The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-04-09

time, you will please let me know ynar deris:
j ion, SAN, HoUsToN."
atierthe reading, the deaf maj, waited few
seconds, as If for areply, and then turned and
/ was about to leave the hall, when Colonel Mor.
1 ton inierpossd, and sterniy beckoned him hack
! to the table. The stranger oheyed, J, and Nor
Ion wrote q You were bfave enough 10 insult
me; BY your threatening looks ten. minutes ago;
areyou brave enough now to give me saiisfac..
/ iionl 3s.5
The stranger penned his reply: am at
your service!'' ~ s.
Morton wrole again: .who viii be yonr se..
cond ~ Il rs ssSs.
The stranger rejoined, g am too generous
10 seek an advantage, andtoo brave 10 fear any
on the part Of others therefore Ineyer need
the aid of second s SIS
Morton peaned !: Name your Terms. 2 ~
The stranger traced, without q moments
hesitation: sunset ibis evening place.
weapous, ddistance, q hundred yards.
Dosnot "a time ~ 5;ti
He th lree steps across The 6oor,l
and disa Ugh the window as he had:
entered 3.7s
! VsileO q uI.nS Suuse y. spss ~ I.s - " .;'
sible. Ce5I dsaa- isthat you intend 70 hight
that naksifes atIsA mute, II not a positive ma
MAC. So. ha N ling, fear, will sadly lar
Inishihe Iustre of yonr hureis. 9, S rs
4 aYou are mistaken = replied Morton. with 4
| smile; .sthat mute is hero. whose fame stands
in The record Of dozen battles, and at least half
as many bloody duels. Besides, he is the "a s.
voriie err,issary and bosom friend Of Houston:
Fiji have the good fortune 10 kill him. think it
will tempt the President TO re,ract bis row az
gainst vcn,uring any more on the field Of hon.
or. y ~ -. ~ 4
.You know the man, then. Who is he T.
Who is he ~ asked twenty voices together
tDeafs Smith, answered Morton, coolly.
aWhy, no; that canno, be. Deaf Smith was
slain at San Jacinto,' z. remarked Judge Webb.
There, again, yonr honor is mistaken" !"
said Morton. The story of s ailh' death was
mere fiction, got up by Houston 10 save the
life Of his faporie from Tie swnrn ycngeancs of
certain Texans, on whose conduct be had acied
as spy. iathomed the atifce twelve months
since. y 2s.s
s slfwhat you say BE true, yon are a mad
man yourself y exclaimed Webb. g Deaf Smith
was never known TO miss his marx. He has
ofen brought down ravens in their most rapid
iighf. and killed camanches and Mc1icans at
a distance of,wo hundred and fifty yards T.
{" Say no more,n answered Colonel Morton,
ia tones of deep determination; I. the thing is
already settled. Ihaye already agreed to meet
him. There can be no disgrace in falling he.
fare such a shot. and II / succeed, my triumph
viii confer the greater glory Y.
Snch was the general habit. of thought and
feeling prevalent throughout Teas al that pc!
briod. 81 25 Il.
Towards evening a vast crowd assembled al
the place appointed to witness the hostile meet
ing and 50 great wass,he popular recklessness
ns 70 affairs Of the son, that numerous and con.
siderable sums were wagered on. the result.
Al length the red orb ofthe summer sun tnnch-
ed the curved rim Of the western horizon: eov.
|ering itaD with crimson and gold, and filling
The air with a finod of burning glory; and iben
the two mortal an,agonis,s, armed with long,
sponderola rifles, took their station, back to
back, and al a preconcerted signal-the way.
ing Of a white handkerchief-walked slowly
and steadily off in opposite directions, counting
their steps until each had measured fifty. They |
both completed the given number about the |
same instant and ihenlhey wheeled, each 10 aim
and FIRE when he chose. Asihe distance was
great, both paused for some seconds--long 9.
nough for the beholdersto fash their eyes from
one to The other, and mark the striking contrast
shatween them. The face Of Col. Morton wasj
calm aud smiling, but The smile3sit bore had a
free and most murderous meaning. On the
contrary, the countenance Of Deaf Smith was
stern and passionless as ever. A side view Of
his features might have been mistaken for a
profile done in cast iron. The one, too, was
dressed in the riches. cloth, the other in smoke.
tinted leather. But that made no difference in
Texas then for the heirs Of heroic courage
were all considered peers--the class OF inferi.
ors embraced none hut towards.
Presently two rifles exploded with simultane.
Gus roars. Colonel Morton gave prodgions
bound upwards, and dropped TO the earth a
corpse. Deaf Smith stood erect, and immedi-
sa.eiy began to reload his rife and then, hav.
Ing finished his briet task, he hastened away HI.
to The adjacent forest.
Three days afterwards, General Houston,
accompanied BY Deaf Smith and ten more lneu
appeared 10 Austin, and without further oppo.
sition removed the Stale papers. (!
The history Of the hero Of Tho foregoing an.