The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-09-07


end bis disposition, necessarily soured by
recen, events, became qnerrelsome IN the
extreme. Perhaps there never wee mon,
exec ,ing only lha, Napoleon Of durIlss,
james Bowie, who ives go heartily dreaded
| | have myself teen persons Of uuduubted
courage turn pale merely al the appearance
Of Hills gigantic form, broadly belted aud
brstllng with pistols. lie was vas laid and
sho, al a number Of tlmes, yet still escaped
without scar. But this could he consider
ed 10 wonder for even brave mems hands
shook when they saw Tin, and shaking
hands generally make very poor shots.
! Daring the September term, lel3. of
The Circuit Court for Pope county, 10 winch
Hill resded, he cot up one morning Tn
commonly gloomy, and, while al the break
(as, table, suddenly burst into tears.
"Whst is The matter, my dear ?" askcd
Lpcy--tha, beautiful Lucy, who had for.
merly Jeff her wealthy home in Carolina
for the robber and robbers cave.
al have had dreadful dream, s~swer.
cd the husband, shuddeung al the recolec
tion saw George Strong 10 my sleep,
and lie kissed ne with his pale lips, that
burned like fire, end smelled OF sulphur
| am sure | shall die before sunset."
e" Then do not 90 10 court, 10 day" sad
the wife, 10 sccen,s Of earnest enIes'y.
Bul vii, replied the husband firmly.
I" W hen mans Tine is come, be cannot
hide from death BESIDE, il would We the act
Of coward TO Go SO, # one possess the
power" Then addressing his son, fine
intelligent boy ii thirteen, be continued,
Bill you see my gun pointing he fin
ger as lie spoke 10 the great double barrel
hanging on buckhotus over the door, "prac
tee with tha, every morning, aud the day
you are sixteen, shoot the losds Of both ba'.
rels into the nan who will this day k..l our
faIher"
onder comes Nose Howard he will
protect you, pa" remarked Mary, iidrs
eIlest daughter, IoveIay gifi Of fifteen,
who was 10 be married the next day TO the
/ youth then approaching.
i'il avd Howard departed; L9rv with
lears, aud Mary O'a-hiug, both call NJ out
as they Jeff the CUTE, Take sod care of
him. Nose, AID be sure and bnus hin back
to .uight."
Never fear" ansu cred the youth, with
laugh; Hill viii never die oil | kill
b m"
Then he will live forever" retoried
Mary, laughing also.
4. soon az the friends re1chcd the VIZ
lagr, Hill began 10 dunk deeply, and mani.
tested more thsn Ordinary anxiety for q
combat, insuiIn. every body that crossed
( bis path, and all the youths entfealies fail.
I'd 10 pacify him. Al last, the dcspetado
swoie ,ha, he would clear the court house /;
aud entering, with fLT.ous ccua!cnlnce,
aud a threat a, 10 his purpose, ldse, law
yers, llry and spectators made general
/ rush tor the door. Oe Old drunken man
alone did no, run ss fast as H. wished, and
he sptang on the Imbeclle wretch, aud com.
menced beating hun numerically.
Howard then caught hold Of his future
father in law, (aIss Who sas never 10 be J
aud attempted to pull him away.
With eyes red, aud elarlng like mad
dog. IlilI instantly turned upon his friend,
and with a single blow of hi, fist frlled him
to the floor then feloain. up the violent
net, he leaped 90 the youth, and began q
most fefoclOus battery. In VAIN Howard
endeavored TO escape, crying out IN tones
of beseechiog horror, " FJr Gods sake,
cease Hi |, don't You kno" me " our
frleGd Nose Remember Mary" HllPs
anger only increased, TIL finally, he threw
his hand TO bis belt, and cu'ctcd pistol
Aud then Ilosards blood also boiled, and
he resolved TO fgh; Eur his life. He vas
OF as powerful frame as the other, tile
only person IN all Arkansas TO be compared
with The desperate IN physical strength.
Howard gfssped the barrel Of the pistol
a, I'LL cooked il, and the weapon exploded
N their hands without Injury. Ooce more
they c!enched, and the most dreadful s'rug
Gle ensucd ever witnessed IN the wes'.-
The advantage shifted from one side to the
other for the space OF five minutes, til
both were baihed 10 streams OF their own
blood. Even the bye.sfnnders, look ng on
through the windows of the log court house
were struck with wonder eud awe. Al
length, while writing and twisting like
two raging serpen;s, the handle OF BINS
huge bowie knife, unlhought OF previously,
rroiruded from beneath his hunung shirt.
Both sHS il al the same time, aud both at
tempted to er~so it. Howard succeed
ed ; quick as lightning he drew the keen
blade from lis scabbard, and shcahed il UP
to the h,lt 10 the bosom of his friend and
his Mays father.
:" The dream is fulfilled, exclaimed Hill
with smile Of strange sweetness, that re.
manned on his features even after he was
corpse. He then sank down, and expired
without gronn.
Ilosatd gaz,d on hin there as he lay,
with that singular smile on his face, ond
his glazed eyes open. And then, aoakng
with start. as If from some horrible vision .
of the night the poor, unhappy youth, fell
headlong 90 the body of his friend, crying
IN tones that melted many a hardened spec
tator into tears, Great God what have
| done 7" He kissed the olammy lips Of
the dead wet his cheeks with rain of una
90, Min, eorrou. essayed 10 gtaunch the e