The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1850-10-31
startled tie listeners like the roar of thun-


none could ever have seen before, for the
glance that bcheld him once might never
forget his image. Habited all over in a
fresh suit of leather ornamented with fan.
lastic figures, with panther skin cap sur.
mounting masses of raven hair rolled in
wild iangles, his immense waist cinctured
by broad beltliterally bristling with pistols,
of almost gigantic stature, with a face of
bronze and hands of iron, the latter grasping
an enormous gun, doubled-barrelled, and
both hammers at half-cock, the unknow'n
seemed for all the world the embodied ideal
of muscular force and diabolical bravery.
Every eye was rivited on this strange
tower Of human strength, but for severn.
minutes every lip was dumb. In the mean
whiie the giant did not appear in the least
discomposed by the common scrutiny and
the gaping wonder elected by his advent
He only opened the cavern of his throat
and gave way 10 an irrepressible concus-
sion of laughter.
Encouraged by this ambiguous sign of
idiocy or good humor, Gen Smoot ventured
to address the organized phenomenon.
"You say, fellow, that you are acquainted
with Mr.. A. Yell z"
t'I reckon I isn't nuthin' ese," replied the
unknown, proudly.
Smoot-"What sort Of man is he :"
Unknown-tHe's man."
Smoot-"Will he fight"
Unknown-''Yes, he'll fight everything
and anything from the devil on his burnin'
throne up to sassy lawyer with his skull
empty of brains and his pocket full Of pis-
tolls"
Smoot--"ffave you ever seen him fight"
Unknown-sIord haint seen him give
il TO the he bears2 He didn't mind their
teeth as much as me or you would the
scratch of blind kitten" The comparis-
on was accompanied by another choking fit
OF merimen.
Smoot (angrily)-"I do not doubt Mr.
Yell is perfect hero in bear fight, but can
he fight men--Eh?o ...-......-..
Unknown (indignantly)-Why bless my
soul case. that's his regular trade, whilst bar
ightin' is only fun TO keep his hand in prac-
tice7 Iwish you could have seed him whip
old Hoss Allen! You know as how they
were both bully lawyers, but Archy Yell
was alters the cutest, and that made old Hoss
.tarnal mad, and he thought he'd scare the
other off the track but he might as we'll
have triedto scare steam engine. Archy
lodged two bullets, and bein' without wea-
pons hisself, cotched old Hoss by the throat
and began 10 squeeze away like a cotton
press. Then old Hoss jerked out big knife
and began 10 tickle Archys ribs, but he
couldn't make him laugh nor let go on his
windpipe neither. He cut or his intrels,
but Archy held them up with his left hand
and choked harder than ever with his right
At last the old Hoss lost his breath his eyes
turned red as blood and his face black as a
buck niger's; and he tainted till the knife
dropped from his fingers. Archy picked it
up, but he didn't strike i, into the enemy's
hearth No; by - and General
Jackson He wur too brave for such a cow
ards trick as that He hollered-"Here
boys, throw some water in old Hoss's face to
bring him TO, while ! go to DOCTORS shop
and get my intrils sowed upw
"You are capital story teller" said Gen.
Smoot with sneer. "Will you be so good
as TO favor us with your own namer
-"They call me good.natured Bill Buffum
replied the giant. with an obs,repeious roar,
such as red tiger might emit could he be
provoked 10 the amusement, of laughter.
The bystanders, however, felt TO disposi-
tion to unite in Bill's explosive cachination,
for Col. Leeper, Tennesseean, and well
acquainted with Judge Yell, having come up
in time to hear the narration of that singular
combat, substantially confirmed the tale,
batting only the fgura,ive foarishes OF its
rhetoric.
"The new judge is real hero, then :" in.
quired Reub Reynolds, Esq.
Col. Leeper answered--"He is the bravest
among the brave. must own, that, al
though we two are sworn and eternal ene-
miles,"
This avowal elongated to most lugubri-
GUS stretch adozen visages, and caused even
the duellist, Gen. Smoot, to ground his
sword cane. Little time, however remained
then to speculate on the consequences of
the astounding fact for, at that instant ''good-
natured Bill Bufum" shouted with his insep-
arabic chuckle-"Yonder comes Archy, God
bless his brave soul !"
With this exclamation every eye was turn.
ed towards the door, through which a man
of most striking appearance was seen enter
ing, with bow of dignified courtesy and a
smile of irresistible sweetness. OF a tall,
slender, but sinewy frame, and shape ele-
giant and symmetrical as woman's; his
blue eye beaming with brilliant and yet
calm light of soul full of passions fire. but
thoroughly self-possessed his whols person
wearing the indiscribable air, and his face
the counienance of gentleman to whom
popular manners had grown sort of sec-
odfd nature dressed in rich but plain cloth
ing--the stranger looked the double personi.
fication Of one born TO power, yet educated
to please, and therefore sure Of command,
because he would excite in others the will to
cha,. 70, 3. .4sss I. ~