no pretense at literary art; ou
would like to see the story prlnteo
because 1t is true, and will entertain
and amuse without doing any harm.
| It was one of those hazy, smok.
days away out in west Texas, just sucl
as we often have in November. NOV
the story am going to tell you, read
er, really happened in Gonzales county
Texas, in November, 1892. This yea
had been a fine one for deer, as TIT
mast, that is, the acorn crop, was rea
good. and deer had come in, In abund
ance. The hunter had been very sue
cessful: and even the amateur hat
gotten venison. The little village
wrightsboro was situated in farming
country, except on the west side whici
was all in large pastures where mos
of the hunting was done. We had peel
fairly successful and had brought II
several fine deer. At this time 1 wa!
engaged in the mercantile business ant
made my home with Mr.. Mahon, wh'
had a nephew visiting the family IRON
Richmond, Va. His name was Cll1tol
Mahon. and from his behavior ant
talk the first few days after his arriVa
in Texas, I think Cliff thought he hat
landed among lot of green-horns ant
country hoosiers. And while an op'
portunity would not present itself t
show us what brilliant and daring fel'
lows come from the city, he woult
have to content himself with telling us
On several different occasions he hat
related to us boys, that is Randle ant
Edgar, Mr. Mahon's sons and myself
what awfully close places he had beer
in. and what desperate fights ne nae
had, and always came out VICTORIOUS
There was one of the neighbor boys
Will Barnett, who had listened to som'
of Cliffs fighting tales, and character
istic of Will, was thinking up som'
way to test Cliffs nerve all the while
Will came to my store Friday at noon
Cliff was preparing to start back u
Virginia the following Tuesday
John" says Will, I'VE must not le
Cliff leave here without giving hin
something to remember us by; we mus
test his nerve, and fix him so he vii
remember U.S."
Good" says I, what shall it be?
I'VE will have a deer hunt this even
ing" says WILL You take Cliff ant
60 over to Mr.. Mahon's pasture dec
hunting, put him on a lazy, gentle
horse, old Hays fix some blank cart
ridges for your big pistol, take th'
Winchester and let Cliff carry the pis'
tol. will go down on the creek JUS
below the crossing at the old Barnet
dam, disguised as an outlaw, take m!
shot gun and wait"
Well. I went home to dinner, foune
Cliff in high spirits. The hunt was al
arranged, and Cliff wanted to rld'
Button" but / was apprehensive al
this horse was afraid Of gun. l In
sisted on his riding old Hays, as wa'
afraid Button would kill him, and W.
saddled up and started. let Cliff carr!
the Winchester the first part OF th'
afternoon. We went over in the past
Eure about three miles and hunted deel
for two or three hours. LUCK was
against us this time and we found none
The time set for the fight was just a
sun set. During the afternoon while
we were hunting 1 told him OF
bank robbery that had occurred a.
Smiley, a little town ten miles below
there, the night before, and that offi'
GERS and robbers had had desperate
fight, one officer and one robber being
killed. The robbers had escaped anc
had gone in the direction Of the past
ure we were hunting in, that they
were desperate characters, and officer!
were still on their trail; that while
did not think it probable that We
would encounter them, still 1t Woulc
be we'll enough to be on our guard al
we had to pass through some heavy
timber, and a thicket Of brush at th'
old Barnett dam on the creek, and Il
we did happen upon one it would be
a fight to the death.
1 told him so many hair splitting
tales about desperadoes and robbers ir
Texas that his nerves were strung u
the highest tension. He was looking
under every bush for a robber. Now,
had made it convenient to get to the
creek just at sunset. In order thai
Will might be ready I was to give
signal by shooting. Just before We
reached the edge of the creek bottom
l proposed to swap guns with him, az
he had the Winchester. He gave me
the Winchester and l gave him the
pistol. He stuck it in his belt, big
Smith & Wesson 44-calibre, with al
the gusto of a Comanche warrior. Now
the signal must be given. 1 worked hin
little ahead and pretended to shoot a
an owl in large elm tree; but missed
him. We are now about one hundred
yards from the crossing.
Cliff" says !, there is no doub
about those robbers being somewhere
scattered through this country; if W.
do happen upon one, are you going t.
run and leave me, or are you going t
stay with me?" John, 1 swear II
never leave you, I'll fight him till
am as dead as a mackerel."
| We rode slowly down in the creel
and crossed. The bottom ahead Of VI
was about one hundred yards wide
the creek made a bend. On our lef
was a high bluff, and the only wa!
out was to go straight ahead or turl
back. AS we rode upon the bank ou
of the water, looked to the right
down the bottom and saw Will creep
ing behind some bushes. He was max
ing across in front of us, as if to Gu
off our escape. Look yonder Cliff
there he is, come on or he will cut of
our escape" l trotted my horse up
little as if to beat him to the edge o
the bottom, and he Strengthened up ant
ran. Will looked bigger than ever
with a big hat on, old overcoat on
above his knees, red bandanna hand
kerchief tied around his neck, and