The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1850-05-02

4, yraos. Nc'i became conscious OF
hls danger, ard hastily slsekened h,
.teci. ILL tic bot stream 81 smoke |
frusn the her,e's nos,'ils appeared to
minsle With ha very hair: and then, I,
~hee i,ns sudde,ly. he cred another
rvsnd from the revolver, and the rdes
,an,hlcd frcsn bis saddle. The victim
then rene xed lie fight.
A mad ,tll cf er,rf and rage broFe
from the remaining troopers ~ they
~i,ncssed TIE fate II their ccmradc,
aud ,u eject vas Immediately evident
in the augmented caution Of their Iur'
,ai,--i for they eal'ored afterwards in
one hpdy, thereby re,srd,ng their PRO
src... 10 that Neil reached the river
before them. lie aused no, q mo
mcn,. bu, plunged hesdlong Down the
steer bank into the current, aud struck
a for the other shore. The dragons
discharged their side arms Intellectual.
~. and ga, over The chase
Ia a few minutes Neil landed, and
as soon as be Eel, satisfied that be vas
really saved, burst into an unsuppress'
ibie burt Of laughter, exclsiminc;
81 Il will Kill me just 70 think how
a.,oni.bed the yellow devils looked
when | hauled the rcvolyers out Of my
boots ~
Snch was Col. John Neil--posscss
IN. fund Of humor that no misfortune
could ever exhaust, aud flow Of ami.
NAL spirits which would have enabled
him 10 dance on the graves Of all his
dearcs. friends, or 70 have sung Yam
kec Doodle at his own execution.
a, a much later period Of Texan
history, the writer had the happiness
to make the gallant Colonel's acquaint-
ance. The first time | saw him was
a. the city Of Houston, in the summer
of ls+5. lie was standing on the
ground step Of the fight leading up
to the door Of 1.-The Star IIo,el." -
Holding his sides with both hands,
aud emitting through his enormous
mouth bois,erous explosions, he seem.
cd literally dying with laughter; his
face turned purple, and the blue veins
ON his forehead swcllcd out thick as a
mans thumb, while his eyes, cleaning
with savage inir,h, remained fixed on
n form in tho porch above him. The
latter was lawyer Seth Allen. a gen,
tlcman with the tall, mcasrc figure of
barbcr's pole, huge moustache, and
grea, rrofusion Of ruiiles. lie lad
fought a duel, mortal to lis antaso-
mist, the previous day, AMI was just
then relating to circle Of wondering
loafers the history Of lis proves. The
contrast between this skeleton figure,
foplish dress, and narrated exploits,
had struck Neil as transc entally lu.
dicrous and hence his sudden and
ungovcrnable mcrrimcnt.
"Wha: are you laughing at, fellow ?
Allen demanded, sternly, as he mea-
surcd our Falstaf with his eye.
AT you," followed by another So
norous peal, was the answer.
"l'll teach how TO make sport Of
gentleman :" shouted Allen, frenzicd
with rage, as he fed down the STEPS
and aimed furious kick full at the
others face.
Neil caught his foot in lis right
hand, and then stopping, suddenly
thrus,ins his head between lis legs,
and fairly raised him on his neck. In
that ridiculous position he trotted with
the famous ducllis: several times a.
round the yard, as a strong man
might trot with a child, laughing
ncsily like an IDIOT, while Allen yocif:
Grated for his pistols Neil then walk.
ed Of leisurcly some Fifty PAGES, and
tossed his burden into a mud hole.
with roar that was re-echoed by the
spectators.
/ An immediate challenge was the re.
suit. Col. Neil accepted, chose rifles
Of the larscs, size, and fixed the dis
lance at hundred yards.
Il will only wing him." said the
laughing hero, as he took his stand
"he's too poo. to make good bacon -
At the FIRST FIRE he broke the ether.
arm, and so the affair ended.
: A mere running reference to the re
naming facts Of our single biograph,
must close this sketch.
, Col. Neil was born and brought W
in rine tent on the tanks Of the Cum
, berland river, in Tennessee. At tn,
aye Of 10, he ran away from bis ia
, ther, and made his way to the wilder
ness Of Texas. lie there adopted tn,
, profession Of arms, which he ncyel
more rc'inquished. lie has been cap
tain Of rangers, colonel Of militia,
euardsman TO Mexican traders, and
. general thief catcher for the sherias O
, many Counties and yet all his life la
been one long, merry laugh
And indeed be NAV be said TO hay
, arerfec, righ. to laugh, If ever ma
T had. for drawer, warmer, more ger