Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-08-07
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Democratic Review.
THE SHOT IN THE EYE.
A TRUE STORY OF TEXAS BORDER LIFE.

WILKINS
NV word for it, reader, should never have ven
tured to construct protested romance out of Incl
dents so wild and strange as those of this nara
ton. 1t is only with the hope that you will accept
in good faith, the assurance, given in the same
spirit, that these things redliy dill occur while
was in the country, and most Of them within my
personal knowledge-that venture to relate them
at ALL Remember the scene is laid in a frontier
county of Texas, and if yon have ever a remote
conception of the history of that Republic and the
general character of its social elements, you will
be prepared for good deal. But though you might
even have visited It's cities and older settlements,
you would still find it difficult to realize all that is
true of frontier life, unless by extended travel and
experience your faith should be fortified. When
YOU can have to say as | cam "what mine eyes
have seen and ears heard" on that ground alone,
YOU will be fit audience though few 10 receive, as
matters of course, relations which would doubtless
for the moment shock others as monstrous in i'm
probability, if not, indeed, impossbiity. The
man of high civilization will find great difficulty
in understanding how such deed as ! am about
to relate, requiring months to consummate, could
have been carried through in the open face of law
and the local authorities; but the man who knows
this frontier will tell him that the rifle and bowie
knife are all the law and local authority recogni-
zed. Witness the answer President Houston gave
when application was first made to him for his in
terposton with the civil force to quell the bloody
this very same county: Eight it out among your.
selves, and be d ID to youl' a speech entirely
Characteristic of the man and the country as il
then was. 1t was in the earlier stages Of the or
ganization of this same Regulator association
that our story commences.
Shelby county, lying in Western Texas, on thu
border Of the Red Lands rather thiny set
tied in the latter part Of '39. What population
had was generally of the very worst caste of Dor
der life. The bad and desperate men who ha,
been driven over our frontier formed a ralyin,
ground and head quarters here--seemingy wit
the determination to hold the country good agains
the ntrusions of all honest persons and as a sol
of Alsatia of the West, for the protection of out
laws and villains Of every grade. And, indeed, t
such an extent had this prescription been carriet
that it had become VIGOROUSLY much as a man
life or conscience was worth who settled anon
them with any worthy purpose in view for Ii
must either fall into their coniederacy- leave--C
die This was perfectly understood and the oil
iects of this confederacy may be readily apprec
ted, when it is known that every and then
party of men would sally out from this settemer
painted and equipped like Camanches, with Il
view of carrying off the horses. plunderng or mu
derng some marked man of Il neighboring COUNT
then returning with great speed, they would r
brand their plumber, resume their accustomed a
pearance, and defy pursuit or investigation. N
only did they band together for their operations
this way, but single man would carry off fiji
horse or commit a murder, with the most open
dacity, and if he only succeeded in escaping her
was publicly protected. do not mean to have
understood that the whole population at this tin
were men of such stamp avowedly.
There were some few whose wealth to degr
protected them in the observance of more seer
ly life though they were compelled to at lea
wink at the doings of their ruiiunly and more n
merous neighbors; while there was vet anotht
but not large class of straightforward emgran
who attracted solely by the beauty of the countr
had come into it, settled themselves down where
er they took u fancy, with Characteristic rockies
ness neither caring nor inquiring who were tn,
neghbors, but trusting in their own stout arms al
hearts to keep footing. OF course all such we
very soon engaged in desperate feuds with t
horse thieves and punderers around them; and
they were not yet strong enough to make Il hea
way effciently--were one after another ousted
shot 1t vas to eXterninate this honest class Il
the more lawess and brutal of the other assoc
ted themselves, and assumed the name of reg