I hold a torn and scarred book affectionately in my hands. It is a piece of history within my family. My grandmother’s uncle wrote and published it in 1929.

My pulse races, and my eyes tear as I am enamored by what I hold in my shaking hands. I gently turn the fragile pages lined with typed words. I imagine my uncle sitting at his desk for hours upon hours typing and doing rewrites.

This book is truly a family treasure. Here is a look at the story behind the story.

Walter E. Taylor, my great-great-great-uncle, penned a story titled: The Knight of the Dixie Wilds.

Buck Tyler…

With the hope of a new beginning, Buck and his family relocate from Mississippi to Texas, after the Civil War ended. The United States is rebuilding, and military law has been instilled. He learns to defend himself and his family against the tyrants of the new country and finds himself on the wrong side of the law.

Maggie…
Dark skinned, yodeling Maggie, as good with a gun and a horse as any man, is Buck’s childhood friend. Simple, uneducated, and in love with Buck, she watches him grow from a boy to a man while hoping and waiting for him to return her love.

Kate…
Fair-skinned, innocent, Kate comes into Buck’s life unexpectedly and captures his attention immediately. Delicate and naïve, her innocence is captivating. He becomes her protector and comes to her rescue in the wild woods. She swears her love for him, until Buck’s personal enemy drives a wedge between them, and he leaves the county.

A timeless story…

A harrowing adventure based on actual events, Buck is plagued by the uncertainty of survival as he faces battles, death, betrayal, and sorrow. Will his acts against the law keep him from home forever? If he can return, will he win the heart of the one he loves? Or will she choose a life without him?

About Walter E. Taylor:

Eventually, he became a lawyer in Lubbock, Texas, and lived through this time. In the pictures you will see below, you will see a handwritten note inside the book. His Law Office and where he kept the majority of his books caught on fire, and he was only able to salvage one with some damage to it. I am sure there are other books out there in America, and I wonder who has it, and did the story touch them?