The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-04-11

! TO meet him. There can be no disgrace
in falling before such shot, and if l sue
ceed, my triumph will confer the greater
glory!'
| Such was the general habit of thought
and feeling prevalent throughout Texas at
that period.
| Towards evening vast crowd assem-
bled at the place appointed TO witness the
! hostile meeting; and SO great was the pop
ular reckiessDess as TO affairs of the sort,
that numerous and considerable sums
were wagered on the result. At length
the red orb of the summer sun touched the
| curved rim of the western hOrisOn, cover
ering il all with crimson and gold, and FL
! ling the air with flood of burning glory;
and then the two mortal antagonists, arm
ed with long ponderous rifles, took their
station, back TO back, and at preconcert-
ed signal-,he waving OF white banker
chief-walked slowly and steadily off in
opposite directions, counting their steps
until each had measured ify. They
both completed the given number about
the same instant, and then they wheeled,
each TO aim and fire when he chose. As
| the distance was great, both paused for
some seconds-long enough for the behol-
ders 10 flash their eyes from one 10 the 9th
er, and mark the striking contrast betwixt
them. The face of Colonel Morton was
calm and smiling, but the smile il bore had
a most merderOus meaning. On the con-
! trary. the countenance of Deaf Smith was
! stern and passionless as ever. A side-view
! Of his features mi ght have been mistaken
| for profile done in cast-iron. The one.
too, was dressed in the richest 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 interiors embraced
none but towards.
Presently two rifles exploded with SIM
ultaneous roars. Colonel Morton gave
prodigious bound upwards, and dropped to
the earth corpse. Deaf Smith stood
erect, and Immediately began to reload
his rifle; and then, having finished his brief
task. he FASTENED away into the adjacent
! forest.
Three days afterwards, General Hous-
ton accompanied by Deaf Smith and ten
other men, appeared in Austin, and with
/ out further opposition removed the state
| papers.
The history ofthe hero Of the forego-
, ing anecdote was one ofthe most extlaor-
dinary ever known in the West. He
made his advent in Texas at an early
| period, and continued 10 reside there un-
I'll his death. which happened some two
years ago; but although he had many
warm personal friends, no one could ever
ascertain either the land Of his birh, or
a single gleam OF his previous biography.
When he was questioned on the subject,
! be laid his finger on his lip; and if press
! ed more urgently, his brow wrthed, and
i his dark eye seemed 10 shoot SPARKS Of
! iivid fire! He could write with astonish-
ing correctness and facility, considering
his situation; and although denied the ex-
quisite pleasure and priceless advanta-
ges of the sense of hearing, nature had
given him ample compensation. by an
eye quick and far-seeing as an eagle s
and Il smell keen and incredible as that
of a raven. He could discover objects
moving miles away in the ar.off prairie,
when others could perceive nothing but
earth and sky; and the rangers used to
declare ihat be could catch a scent of a
Mexican or Indian al as great distance
as n buzzard could distinguish the odor OF
q dead CafCaSS. ..s. -s.t.#
1t was these qualities which fitted him
so we'll tor spy. IN which capacity he
rendered invaluable services toll ouston's
army during the war independent He
always went alone, and generally obtained
the information desired. His habits in
kpriva!e life were equally singular, He
could never be persuaded to sleep unde
the roof OF house, or even to use tent.
cloth. Wrapped in his blanket, he loved
to G out IN the open air, under the blue
/ canopy of pure ether. and count the stars.
or gaze with yearning look at the mel
anchoiy moon. When not employed as
a spy or guide, he subsisted by hunting
being often absent on solitary excursions
! for weeks and even months together in
the wilderness. lie was a genuine son
of nature, grown up child of The woods
and prairie, which he worshipped with
a sort OF Pagan alteration. Excluded by
his infirmitres from cordial Fellowship
with his kind, he made the inaninate
| things of the earth his friends, and enter
| ed by the hearts own adoption into broth
erhood with the luminaries of heaven
Wherever there was land or water, bar.
rem mountains or tangled bra kes of wild
/ waving cane, there was Deaf Smiths
home, and there he was happy; but in the
! streets Of great cities, in all the great tho
/ rouehfares Of men, wherever there was
fiattery or fawning, base cunng or era