The Arkansas banner., 1850-04-16


 l Texans, on whose conduct he had acted as a sn,
 l fathemed the artihce twelve months since 'If what you say be true, you arc a mad-mn ! yonrSels! exclaimed Webb, Deaf Smith was neve
 known to miss his mark. He hss often brOu rl down ravens in ,heiF most rapid flight, and kilie Csmanches ant Mexcans at a distance of two hun dred and ifly yards"
 Say more. answered Colonel Marion. i, tones of deep determination; the thing is aIread, settled. have agreed 10 meet Aian. There can h. no disgracs in falling before such shot, and if succeed my triumph will confer the greater glogv Such was the general h4hii Sf thought and feel. ing prevalent throughout Texsr af that period Towards evening vast crowd assembled at ths place appointed to witness the hostile meeting = and so great was the popular FsckIessness as ts affairs of the sort. that numerous and sums were wagered the result. Al length the led orb of the summer touched the curved rim Of the western horizon, covering R all with crimson and gold, and filling tbe air vita food of hurning glory; and then the two mortal antsg gonists armed with tong. ponderous rifles, took their station back to back. and at preconcerted signal--ghe waving off in opposite directions esanfssg steps antil each had measured fifty. They both completed the given number about the same instant and thea they wheeled, each to aim and fire when he chose. As the distance was great. both pausad for some seconds-leng enough for the beholdsrs to flash their eyes from to the other and mSxk the stri king contrast hetwixt them. The face of Colonel Morton was calm and smiling, but the smile t bore had most murderous meaning On tfe coEtrary, the countsnauce ol Deaf Smith stem and pas sionless as ever. site view of his feaares might have been mistaken for profile done in cast-iron. The one too was dressed in the rictest cloth, the other in smoke-tiuted leather. But that made difference in Texas then; for the aeirs of heroic courage were considered peers-lhe class of inferi- embraced none but towards.
 Presently two rifles exploded win simultaneous Il \ upwards, and dropped To the earth corpse. Deaf smith stood erect, and immediately be- to reload his rifle; and then having finished lis brief task. he hastened away Into the adjacent forest
 Three days afterwards, General nouston, accom- pHned by Deaf Smith and tea mos men, appeared in Austin, and without further opposition removed the State papers
 The history of tine hero of the foregoing anec- dote was one of the most extraordinary ever known in the West. He made his advent in Texas at m carly period and continued resse there until his death. which happened some two years ago; but although he had many warm peBonsl friends, no could learn either the Issd ol his birth or a single gleam of his prev ious history. When ques- toned on the subject he laid his finger on his iip and if pressed more urgently, his brow writhed. and his dark eye seemsFto shoot sparks of livid frs.- He could write with astonishing correctness and facility, considering his situation; and although de- nied the exquisite pleasure and priceless advantages ot tut seHSc VI uho gwen bill atil- pie compensation, by an eye quick and fsr-seeiug eagles, and a smell keen and incredible that of He could discover objects moving miles away in the far-oH prairie, when others could per ceiye nothing but earth and sky; and the rangers used 10 declare that he could catch the scent of Mexican or Indian al as great a distance buzz zard could distinguish Inc odor of dead carcass.
 It was these qualities which hited him so well for spy, in which capacity he rendered invaluable services 10 Houstons army duriug the war of nde- pendence- He always went alone, and generally Ob aimed the information desired. His habits in private life were equally singular. He could never be persuaded to sleep under the roof Of house, even 10 use tent cloth wTap0ad HhR hR his hs slas canopy of pure ether aud coups the stars, or gaze with a y-arning look at the melancholy moon.- When not employed as spy or guide, he sabsisted by hunting, being often absent on solitary excur- slons for weeks and even months together in the wilderness. He 6 genuine of nature, a grown up child of the woods and prairie, which he worShpped with a sort of Pagan adorailoa Excluded by his iafirmties from cordial fellowship with his kind, he made the inanmate things o the earth his friends, and entered by the hearts own adoption into brotherhood with the luini8aries Of heayen!- Wherever there was land water, barren mou ntains or tangled brakes of wild waving cane, ihera N as Deaf smiths home, and there he was happy; but in the streets of great cities in all the great tor oughfafes of meB, wherever there was haitery or fawning, base cunning or craven fear, there was Deaf Smith an alien snd an exile.
 Strange soui,--he hath departed on the long jour ney, away among those high bright stars which were his night amps; anu he hath either solved or ceased to ponGer the deep mystery ot the magic word life He is deai-therelore let his errors in oblivion and hs virtues be remembered with