Show THE TWO GRAVES A Tale of Passion aid FrOntier Jostles r NojI BY GASKELI The two young men lade adieu to home nod its aMgcialions but with far different feeling One left it with i I regret the other with indifference il not with positive gladness Qua bade adieu to scenes of jiapptnesa and bope comfort the other to the evil example exam-ple of a father he copld uot respect nor love Youth Is buoyant and hopeful and deals more with tH present and future than with the past It 13 ageBprerogaliTe to jock backit is its pleasure when lifes last l hours aro fleeting bywhen wintry winds and tbe obilla of long years of lifo have come to look back upon the pastto count over iti joys and to smile anew at its conquered trials Youth looks forward to the ventures to be made and the triumphs to be won And so it wi to tbeaa two youths and tin change Of scene incident upou heir journay soon drove from their minds the last lingering lin-gering trace of regret at leaving home Upon the frostier of civiLzatiea they bad still more to engage their attention atten-tion They proposed going overland to their Eldorado a journey of coma two thousand miles This was no mean undertaking at tbat time for the way wni but little known However How-ever wRit others could do tbey dare attempt and with hopeful hearts they set about their preparations Their outfita light bat trong wagon with I two span of horses and their camp equipage they procured in common In a few days they bad procured all that was necejiary and in cOmp nf with several others they started on their long and perlous journey over tbe plaint Tbero are in life many individuals who in countries where law strictly enforced and order is maintained by the guardians of the public peace are so for respectable as to bring thermolves under no condemnation for tbeir delinquencies Yet we find many of three persons are gover d more by fear of exposure and punish ment than by principle Flagrant sins would make them amenable to tbe Iar 1 and that would be a ead lei sening of social respectability and standing Many men ana women fear this social ostracism more than the taint of crime itself and tbey often pay more regard to the strictures stric-tures ot public opinion than they do Ito I-to tho calls of duty or aOeotion or tbe demands of justice In situations where this restraint no longer exists man is more likely to exhibit the real I sentiments and the qualities of mind and heart than otherwise he would do No place is more likely to reduce re-duce this result than tbe wilds of the American desert Hence there we find the arena of many wild proceedings proceed-ings and there tome dastardly deeds have been done With the young men all did not move on as smoothly as might have been wished In procuring an outfit few who were crossing the plains neglected to lay in a stock of diflerent kinds of liquors Tbey were really needed at times in cases of exposure aud sickness but all were not so scrupulous in tbeir nee Orson bad laid in a large supply He drank frequently and deeply No one can use stimulants in excess without injuring in-juring tbe physical and mental system sys-tem Much more so is this the case with intoxicating drinks Whisky and brandy are tbe principal drinks upon the plains ani they cannot be used to excess without morally intellectually and physically debating de-bating a man They rouse tbe worst instead of tho beat pmgions and feelings feel-ings of the heartthey stimulate the selfish propensities without assisting the more generous impulse or increasing in-creasing the wisdom or informing tbe judgment Tbey weaken the powers of the body and relatively with that the strength of the different faculties of the mind Though we advocate temperance and asiail intemperance in-temperance we do it not to denounce individuals but to show the evil effects in this paxticular instance Evil was the effects oi indulgence in drink at this time From being drunken bo became fretful and impatient im-patient and finally be became quarrelsome quar-relsome His mind once vigorous became clouded his understanding was weakened and bit judgment once just and liberal became contracted con-tracted and selfish We will not describe de-scribe how this change gradually came about for we wish not to harrow the feeling but to warn the unthinking Thus disposed to find fault where no fault existed of course did not add to their peace and comfort Besides on a toilsome dusty journey there are ever ample occasions for real grievances and vexation A lhou nd thinge may arleti to give birth to impatience im-patience and illtemper and especially especi-ally is this the caie on the plains nor was Canon without ample opportunity oppor-tunity to display his disagreeable qualities Daores was surprised at the numerous instances of his friends imperfections which came under bis observation But he possessed a mind ot a rare order himself and ho was liberal enough to make deductions from the fault of others But he could not altogether avoid noticing bow different Carson appeared when I closo and daily companionship and intercourse had dacloied his true nature to what he once thought him Ito I-to be Knowing what he did bo might not a second time have chosen I him far a traveling companion but he was philosophical enough to determine deter-mine to mrke tbe best of tbe circumstances circum-stances into which he had been thrown nor Jo give Carton by any impatient or angry words or any manifcstatien of fcelinc cause for his illnatured conduct By this prudent course there was a semblance of comfort com-fort and amicability maintained though every day did Carsons proceedings pro-ceedings become more Inconsiderate and unbearable Several weeks passed away and the company progressed finely upon their journey One night after a toilsome days travel they encamped upon the bank of a clear swiftly running stream flowing from the bluecapped mountains away In the distance The river bottom up nblch they bad traveled for several hundred miles bad been left and tbey were among tho lower hills which guard the approaches ap-proaches t the Rocky Mountains The wagons had been carralcd the animals had been unharnessed watered wat-ered and turned loots under charge I of a guard that they might fill themselves I them-selves upon the tender herbage eo plentiful around The flickering of the fires upon the quiet gray of evening I even-ing told tbpt active preparations wee being made to forward culinary operations opera-tions Careon had been drinking bard during the day 8 morose and sullen and m sdy to find fault upon the slightest provocation Daces was preparing the evening meal active but eileut and thoughtful for he saw the mod John was IDe and besides he was getting tired of the trouble he continually put him to and the unthankful un-thankful grumbling spirit with which everything he did was received He i I determined not t quarrel were i pottible to avoid i not that he feared its consequences or feared any man but that his nature was opposed to any violent manifestation of a contentious con-tentious Bplrit S When supper WI1 ready they sat down to cot cut atj though determined to drive things to txtremities Carson foutrd fault with everjthinzhslj him Xfoo coffeft aivsttMRl coflt I 1 the meat was crisped and hard at I sold leather Bud tbe bread was not half baked and uneatable What made it all tbe worse was that this parsed in tbe presence of others others to whom Gsrsona disagreeable qualities had rendered him odious they had long eeen the impositions practiced upon Dtcrej aDd had rallied ral-lied him upon it time and again but be bore much on account ot former friend8hipl Mud theybeen alone h might again have passed It by in silence but unable longer to bear such continual and manifest injustice be answered not angrily but earnestly ear-nestly reminding Oareon that be ol all persons should not flail fault That as he bad done nothing towards asitinf in preparing the eatables be should be satisfied with what he c These words unwisely spoken It is true but the first irritation had wrung from him wen no sooner spoken tban tbey were regretted They were like a match t a powder magazine and an explosion of rage followed insulting words were spoken and had not friends been present they might have proceeded ceeded to extremities As i was it resulted in a determination determina-tion to separate and to travel in different companies Orison was to have one span of horses and what outfit he required whilst Decree inconsideration in-consideration of a sum of money kept tbe remaining spun of horses and the wagon These preliminaries having been arranged tbey proceeded pro-ceeded to put them into immediate execution Carson intended to remain re-main where be was until the next company of emigrants came along friends while Darces traveled on with his Canon passed the night in drinking drink-ing and when the company left in early morning he was still continuing his unnatural debauch Every evil passion seemed to be inflamed yet in the midst of it all his brilliant talents shone out as vivid lightnings from the stormladen cloud and men shuddered as tbey gazed upon the wreck of manhood the ruin unbridled un-bridled passion bad wrought But ju they gazed they knew not the tragedy that was to follow The company progressed rapidly tho next day I wda in the genial month of June when spring breezes were giving wry to the jjitrmer air of summer Young May bad faded into the past but her blushing flow OH remained to crown the rosy hours Scarcely a cloud dimmed the norizon oOrZD and not a thought of danger nor of gloom crossed tbe minds of the party Robert Decree had not however how-ever forgotten the ungenerous and unmerited treatment and insults the friend of his boyish years had heaped upon him yet still he had nothing to reproach himself with He had borne it so long that forbearance was no longer a virtue Yet in spite of conscious rectitude he was sorrowful His wagon was tho last in the train nor did he seem to care when his horses lagged behind for his mind visa busily occupied reviewing bygone by-gone times childhoods days when homejoys surrounded him and when loved and loving forms were near him There are just such times in the livec of every onemoments when reflection forces itself upon tbe mind I may not be e welcome guest still must its presence be borne i not cheerfully rt least with resignation In such moments when we look back upon the bewildering track we have passed over and when we see some misstep we have therein made we would were it possible live it oval again Though feeling tbua perhaps per-haps the next moment may find ni once more in error as giieveous as in former ones Robert Daores almost wished himself at homo again as he thus looked back but what man will acknowledge to the world an error of judgment Once commenced com-menced a certain course of conductor conduct-or a certain pathway shame will keep us in it almost as surely as principle 8 inconsistent is man I was almost noon when Robert Dacres was roused from this reverie of the past to take a glance at the present and an interest in its scenes The rapid steps of a horse were heard oomiogup to him ironi behind He felt no alarm for his friends werebut a chart distance ahead of him Indians seldom attack in the daytime day-time unless in overpowering num bets and surety of success and what had he to ear from his own countrymen country-men From his dream of fancied security he was rudely awakened A horseman dashed up in front of his horses and lei d them by the bridles stopping them suddenly and a hoarse voice cried out Scoundrel I have I overtaken yon at last I Dismount I Dismount I Down upon your knees before I send a bullet through your craven brain I Robert Dacres was a brave man but even he felt a thrill of fear pass through his bosom as he viewed his I assailant John Carson was wIldI insane with drink His eyes were bloodshot fiery and rolling with I incipient madness and passion He 1 labored under tbe impression that he bail been deeply wronged and that be ought to avenge that wrong He even foamed at the mouth so intense was his rage But Dacrea was not the man to be daunted for any length of time The terrifying effect of tbe appearance of Carson was but momentary when his nerves became steel He looked cooly calmly upon his one time bosom friend but not I word or movement showed that be was agitated agi-tated or intended complying with the drunken madmans commands mam This paiiva resistance inflamed and irritated Carson yet more and be gnashed bis teeth with rage Down I Down X say or by Gd Ill fire As he spoke he draw a revolver and cocking it pointed i at his friend Dacrea did not move nor did a muscle musce quiver though he saw the deadly instrument pointed too recklessly him He looked on more in pity than in anger John Carton I have never injured you why will you diatnrh me icoandrel You lie you sneaking cowardly You know I am B coward Johs Owfou Iwaa no coward when I saved you from the flowing river at tb risk of my own life For tha ke of the friendship of schoolboy days I would forgwt what you have jut j said bat pn b ma not to far eea my forbearance TiiayJail me Not a coward you lo 1 yooJfal I You dare nqt meet me on equal termsyou tear todie equa John Carson cried Decree in a low tone of lagsionata earnestness epfttlon fast mastering hit better qtouihies you know yOu de cat PJ thetruth You well know that in a truihful or righteous caa e I fear not to meet death in any sbape prink and rmssion have blinded iou t go away J go brjoro I forget my pelfWhether Whether the taunts Careim would at length bate made Robert attempt atemct to chastise him o not will never be known for no sooner had he finished speaking than Carson seemingly cbooking with rage increased if possible pos-sible by the coolness atvell a tbe forbearing tone of the other pulled the trigger of his pistol and Dacres shot through the heart fell forward from tbe wagon t the ground while his bonec frightened st the report and flash of powder broke from and dashed wildly pat Carson in the direction of those ahead To be continued |