Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-12-16

sly, quiet wit, addicted to practica
Jokes. In, the parlance Of frontie,
technics, he belonged to the category
of "peaceable men," having never il
all his life before had mortal rem
counter. He was even deemed {
coward, for he had been known tc
pocket open ins sults without so muot
as showing a sign of resentment.
| One day the bill to provide for the
more effectual reYarding of wolfslay-
ers, denominated in short, ''the wolf
scalp BILL" came up for discussion
This had been standing reform
measure from the earliest settlement
Of Arkansas, and will probably con-
tinue to be, as long as the Ozark
mountains shall rear their black brist-
ling crests in the western division Of
the State, or the Mississippi S wamps
shall occupy SO large an area IN the
east. Accordingly, when the wolf
scalp bill is taken up, tremendous
debate ensues. The contest then is
no longer between the ins and pats Of
power. Wings and Democrats alike
oyerleap the iron lines Of par ty de-
marcation, and begin d general mas
sacre of chance-medley 1t is a bat
tle-war to the knife, and the knife
to the handle--of every member
against every other; the object being
as to who shall urge the E most annih;-
lating statutes against their common
foes the wolves, because that is the
great question on which hangs the
popularity Of each and all.
The present occasion was the more
arousing, as there had happened late
ly a alaughable, but most annoying, in
stance of fraud in the previous terri
torial law. 1t seems that cunning
Yankee, fresh from the land growing
"wooden nutmegs," had conceived a
notable scheme of rearing wolves OF
his own; so that by butehering a
hairy whelp, at his option, and taking
its ears to Justice of the Peace,
he could obtain a certificate of wolf
scalp, emitting him to ten dollars out
of the country treasury. ltw said
THAT this enterprising genius had al
ready in his pens a number Of fine
looking breeders, and expressed san
guine hopes of soon realizing hand
some fortune!
Numerous were the provisions adj
yocated to prevent such scandalous
evasions in future. Among others,
Brown G. Roberts, Of Marion, moved
"that each certificate of a genuine
Wolfscalp be based on not less than
four af1idavits, and be signed BY at
least four Justices, and one Judge of
the Circuit Court
Abel Anthony moved to amend by
adding, "and by the President of the
Real Estate Bank"
This was intended by the mover
merely as a jest, to throw ridieule on
the complicated machinery Of Rob
erts' bill, and accordingly it excited
a general smile. But very different
was the effect ON Mr. Speaker VIII
son, President of the Real Estate
Bank. He saw fit to interpret the
amendment as the deadliest INSULT
| glanced towards the honorable
chairman, expecting to see him enjoy
ing the joke; but the moment ! be-
held his counteDance, ! was absolute
ly Mortified at its savage expression,
His face was of ashy paleness; and
there, on those thin, white lips, as if
in devilish mockery Of malice, sat
. grim, snake-Eke, writhing S n i lie,
which'merely moved the.curled mouth,
spreading no further, nor affecting
any other feature that significant
smile Of murder, so peculiar to almost
The whole class of desperadoes, when
about to do some deed of death
There was however, brief space for
speculation as to physiognomic signs;
for hardly had the offensive words
left Anthony's elips, when wills son
sprang to his feet and imperiously or
dered the other to sit down.
Anthony, manifesting no token of
either surprise or alarm, replied
mildly that he was entitled to the
floor.
sSit down." Wilson repeated, and
this time in voice like thunder
~ am entitled TO the floor, and
will not resign it, said Anthony, ap-
parently without anger, but giving
back a look of cain n immoyable rese-