Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-12-14

/ believe. One saw them wandering
under the elms with their arms
around one another's shoulders, laugh
ing at some nonsensical ballad about
smoking that Mr.. Freneau had writ
ten"
"Freneau is our greatest poet" said
Harrison. "Surely his beautiful lines
on The Indian Burying Ground his
exquisite ode to The Wild Honey
suckle,' and that matchless dirge for
the dead who fell at Eutaw Springs
will live forever"
And in his deep and resonant voice,
his face shrOuded in the shadows of
the veranda, he began to recite that
splendid elegy. For a while no one
spoke. Each was thinking of the
shadow of war with England that
seemed deepening with the days; of
the closer, more terrible shadow of
the Indian.
Someone began to speak of Presi-
dent Madison's policy of diplomatic
correspondence with England, and his
attempts to settle the maritime dis
putes peaceably.
Spler Spencer, the hot-headed-Da-
vid's host at the tavern--was about
to reply that it was more intolerable
to endure the insults of Britain than
to plunge the country into honorable
war, when his young wife and bevy
of radiant women made a sudden rush
from within. and the gentlemen were
led captive to the great silver punch
bowl, where offlciated a grinning,
ducl1ing, beruffied darby.
David was swept into the midst of
group of young people; but the chat
ter in his ears ceased, as far as he
was concerned, when he saw Toinette
radiant among the rest. Ike Black
ford Joined them, and when she had
heard what the men had been discuss
ing, the girl demanded why the two
had not yet Joined Spencer's company
of militia.
$50 you want us to get shot, do
your" leased Blaclzford. II know
that we're q worthless pair, but
didn't think we were that bad"
"Stop being funny, Mr.. Blackford /;
1 should think you two great strong
men would be eager to enlist and help
drive out these terrible Indians for
good"
"Well, I'm as ready as the next man
to have the Indians leave us in
peace" declared David slowly, "but
I've never been soldier and 1 don't
believe that I'd make a very good
one"
"Pshaw!" cried Toinette indignant
ly, you're just as able to be SOL
Cier as anyone in the territory. You
are, you know you are"
Measure Us for our collins, David"
laughed Blackboard, 1--WE may just as
well give in to her first as last"
David laughed too. But he was 81
lent, thinking more Of Toinette's
words than of Blackford's. Ike con-
tinued his chatting:
"No, we're neither of us soldiers.
David's fast becoming the merchant
Croesus Of the West, and I'm law
yer, though I'd hate to have the late
lamented Blackstone hear me say
that. He'd roll over. I've spent the
best years Of my young life cooped
up in Judge Ford's Office in Morris
town, wrestling with McNally's
"Rules of Evidence" when should
have been shedding luster over the
social life of New Jersey, and I don't
feel as If 1t would be right for me
to throw away all this mighty erudi-
ton just to give some red-skinned
gentleman the pleasure of wearing
the scalp of future chief justice
at his belt, or even the pleasure Of my
acquaintance. I expect to have very
few clients among our red brethren
very few. Somehow, they seem tC
prefer retaining Ratchet, rather
| than hatchet-faced attorney
Though, for the matter Of that,
don't believe can blame them. Judge
Hurst tells me that in spite of all Of
Governor HarrisOn's efforts to put the
little unpleasantries Of the frontier
to decision by the courts, there hasnf
been one white man hanged for the
murder of an Indian since the terri
tory was begun. and that there never
will be.
: "But seriously, Miss O'Bannon"-
Blackford went on--"there can't be 81
great a necessity for drilling arounC
with a lot of militiamen just now
can there? They make me think O
Falstaff's opinion of his ragged re
cruits: I'll not march through Gov
entry with them, that's fiat"
Necessity" cried Toinette. "Oh
you haven't been here long enough t,
hear the reports of all their cruelties
Haven't you talked with any Of thes
! backwoodsmen whose families hav
: been cut down and massacred an,
! tortured? But I don't care-go o.
and practice your old lawl Therel
be plenty Of other lawyers to shoul
. : der q gun. If they get killed there1
be just that much more chance 70
you to succeed"
Blackford WINGED. Toinette was 8
: dangerously near angry tears that h
was sorry he had TESTED as he had.