The lucky shot

The year 1871 dawned as a promising one for 20-year-old Cyrus Pickard. He had accepted a job as a hired hand on the farm of Duncan McVannel in West Nissouri Township and was engaged to be married. The date was already set.But something went wrong. According to one account, the girl's father disapproved of Cyrus and asked McVannel whether Cyrus seemed to be a fit prospect for a husband. The farmer did not have a high opinion of Cyrus and the father called off the wedding.Dejected, Cyrus quit his job on the McVannel farm and made plans to return to his family in Michigan. However, McVannel refused to pay him, arguing that Cyrus had broken their agreement by failing to work for a full year as promised. The amount in dispute was $25.