The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-24
David and
Goliath
By SARAH BAXTER

I pleS.
There is-or rather there was-ou
ON the plains west of the Missouri rivel
q human monster as much to be dread
ID as the ella. This was the desperate
who finds his providing grounds in new
countries. When America was beins
occupied by a civilized people the hu
; man ella was the renegade white. Fl,
lived with the Indians and fought will
them against their enemies. including
! those Of his own color. When the saw
, ages wished to draw the whites into
an ambush they would use the renegade
for the purpose, and he was not asham
f, ed to serve them.
| This human monster in another form
was the terror Of the plains when they
were passing from Iawlessness to civ.
ilization. He delighted in cruelty
There was no law in the country on
which he had Obtruded himself to pre-
vent his murders or punish him there.
for except the revolver, and since that
was his especial implement he was Sc
skillful with it that he had every ad
vantage.
Mark Rogers, an Indiana farmer,
having a sickly wife. sold his farm
and took her with their children to a
region in the southwest then being
taken up by white settlers. There he
"squatted" and raised what crops he
could while his wife was regaining
her strength. A hamlet grew up in
tho vicinity oopcfStfpU ~ fo,,. ,lx,,oII
1ngs, a store, a blacksmith shop and a
saloon. One day Rogers was passing
through the hamlet when q man
known as Texas Bill came out of the
saloon firing his revolver about him as
a boy celebrating the Fourth of July.
Seeing Rogers. he put bullet into his
left breast. in the region Of the heart.
He had nothing whatever against Rog-
ers. He fired at him as he would at a
tree or any other mark.
His victim fell and lay. In the road
till some persons took him up and car.
ried him home. There was little or no
hope that he would survive. and at his
death his invalid widow and her chill
dren would be in destitute condition.
He fingered along. however, and one
day his wife heard him muttering to
himself that when he recovered the
man who had shot him would have a
chance to shoot him again or die.
This boded no good for the Rogers
family. Texas Bill would have every
advantage in a fight, and since it was
to be expected that II Rogers recover
ed one Of the two would die every
one knew that Bill would be on the
watch for his enemy in case he got
out again. There were no courts to
punish the crime or prevent a subse-
quent murder. II the husband and IA
Their did not die Of his wound he would
subsequently be killed.
1t remained for weak woman to
solve the problem. As soon as she
could be spared from attendance on
her husband Mrs. Rogers took a bag
and went out on the plain. When she
returned It was evident that she had
something in the bag, but what It
was no one knew and no one cared.
She took It into the cellar and left II
there, locking the door. Every day
after that she would go into the cellar.
take the bag and 60 down into the
hamlet. where she would spend some
time answering questions as to her
husbands condition, but it was MOTTO
ed that she was always looking about
her and had an eye especially on the
saloon.
One morning while she was thus en-
gagged Texas Bill came out Of the sa-
loon, smoking long black cigar. His
trousers were tucked in his boots, his
flannel shirt was open, exposing his
hairy breast, and his face was flushed
with liquor. A revolver was slung to
each hip. and long knife was In his
belt. Mrs. Rogers left her friends and
advanced toward him.
There was something about her move
ment to tell the others that she had
some intent concerning her husbands
enemy ain resolute look in her
eve, quickness in her walk. She
seemed like a David advancing to at
tack Goliath. Was the bag she car
ried sling containing a stone?
Texas Bill stood for moment on the
porch Of the saloon looking out on the
desolate scene then staggered down the
steps and walked away from the group
Of which Mrs. Rogers had formed a
part. She followed him While doing
so she raised the skirt of her dress and
from about her waist uncoiled rope.
When she came to within a few Yards
of Bin she threw a moose In the rope
over his shoulders and when 1t fell 10
his elbows gave 1t sudden jerk, pin
ioning his arms.
From this moment she moved with
lightning like rapidity. holding the la $50
In her left hand, while with her right
she turned the bag over on Bills Shout
ders. A loathsome thing fastened It.
self on to his back. Giving a mighty
yell, he freed his arms and grasped
what chung to him, but 1t was too late
to save himself from its bite. Wrench
ing It OF, he saw the deadly ella.
Fortunately for the woman he was
too intently engaged with the monster
to pay any heed to her or be might
have served her as he had served her
husband. He went bowling down the
road. and his cries were heard till
death relieved him Of his agony.
Rogers recovered, and his wife was
ever after known as the woman who
had beaten Texas Bill.