Evening star. [volume], December 29, 1913, Page 9, Image 9

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Ike evening story ]
lit _ !ll
The Man on Horseback. '
_ ____ ijj
By William Chester Estabrook.
Hi could never have been "The Man
On Horsvback" had he not seemed much
Sailer sitting than standing.
< >n foot he was a stubby. clerkv t'el
.o'a nio inted. tie was the Marshal Ma*
nlficfiu. after the populace's own heart.
Nt \v.i:k. !:? w;is t ? humble old book
keeper at Cass .v Stacey's: at play, he
was Mars. chai?e*tu crowned. On the one
and. nagging otwOurity: 011 the other j
hand, dazaline iut?Ucit.i. To think that j
?? te'.v !t'?? should make a difference like I
that! 11detmised those legs and the i
lite he had led on them, but he gloried;
.11 . i.-t torso and th? occasional triumphs ;
it brought him.
It must not be thought l'oi a minute
i tat horseback life held for him any
visions ot limitless desert or grassy plain,
of sk> and earth meeting in dim dis
tances. of loiiK forest bridle paths, or of
high-lifting mountain trails. The air of
: h. town, the crowd at the curb, the roar
??' the band, the swing of following legs
.iiid the drop of following feet, faces at
nnumerable windows, the magic melting
of' truffle ahead, color, must*. glitter,
?hee -s? all these were plenty good enough
for him.
Trie crowd will ha\- nothing overdone,
nothing underdone. It must have it done
just right. That is the reasoif so many
men on parade are failures. An ounce
t??o stfy or au ounct too vainglorious and
they are lost forever. It is a lino thing
to gauge instantly the exact esthetical
demand of a street ful. of people.
Old Marcus Degremont could do that.
Where he got the knack of it heaven
knows, on' doesn't find such things on
the leaves of. a ledger. But he had it.
i t'allihly and surely had it. The man
wlio rides at the head of a parade sue
? ? ssfully must possess that most rare of
an faculties, the power to balance a long
line of display.
\ny ma. slial can make a display of
himself, but t!iere are few marshals who
ean make a display of the men behind
them. Old Marcus Degremont could do
tbat. too.
lie could do vastly more than that, in
deed: he could embody, at the head of a
parade, the spirit that lay at the foun
dation of all its units Ah, but that is
fromething! Tp make ten thousand spec
tators feel fraternity when four thin 1
lines of lodgemen stripe the streets; to!
make ten thousand spectators see public
Improvement when civic societies follow j
the drum!
Is it any wonder that when stran
gers asked the townspeople who The
Min on Horseback was that they
should reply: "Why, that is our Col.
1'egrt'montV" Is it any less wonder
that, when men meditating parades
sought old Marcus Degremont. his wife
should say. although her husband had
never smelled stronger powder than
that she used in her biscuits, "9?},
Degremont is not in. Will you wait?"
?>r, "Col. Degremont will be glad to
talk the marter over with you. I'm
sure." She always said "Col. Degre
mont" like that, as if some other Deg
remont were trying to steal his thun
der.
VIi this was before the Spanish war.
There was *a real colonel in town now.
to say nothing of captains and cor
porals. and there were even privates
w ho were not averse to display. Mar
cus Degremont had welcomed them
h .urtily. but he did not know that they
would ever threaten the place he had
made for himself. It had not seemed
possible to him, perhaps, that a real
commander could ever care for the oc
casional honors of a mere make-be
Ilere. m
Not that the town had known no real
-donels nor privates before, but that
those of its acquaintance were quiet
old men with dimming eyes and slack
ened steps, who had fought in the
great war and were forever tired of
ua;tles and display and wanted hence
forth but a warm fireplace and the i
honor, once a year, of walking with
flowers t> the graves of their fallen
? ?mrartea.
Hut these latte, -day Spanish war vet
ans, with their ardent zest of life,
their youth, their rollicking irresponsi
? ility. their khaki uniforms, so jaunt
!>? simple, their boyish faces?these
:? oung veterans of a young war were
e ones to make things hard for him.
"?VI. I^r-rcmont, nice old boy! Colo
r"*l - Ha, ha!" they would laugh with
tolerant good humor, or, mockingly
serious. "Col. Degremont of the?er?
w hat regiment did you say;"
Ijancy was the new colonel's name.
' 1 *' was a tall, splendid looking fellow,
with an incurving back, hut with not
;.;Uei: chest to speak of. Marcus Degre- j
mont had noted that chest at once. It j
was too narrow, and there were little
ea.- s over the clavicles. It was not
swelling chest. .Marcus Degremont
*>uld inflate his chest till it strained
n. cloth of his stoutest uniform and
?aused the brass buttons to protrude
.?iinoat to bursting.
.'Ic had that military countenance and
t at commanding poise of the head teen
in good pictures of Mai. Cien Hancock.
Ie had the same soldierly white mus
t.i.-he and the same eyes. Hi.s skin was
? iiclined, to ruddiness, and it had a habit
of >.irpling lightly when he was ex
< ited?a warlike shade which might have
? 1? ??ed at: v .soldier- His hair was snow
H Lite, and was combed straight back and
' >rg it was iVtchingly .pugnacious seen
??vu?'ath :t j\. ut" I*. cliapeau.
V :'d iii~ h gs'.' \\ say of crippled legs,
i h. > are crippled and that i.-, all; fur
t ?, patlioti forbid?. Hut one could
" v ^a>' Marcus Degremont's legs
t at they V. er funny?that is. one said
it ^ unjil one's glance reverted to the
api- ndid body hI?ovc t'lorn. They nere
iin legs for so large a body. and ridicu
.?ejsi> srhort. Below the knees thev
bowtd rearward as well a< sidewise.
What thos. legs had cost hiin! Times
!.um-ral.!e during th. rebellion he had
clouded to the call for men, his-heart
timing with patriotism, and had each
nine been refund, until tired of having
iirt a .out tlie recruiting station the ser
g' iiit hail point*'I to his legs. smiling sig
niti 'a! tl>. After that Marcus L^egremont
gave him ini more bother.
l.ife had not. however, been entirelv
without its triumphs, its glorv. The
tu.vn e.,?j (i w hen he had not led
its nprad. s. Bv some hazy process it had
' hose'' liitri the law of unconscious selec
tion has been responsible for more than
..ne man s fame?and having chosen him
? t abided by him on parade. It obeyed
him by platoons, and when the parade
was over it promptly forgot all about him
? by platoons.
Strange how men since the beginning
of time havr built their fondest hope- or.
the crowd when the crowd is so tickle
blowing hot and cold. But it usually |
'lows cold last. And it was beginning to!
blow cold for Marcus Degremont
Shortly alter the soldiers came home
*rom Cuba there was a parade and Lancy
ode at the head of it. Although he had
not seen any more real service than had '
l iegremout. he wore the halo which even
playing at war sometimes contrives. I
Then. too. he was a man of affairs and
ad been a social lion before the war.
iS-it any wonder that old Marcus Deg
remont felt the ground slipping from be
neath his feet?
Wliat made his position intolerably
utter was the fact that after thirty
?. ars Dick Leydcn was coming home.
Ijeyden. the one real friend of his whole
life, except his wife. He was coming
home, honored of men, to find him still
the nonentity, the drudge, the clerk. He
^loaned and his head dropped wearilv
into the wo in hollow of his chair as he
-at before the tire the night he heard
that Leyden was coming and that the
tow ti meant to give him a properly fit
ting welcome. There was to be a trl
unphal profession to escort him from
the station, through the principal streets,
to the old hous< which had been his
birthpliier-. and afterward many distin
guished citiaens would speak their word
of greeting and' appreciation.
"They will ask you to ride at the head
of the procession, Marcus," said his
wtfe, brightly, setting delicate etitches
in a bit of napery.
"No." paid he, bitterly, "It will be
l^ncy."
"How ateurd! You eairt Imagine f'ol.
t aiicy ih to permanently supplant you?
What happened was merely u tribute to
the returned soldier Besides, the com
mittee would think of no on, fitting to
? ad the procession a? Dick's old friend."
"Nobody recalls the friendship. I'm
afraid. ft wa- too long ago. And
heaven knows it's no wonder they
shouldn't connect us. Dick in his pros
perity atid I in my ?"
"I have you saving things about
L.
yourself," she cried. coming quickly to
his side and stooping to press her sweet
old face against his. "You are making
yourself wretched about nothing. Un
doubtedly the place at the head of the
column will 1* offered you, as usual.
And T>1ck v.-il] understand thAt in your
way you also art* preferred of your
fellow-men. Oh. you'll se??! The com
mittee will wait on you tomorrow."
But the committee did no such thing,
although lie did rot leave tlte office until
later than usual the next da.t. Indeed,
it was nearer 7 than <5 when, after a
; last anxious glance down the thinning
| street, he finally took off his black sateen
' sleeve protectors and sot wearily into
his coat.
There was a letter from Leyden await
ing him at home. H?- had written briefly
to say that he was coming, and. speak
ing of his life since he had l>een absent,
h. wondered if. after all. Degremont's
way had not been the wise way, the
better?to stay quietly on in the old
town, the spot which had been beloved
j of their fathers, making himself the more
| secure a-J time went by in the place he
I held there.
.Marcus L'egi emont's late spotted with
color like a girl s, and he dropped the
letter hastily into the tire lest his wife
should ask to read it and the irony of
it scorch her soul. His place! He had
none. He had been supplanted, set aside.
Beloved! He was not even remembered.
Neither as friend nor citizen was he hid
dn to take any part in the homecoming
ceremonials. And what would it not
have meant to him to have done so!
He stared bitterly into the fire, a
stric ture about the heart.
At the moment th<* street bell rang and
his wife brought in a communication j
from the committee. She stood back ot
his chair, leaning over his shoulder a* j
he opened It. Her eyes were shining and
very tender.
"I told you so!" ~he triumphed. "i |
knew the> wouldn't think of trying to j
get along without you."
He drew the brief lines from their
cover and they glimpsed them together,
then the paper fell and she hung in
silence over him; the committee desired
him to head the third division of the
parade!
Her hands dropped to his shoulders and
pressed him into the chair when he j
would have started up violently, words ,
of furious protests upon his lips.
"You will do it, Marcus." she said, j
"You'll do it that no one can say that i
you were hurt. You can stand it?the
mortification and the disappointment and
the sense of ingratitude. But they
musn't pity you! You won't let them
do that, I know."
So on that day which might have been
the greatest and happiest of his life, old
Marcus Degremont rode at the head of
the third division. He rode his own
mount, Pompev, a chestnut sorrel with
a white mane and tail, and the walking
gait of a conquering war horse. The
mount was as familiar to the people as
the man himself.
He sat in the saddle exactly as he had
sat for years. He held himself so for
her sake, who would be watching for
him. love and rebellion, mortification and
passionate protest filling her, but with
Keeping Up With the Joneses?And He Got Away With It, Too!?By Pop
Tf
( SO THIS 15 \
J \
iGeRriftMY
(Ert^n'oov <i?Jp
/ YET. TH\S \
< 13 HftnByRC- J
\ alright: /
I SPOSE Of court-A
You UMOU WKTv !
r\#Wt?S Hftf-vBUt^G 1
so famous -
ER-ER"Ht\.
J USE to
Know But
1 must HAVE
For* gotten -
WHAT? Doy'mEAN
TO *fsy THAT You
P)S H-^5 TRftVELLEO
So nuv^H, Do;4T Know
WHftT HAMBURG tS
tatted "FOR? UHY
really n'OE^c
this awfui_
HAMBuRG?
HftmoURu?
WELL UHflT
?S it
famed
v for?
CUny- THAT 5
WHERE ALL TH'
steak. COn.ES
~~If
I
f V'goT to CrlVE Hin CREDIT^!
/ Vgot to Give m?i*i ciitorr i
her old head carried high and an in
domitable smile tor all who glanced her
way.
After much delay Lancy finally got
the parade in shape and started it oft"
toward the depot. He looked uncom
monly proud as he rode at its head on
his dainty stepping, beautifully muscled
horse. Bands were playinp and people
were cheerinp. The old thrill was in
the air and Degremont's blood began to
race. But there, blotting out the bright
ness of the day, was Lancy's slender, im
pudent ligure.' and he wheeled Pompey
half way about that he might not see it.
Then a shout brought him sharply
around.
Down the street from the first division
four black horses liitehed to a tloat swung
about, toppled their driver from his seat
and came plunging madly back through
the line of parade. To Degremont the
street before them seemed to lift in the
middle, spilling colorful rivulets of parad
ers toward the curb. A panicky mob
was instantly evolved from the orderly
ranks. Men pushed and struggled and
fought to get out of the uncertain course
of the frightened animals. Drivers lost
their heads and tried to pull into neaiby
alleys, jumbling the line of vehicles in
extricably. The sidewalk crowds jammed
ruthlessly Into store entrances.
Degremont spurred Pompey toward the
runaways. At the second, corner they
swerved suddenly, crashed the rear wheel
from a projecting float and sw ung toward
a flower-bedecked phaeton that had pulled
in to the curb. The woman in it tried to
lift her two little children out of the way.
Lancy, who had come galloping behind
the runaways, shouting futilely, saw her
and called to her in a frenzy of alarm.
At the moment old Marcus Degremont
swept by. He seized the nearest horse by
the bit. and the force with, which he
came pulled the leaders to their knees
and broke the pole of the float, the splin
tered end stopping within a foot of the
phaeton's wheels.
A great cheer went up from the dense
crowd and Lancy flung himself from his
horse.
"is your wife Hurt, colonel?' 'asked
Degremont, leaning down from his horse
I^ancy, an arm about his wife, reached
up and gripped the gauntleted hand. "No.
not hurt, thank God. Vou saved her and
the children. * ? * Take my place," he
added. "Nobody but you can straighten
things out in time now. And it was your
place anyhow?it shall always be your
place."
A moment later, because of that magic
which was his. scattered columns were
reassembling, float.-- and vehicles were
t;i king their old positions, bands began to
play, flags that had been abandoned were
waving again and Poinpey and his rider
took their old place at the head of the
parade, the rider with his accustomed
martial bearing, the horse with his con
quering step.
Degremont massed the first division in
the square before the station, the others
stretching away in beautiful, streamer
like lines. The train was just in and a
few minutes later the welcoming commit
tee came out with their distinguished
guest.
Cheers started in the square and ran
down the lines. With uncovered head the
visitor started forward to his carriage,
then glimpsed the splendid old figure at
the head of the parade.
"A minute, gentlemen," lie said, and
ran out in the square like a school
boy to grab Marcus Degremont's hand.
There was a pandemonium of cheers
at that which did not cease till Ley
den returned to the committee.
"This is a proud day to me to be
thus honored and to see my old friend
honored also," he remarked to the chair
man.
The carriage fell in behind the marshal
and his staff, and the parade was re
sumed. Never, it seemed to Marcus De
gremont, had his heart beat so proudly,
never had Pompey stepj>ed so high.
On the tiny balcony of their old-fash
ioned house with green shutters, one of
1 the last residences left in the business
district. Mrs. Degremont awaited the pa
rade.
There was hurt in her heart and. proud
ly nonchalant, she turned her head from
the g ittering staff and tried to keep
her gaze on the distant third division,
where she thought her husband must be
Then her woman's curiosity got the
l?est of her and she permitted herself
one swift glance in the direction of the
staff. No word of what had happened
had come to her.
Just as he had done, many time be
fore when he reached that balcony.
Decrement turned his horse slightly,
reined hiin In for a second, and swept
a gallant salute to the old figure.above
His wife stared in astonishment. Her
Marcus! Had there been a miracle! Aye,
but she had felt all along that something
like that must happen! What it was she
did not know, did not care. He had been
spared cruelty. He had kept his p ace
of honor. That was enough.
She snatched her old lace handker
chief from her bosofn and waved toward
him, following him as long as she could
see him. and missing altogether the
tribute of the distinguished visitor in
the carriage who, seeing her there, had
bowed profoundly and lifted his hat.
(THE END.)
OUTLAW DEFIES POSSE
Takes Temporary Refuge in Aban
doned Cabin. After Run
ning Fight.
PITTSBURGH, December I lodging
from tree to tree and firing as lie ran.
Henry Kokowski. who last night shot and
killed Constable Martin Windt and prob
ably fatally wounded two other persons
at West Homestead, a suburb, held a
posse of 20O deputy sheriffs and citizens
at bay on the hills above Mononogaliela
valley during the early hours of today.
The shots were returned, but Kokowski
escaped through the woods to a deserted
cabin, where he barricaded the doors and
taking position at a window tired at
every movement within his range of
vision.
Soon after daybreak th* posse was rein
forced by a l?art> of county detective*
under John T. JSurk. .in<l preparation*
were made to rush the house. A heav\
fog hung over the valley, delaying day
light until long; after oVlock.
While the posse lav in ?I? woods w<>rd
was brought from Hays, ,t village n**arb> .
that Kokowski had just pass# ! thmug
there going up tie Mononogah<'la % alley.
Investigation showed the hou<?< was
empty, th-' man having slippe.i awa> in
the l'og. A party of county I* i<-< ti* < s
and deputies immediately hastened to
Hays in the hope of picking up the trail
tll? re.
.Mrs. Estella Wkbik. who was shot
twice when she refused to admit Kokow
ski to her house after he lie
constable, was in the Homestead Hospital
hovering near death with a l> i< . ? ?<und
close to her heart and another in her
head, while the doctors momentarily ex
pected the d?ath of ignatz liaukoski.
who had gone to her a-sHtance. The
aged father of Kokowski, who had been
beaten by the son yesterday * afternoon
ami for which Constable Wind trl d to
arrest him. was held in the police sta
tion as a witness of the shooting.
.^tailing in a ciiintuex ignit-.l 1>> ..m
overheated wood stove tire destroyed the
blacksmith shop of .1. W. Kichards <v
Son in Church Hill, Aid.
This annual sale of
Parker, Bridget &
Company has held
the confidence of
men for a quarter
of a century.
VOU men find this sale an unusual investment Webster defines
investment as "a laying out of money in the purchase of property." You ex
ercise great care in the purchase of what is ordinarily known as property, so why not the same care
in the matter of purchasing wearing apparel property. We offer you a gilt-edge investment in this
established sale, an investment absolutely guaranteed?protected by the P-B guarantee.
? Magnificent stocks of P-B Suits and Overcoats at Genuine and Generous price reductions. This is one of the two, and only two, sales held by P-B each year.
All $15 Suits and Overcoats now $10.75
All $18Suitsand Overcoats now $13.25
All $20 Suits and Overcoats now $14.25
All $25 SuitsandOvercoats now $18.75 j All $50 Suits and Overcoats now $37.50
All $30Suitsand Overcoats now $21.75 AH $55 Suits and Overcoats now $42.50
All $35 Suitsand Overcoats now $25.50
All $40 Suitsand Overcoats now $31.25
All $45 Suitsand Overcoats now $35.50
Full Dress. Tuxedos and Prince Alberts are not included in this sale.
A $3 or $4 Derby or Soft Hat at <JJ \
Each year we offer a most unusual sale price on Derbies
and Soft Hats.
W e do this by buying the sample lines of foremost hat
manufacturers. You have our guarantee as to the values and
the style and you find no seconds among these hats.
This is the time of the year when every man needs to
brighten his appearance with a new hat. This is your oppor
tunity.
Fur Caps (A
Reduced. /
Silk and- Opera l/L
Hats Reduced. /%>
$5.00 stf^Shoes, This Sale. $3 95 clMr,K1 Sale ? F B ^ ^
_____ ???????i I he following reductions on Bovs Suits and Overcoat^;
All Teck Shoes in Russet and Gun Metal that sell regularly at $5.00 have been reduced
to $3.95 for this sale.
Only the very newest style models?the low heels, the broad toes?in this sale.
The following
$6.00 values
$7.50 values
$8.50 values
$10.00 values
Si2.50 values S^-34
$15.00 \ alu<>...f $10.00
$16.50 values Su.oo
.$6.66 i $18.00 values Su.ou
? ??... ^^.00
......
$c.66
THE AVENUE AT NINTH, WASHINGTON
$5 and $6 Suits for boys
reduced in this tC'l
sale to
'13
Boys' Overcoats re
duced
Thi? doet= not include Chinchilla*. |
400 Boys and Men's Caps;
Special lots of Chi Id ren's worth t *? Si.50. Sp* 89c
Hats red need '
cial at