The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-07-16

EE~Zd 80 800
SM)~ place with Judge Grower
~ in the chair. When the
routine business was fin
tshed the chairman rose and said:
we now will hear from Judge
Stoakes who we trust has a story rela.
dive to circumstantial evidence. Judge
Stoakes."
Judge Stoakes, a large man Of dig.
nified presence, whose silver hair
alone bespoke his 70 years, rose and
began:
My story is Of the troubled DAYS
In Missouri following upon the civil
war, when fractional rancor still ran
nigh and the conqueror and the con.
quered lived together in outward
amity but with secret suspicion. 7
had just hung up my single in a
little town in the southern part of
the state which had been the hot.bed
or factional warfare, now captured
by Lyon, now held by Price, and re.
peatedly preyed upon by the rowing
pands 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
60 often crops out in an adventurous
and warlike stock. Her name was
Lucille and she soon set the heart o.
every young nan in a flame. 1 my
self fell at the first glance, and as
look back down the long stretch Of
years l can see the black hair, the
rosy lips and the flashing eyes of Lu
cile Farrar as l watched her in silent
alteration in the meeting house, upor
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 die
the fair Lucille have for any of us
But when Melvin Leisure came tc
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 III
willingly to a love that quickly ran thu
gamut from passing interest to pas
sionate devotion.
The very mention of a sutton TO,
his daughters hand was sufficient t.
send Col. Farrar into a rage terribl,
to witness. He noted the CROWN,
Intimacy of Lucille and Leisure will
Jealous anger. But he could not watcl
her always, and many a time when h,
was away looking after the interest,
of his extensive plantation lear tn,
9own we less fortunate youths say
Leisure starting ON long walks witt
the fair Lucille.
Melvin Leisure inherited all tn,
frey impulsiveness of a long line o
French ancestry and was not tn
south to brook long this uncertain
entente of his lovemaking. He had
big plantation several miles iron
Chester and had moved into town TO
the social advantages that locke
large to us then. He was amply abb
TO support matrimony in a style equa
to the best in the community. II
was handsome, studious and COURT
- lf1 ,nonnr nnd cA0rnad 10 Il
eligible from any point of view. TIL
local Madame Grundy could find n
reason why Melvin Leisure and Lucil
Farrar we're not a perfectly matche
couple.
But the rock on which their happ
rcss seemed destined to break wa
that of factional rancor. Col. Farra
was of the south unreconstructed an
uareconstructable. Gaspard Leisure
Liclyin's father, had cast his lot wit
the north and had died at his ow
doorway defending his propert
against the enemies of his adopte
flag.
Melvin Leisure was no match fo
Col. Jim In Drawn or buster, but h
Lesitated not to go to him with hi
suit, and the storm he provoked / Civ
you as it was later reconstruct
through the searchings of the law
Never. by the Almighty, never
reared the colonel. Before / woul
Q my daughter married to n of tn
accused assassins of my country
would STAY her with my own handl
Get out of my sight and dar
80 raise your eyes to a daughter 9
.he Farrars.'
NJ