The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1910-01-13


backward line to some old laird who
led his men I'm roistering hunt or In bloody
fray amid the green hills and IN dim glens Of
Scotland.
That was good blood. and from his mother.
who was a ~Durham-Eunice Durham-the lit
tie chap that was one day to be a leader on
his own account inherited as clear a strain.
The feudal hall in Mississippi. however. was a
big, old plantation house. built OF hewn logs
and riven boards. with woods and cotton fields
on every hand; with cabins for the slaves and
outbuildings Of every sort. That wEs In KEN
per county, over near the Alabama line. with
De Kalb. the county seat, about 20 miles away.
Il was a peculiar childhood that little bill
Jess Mcdonald had, Il was full Of such things
as the homecoming Of the hunters with a deer
or a fox-sometimes land these were grand
occasions) even with a bear. Then there we're
wonderful ball games played by the Bogue
Chita and Muckilutia Indians; exciting shoot
ing matches and horse races, long fishing and
swimming days with companions black and
white. and the ever-recurring chase, with the
bloodhounds, Of some runaway slave. There
was not much book-schooling in a semtbar
barrie childhood such as that There was a
schoolhouse OF course, which was used for a
church and gatherings Of any sort, and some
times The children had lessons there. But the
Kemper county teaching OF that day was
mainly to ride well, shoot straight and TO act
quickly In the face Of danger. That was the
proper education for the boy who was one day
to make the Texas Panhandle and No-man's
land his hunting ground. with men for his
quarry.
Presence Of mind he had as a gift. and II
was early manifested. There was a lake not
far away. where fishing and swimming went
on almost continuously during the summer
days. and sometimes the small swimmers
would muddy the water near the shore and
IT,, ~af1b ~, e-h q, RH,f- h.~g, TLo~ --.-.
doing this one day when Bill Jess was heard
10 announce. excitedly. i've got him. boysl
I've got hint You can't beat mine!" at the
same instant swinging his catch high for them
to sec.
That was a correct statement. They
couldn't beat his catch and they didn't want
to. What they wanted to do was to get out
Of his neighborhood without any unnecessary
delay, for the thing he held up to view was an
immense, deadly moccasin, grasped with both
hands by the neck, the rest Of Il curling in
stantly around the lower arm. His hold was
so tight and so near the head that the snake
could not bite him. but the problem was to
turn it loose. His friends were all ashore and
at a safe distance. He did not lose his head,
however. but wading ashore himself he invited
them one after another TO unwind that snake.
Nobody cared for the job and he told them in
urn and collectively what he thought Of them.
Then he offered the honor to a little slave boy
on attractive terms.
Jim" he said. "ef you-all don't come an
unwind this heah snake. III beat you-all to
death an cut on 20 ears an skin you alive
and give 20 cahcass TO the buzzards."
Those were the days when a little slave
boy could not resist an earnest entreaty OF
that sort from the son OF the household, and
Jim came forward. his face gray with graft.
tude. and taking hold gingerly he unwound a
yard or so OF water-moccasin from Bill Jess,
who. with the last coil. flung his prize 80 the
ground, where 1t was quickly killed. it being
well-nigh choked 10 death already.
But even the gift Of presence OF mind viii
sometimes balk at unfamiliar dangers. It was
about this time that the civil war broke out,
and Enoch Mcdonald enlisted a company 10
defend the southern cause. The little boy left
behind was heart-brokCn. His father was his
hero and when by and by the news came that
the soldiers were encamped at Meridian
railway station about SO miles distant--thO
lad made up his mind 20 Join them. He ar
rived at Meridian one morning and began "a
look over the ground and 10 make a few In
quiries as 10 his fathers headquarters. He
had never seen a railroad before, and he FOL
lowed along the track with Increasing interest
TIN be reached the engine, which he thought
must be the most wonderful and beautiful
thing ever created. Then suddenly Il let OF
steam. the bell rang and the air was split By
a screaming whistle. II WIS too sudden and
too strange for his gift 10 work. The son %
all the MeDonalds and Of a gallant soldier Sc
out for the horizon. never pausing until halte,
By the sentry Of his fathers camp.
He was permitted 10 enter and was direct
ed TO the drill ground. where his father, witt
had been promoted for bravery 20 the rank o
major, was experimenting certain msueuyorz
The little boy in hts eagerness ran directl!
into the midst Of things and Major Mcdonald
suddenly seeing him. was startled into IN
conclusion that some dire calamity had be
fallen his family and only Bin Jess hu
escaped TO tell the tale. Half sliding, hal
falling. he dropped from his horse 70 learn IN
truth. Then gratefully he lifted the lad "a
behind him and continued the drill, Eunic
Mcdonald was only a day or two behind BI
Jess, for her instinct told her where tbs ho
had gone. They remained a few days IN cam
and then babe their soldier good.by. The
never saw him again. for he was killed at IN
battle OF Corinth at the head OF his regimen
bis face 10 the enemy as a soldier should die
The boy OF ~ wGs now the head OF IN
household. lie had his mother and a siste
and most OF the negroes still remained; b.
he was the man Of the house and was matur
before his time.
The war ended at last and with It the M