The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-09

| That night while I was among my l guests telegram was handed to me. | It came from the railroad station near est to the scene of conflict, and said
 that a pitched battle had occurred two days before between the Rents and
 Horners, resulting in three deaths on each side.
 I had asked to be excused while I
 read the telegram, and when l had | read it I felt a flush of anger on my | face. It was disgraceful that such
 things could be happening in Kentucky | in the twentieth century, and re-
 solved to stop it, if all the power lodg- l ed in my hands had to be directed to i the effort. Alicia was near me as 1
 read, and she noticed my expression. l "I hope it's nothing bad" she said. "Only that some of our people in the mountains persist in murdering each
 other," I rejoined. And l suppose ! the State will have to murder some 1 of them te make them quit the habit. v
 Do they know better?' she asked. l ''They should.'' I replied, and then l 1 slipped away to my private room,
 where I sent telegrams to militia com- panies at Louisville and Lexington to 1 start at once for the mountains. When | the messengers were gone with the dls-
 patches, I sat for a few moments som- bre and thoughtful. What could the
 militia do? Preserve the peace while 1 they were there. and as soon as they
 came away the old bushwhacking and midnight assassination would be re-
 stunned. Witnesses in fear for their | lives would not dare to testify and the
 courts would be terrorfzed.
 1 It was a disgrace, very deep one, I and then came to me the thought to go
 with the militia. I might look into | this trouble. probe it to the very bot l f0y, f;r,l hn hnS | cure. Surely, too, they would pay
 some respect to the Governor. i I decided in an instant. l would go. 1 Nothing in the State was worthier of my attention. and relieved by the re- 1 solve I went back to my guests. I said nothing until after the refresh ments were served. and then Alicia was the first whom I told.
 T am going away from Frankfort | tomorrow" I said.
 She looked at me in much surprise, but she said somewhat lightly: "Why. you can't go; you are the Governor"
 That's just why I'm going,' said.
 Then I told her of my intentions and she approved it. But don't get shot," she added. Again she spoke lightly,
 but I thought I saw anxiety in her tone, and it was not unpleasant to be- 1 lieve that it was for me- The next to whom I told my plan was Judge Wharton, and he, too. commended my pur pose. 'These things give us an evil name,"
 he said. 'They are the deeds of a very small minority. but we are responsible for them nevertheless"
 l told no others, and I asked these two to say nothing, but as soon as all
 my guests were gone l. ordered Seth to
 pack. in order that I might leave ear ly the next morning. He was to go with me, and he was filled with tremb- ling delight at the prospect. To his uneducated mind our mountains were higher than the Himalayas and fairly sw2rmed with wild men, who, never theless. were armed with the most modern breech-loading guns with which they fired at the innocent traveller from every bush.
 ]: Do you think we'll get back alive. <: GovernOr?' he asked, shuddering again with that sense of dangerous delight Seth was no coward.
 T think it probable,'' I replied. It is but a brief run from Frankfort to Lexington, and I stopped at the lat ter city, where the militia companies that I intended to take with me were to meet. The Louisville company had already come down in the night, and as an after-thought. intending to search the mountains thoroughly, I had
 ordered a third from Winchester, for hich we should have to wait a few hours. I went at once to the camp of the Louisville company. and to my great astonishment the first man whom saw was Harrison, in lieutenant's uniform.
 You did not know that I was an officer in this company MT. Clarke" ke said quietly, land had almost for gotten it myself. But when your call was sent to Louisville last night our captain telegraphed me in Frankfort, and came on to Lexington, where my uniform and other equipment met me-"
 I was not sure that I wanted liar lison with us on this journey. His keen and irOnical eye might see many things which others would overlook, snd it is not pleasant to feel that one ha watched by the man whose criticism he diSlikeS most. But I told him in the usual formal manner that I was glad he was going, and he added: Other old friends of yours are in
 the company. There is MT. Timothy Applegate, 8 second lieutenant in this company, and MT. Connor late nem- Ter of the Legislature. and also an of
 ecer in this company"
 I saw them little later, Applegate, inflated with pride in his uniform, and the thought of active service; and Con- nor, also proud of his gold lace, but
 silent. even sullen. I paid no more
 notice to either than was necessary. and then. after brief inspection, I left the camp.
 The Winchester company arrived at noon, and we left half hour later on & special train for the railroad station whence we were to start for the long Journey among the mountains to the seat of war. We ran for a while through the beautiful Bluegrass region and then entered the hills. where we made our camp of the first night.
 Before we started the next morning, struggling mountaineers came in drawn by the sight of thes troops and the knowledge of our mission. I question GN several as closely as their natural taciturnity would let me- No fresh out break had occurred in the last few days and the most potent weapon for peace had beer the influence of the great preacher and revivalist.
 Continued on Page 9.)