The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1919-05-01
The BRAVEST MAN.
Rs G. \ Murphy. VI. D.. Paaueah. X,

The bravest man I ever saw ~.
William Roaz. commonly known ~ p,I,
Boar who was born and reared ~.
the little town of Fulton. Ky.
/ personal appearance. he WINS ,.,u
slender. rugged in physique. with rail-
or sharp feat urrs Light comnl.xio.,
blue eyes and light hair. He xor.. j
short mustaehe and chin wbist.r-
trimmed in soatee style.
Iu his dress. De- was droil and vrboilr
disrceariis,l prevailing cotveutionali.
ties of style I think be really enior...,
being different from other people "a.
was just as likely 90 attend a fourth ~
July celebration wearing winter over
coat as linen duster.
The last time I ever saw him A.,
was old and bent riding an old a.
bitten gray horse. CARRIED in n NIL
worn suit Of clothes ont ~ ~tvle an
ont uf season Indeed he looked M.
I Typical Hayseed.
have been thus FAR particular a.,
my description If his personal appesr-
ance. as I wish the reader 10 have az
least. n mental picture Of the man az
whom I shall have more % say.
/ In intelligence ne was above the AZ
Icrngc man He was slcnderly eslusa-
ted. bur possessed a fine sense Of hu,por
Of the dry type order. He could relafe
an amusing story In "a way that wonid
convulse his hearers and never onee
smile himself He lived and died nm
old bachelor.
He was a Confederate soldier In the
war between the States. serving In tbe
18th Ky. cavalry with Gen y. II. For
rest A more gallant soldier never
fought beneath the stars and bars Of
the Bonnie Blue Flag His dying re-
quest was that he should be buried bv
the old Confederate soldiers Of his
neighhorhoud- This request was con-
piled with
4 lie used 10 ride an old mule tina I
had more humps and corners on him
than n dromedary and was as slow as
. cold tar.
p one day he was riding his old mule
"a town when nc CHANGED 10 meet q
q stranger who seemed 10 be- in a grea
hurry The stranger halted a moment
and asked Mr. Boaz IL he had passed
man ia the road driving a gray horse
10 a top buggy With y quizzical smile
on his face be replied thus: My
{ friend. do not believe YOU mean wha
You say. then after few moments
. pause 50 he could enjoy the stranger :
= IifIIifAlNN tlt NN-~NilNND anu rdlu~ ~
pect I meet more people than anybody
g that travels this road but | never pas
p anyhody on this mule" Then he an
swered the mans question by statina
that he had met "A gentleman drivinl
a gray horse about half a mile from
that point.
once related this story 20 the sreai
Evangelist. sam Jones. and was sur
!, priscd 60 hear him repeat il the FOL
lowing day IN a sermon. and made i
point a good moral Mr.. Jones sail
that there were great many pcop-
who Thought they were going 60 Hcnvcl
that were riding slow mules. when Il
reality they were going In the opp
site direction He warmly adm0nislH'
: all such -slaeSers" 20 turn around m
a get move ON themselves and gallo
with the gang and try 10 pass SONS
body.
III Mr.. Jones absorbed knowledge frol
e. all sources that surrounded him an
IL then turned. 90 good account. ths
which seemed worth while.
The sheriff Of Mr. Boaz's county one
: summoned Mr.. Boaz. with a dozen oil
erS. 20 arrest a desperate whose nan
was Pierce. who had stolen a beef an
butchercd H. IL was winter time m
the ground was covered with su0'
The theft was soon detected and Wa
tracked % its proper source.
when the sheriff and his posse drt.
near the home Of Pierce Il was fwel'
O'Clock AZ night Mr. Boaz, addressir
the sheriff and his men. said ''You a
know that Pierce il a desperate cha
acter and I'm all probability win resi-
arrest and fight 10 his death You al
all young men some Of whom have far
lilies. with most Of life yet before 20
therefore. II would be a great pity r,
any Of You 10 be killed by Pierce.
am old and worn out aud II | shou
get killed il would make no differen,
whatever. I would be no loss 10 n
world l wish 10 suggest that the r..
Of You surround the house. 50 as
prevent the possible escape Of IN
man should ne attempt such n thin
and / will 20 I'm the house and arr.
him or die i'm the attempt
This suggestion was readily agreed
and the house being duly surrounds.
Mr.. Boaz. with pistol in hand. went
the front door and knocked for ADM
tance. Pierse who had gone To bed 4
quired. who il therer- The answ.
was Bill Boaz. Come in. Bill sal
Pierce. and az the same moment sprai
from the bed. with pistol In hand M
fell prone upon the floor.
Mr.. Boaz opened the door and sfe,
ped within the room. which was dari
Two pistol shots rang out in auiek a.,
cesSion upon the cold and cheerle.
midnight air that sent a thrill of no
ror through every heart outside N
house An awful tragedy had occu
rel and "A human soul had winged I,
way into eternity. The first shot W.
nred al the form of his unwelco,r
midnight caller The ball from his nj,
tol passed through Mr.. Boaz's hat an
entered the door facing The secon
shot came from Mr.. Boaz's pistol who
whose aim had been more deadly. Tn
pistol ball had ploughed its w,