The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-06-04

ludTheu Ill HIS edl -
"Vlain, you play strong hand at many
different games, but here stands one who can
beat you at all of them"
He turned, met the glance of those keen blue
eyes so preternaturally bright, and shuddered,
But he Immediately regained his presence of
mind, for he was no coward, and then he frown-
ed till his shaggy brows met like the coil ola
serpent, and demanded stern y
"Beggar, who are you to banter gentleman
thus rudelyp
al am James Bowie, of Texas" the other
answered with ringing laugh; land you are
John Latfitte, bastard the old pirate"
The gambler reeed in his chair as if he had
been struck with a thunderbolt, but recovered
in firm tone
"What game do you wish with me!"
"Poker first and pistols afterwards if you
play foul~ replied Bowie.
Every well" }" rejoned the other, and they took
| their seats at the table.
For time the success seemed about equally
balanced, the gain and loss being alternate.
At last the gambler ventured one Of his skill
fui maneuvres in dealing. Bowie smiled
strangely as his quick eye detected the trick.
He said nothing, however, but looked at his
hand, and bet five thousand dollars, stalking the
money ten large bills. The gambler went
five thousand dollars higher, which resulted i'll
"call Bowie held four jacks;" but with
his habitual fendish chuckle, his antagonist
showed I" four queens" exelaiming as he did
| So
"By heaven, the pile Is mine"
"Not yet" shouted Bowie, as with both
hands he raked the heap of notes to the tune OF
twenty thousand dollars into his own pocket.
Choking and purple with rage and shame,
the gambler roared-
"To the hurricane deck, and let pistols be
trumps this turnp'
Good as gold' replied Bowie, and the two
hastily ascendcd the stairs and assumed their
separate positions-the gambler over the stern
and Bowie over the Prov.
| At that instant the sun was just rising in
cloudless sky Nature looked subme-a bride
worthy of her Almighty Husband and Cod
The woods and waters appeared as parts Of one
divine picture, with the boundless blue Of hea-
ven for its back ground. The broad-bosomcd
river rolled away like an immense sheet of
FURNISHED silver, speckled here and there with
the flash of golden bubbles; shining fishes gam
boiled in the sparkling wave; and all the bright
birds-those sweet singers, whose life is a
dream, aud that dream only music-chaunted
their wild anthem to the new day; while the
two great ducllists, the most deadly ever known
in the Southwest stood with cooked pistols,
eye to eye, and their hngors fixed on the hair
triggers, prepared and waiting to slay and be
slain.
al am ready. You give the word" cried
Bowie, in his clear, ringing voice, and with that
nscparable smile of strange meaning on his lips.
al am ready. Fire" shouted the gambler,
in tones mnrderous as death.
The two pistols roared simultaneously
Bowie did not move, though he had barely es:
capped with his life, for the bullet of his foe had
cut away one of the golden locks of his yellow
hair. The gambler was shot through the heart,
and, dropping on the brink of the deck, had
almost tumbed into the river. He was buried
by the squatters at the next wood yard. And
thus pcrished justly u bastard sou Of the great
pirate Laftte.
There never was a jury cmpanneled in the
west who would haYe brought in u verdict
against any man for killing him, and more espe-
cially under the circumstances, because public
opinion pronounced that she oug Int to be killed"
And such were the desperadoes that Bowie
commonly extermnatcd.
The generous victor Immediately proceeded
to the ladies' cabin and restored the winnings
of the gambler to the young merchant and his
beautiful wife, who both received the boon us a
gft from heaven, with as much gratitude and
JOY
If we should write volume concerning the
exploits of James Bowie, his character could
not be rendered more transparent than it is re-
vcaled in the foregoing anecdote, He was al
WAYS the samc-the friend of the feeble, the
protector of the oppressed, and the sworn enc.
nv of tyrants. lie was brave without fear and
generous beyond precedent; and though he
had faults, g igantc ones too, he atoned for all
the errors Of a stormy life by the spendor OF his
magnificent death, His tomb is the Alamo, his
cpitaph the word "Texas," aud his fame will
fill an humble though safe niche in the temple
of freedom through all time. lie can never be
forgotten till the bowels of the earth cease to
furnish metal for the fabrication OF those bright
blades of steel which bear his lnIperlslable
| name.
MANUFACTURES AT THE SOUTH.
The growth ofthc manufacturing interests of