Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-10-01
A TEXAS RANGERS BEST SHOT

!
A TEXAS. RANGERS REST SHOT.
Wilson and Cameron stood apart from
their companions. With folded arms and
thoughtful faces, they watched the shad-
ows of night stealing over lake and chap
paral.
An hour like this casts spell unon
my spirit" said Cameron. Il love to
see the glare of day fade, and give place
to the dim, placed twilight"
Il have similar feelings" replied VIII
| son, " but ] like night best when more
advanced towards the small hours, and
the moon and stars are brightly bcaming. -
Cameron made no reply, and the par
ties remained silent. Wilson was the
first to speak.
"That's a heavy rifle of yours" he
said, glancing at the weapon upon which
Cameron was leaning. Il dare say it
has been of service to you in it's time!"
No money could induce me to part
with it, because | have proved its metal
on many occasions. Did [ ever tell you
of an adventure that | once had near the
Rcd River?'
You never did; | should like to hear
it" said Wilson.
Several years ago" resumed Cameron,
Il was hunting near Cross Timbers, not
far from Red River. The Indians were
then troublesome, and frequently commit
ted their deprcdations on the frontier
settlements; but | was fond of hunting,
and cared little for them, willing to trust
to my own courage and ingenuity in any
emergency that might occur. | carried
tbs same rifle, and was called one OF the
best shots in the country.
Many people said the piece was too
heavy for common use; but | was ac-
customed to it, and it didn't fcci burden
some to me-and when fired, it was
sure to do the right thing, for what ami
NAL could carry off an ounce and a hall
of lead, skilfully sped on It's errand!
Having discovered Indian signs one
day, thought it best to change my hunt
Ing ground, and 50 put a considerable
distance between ne and the spot, and
cncampcd on a wide prairie bounded on
the east by the Cross Timbcrs. Not
long after this event, was sitting on the
bank of a small stream, resting my weary
limbs after long and fatiguing hunt,
when l was fired upon and Slightly
wounded.
81 was fortunate enough to discover thc
marksman, who proved to be an Indian,
of what tribe do not remember. in
stantly shot him dead, and then perceived
that he was not alone, for one of his bre-
thrcn was with him, who made good his
escape. Time passed on, and [ was un-
disturbed in my amuSemcnts for a long
time.
Zone day, not feeling very well, [ re-
turned to my camp sooner than usual. |
laid down to sleep, b1t could not. | felt
uneasy and nervous, and so arose and
went on the. prairie. The grass was not
very tall, and the hot slus Of the season
had dried it until it was crispy and rat
tied as [ walked through it. | asccndcd
a gentle swell and looked around me.
The scene was a grand one. On one hand
were the Cross Timbcrs dilnly seen in the
distance, resembling dense wall ofwootl
built of human hands, while in every di-
rection the prairie stretched away emil
lost in the distance. The sun was getting
low, and looked like a sunsct on tle sea.
AS my eyes wandered from point to point.
they were suddenly fixed upon solitary
| figure several hundred yards distant, at
the foot of the long swell or rol! upon
which was standing.
lie Stood III open space, and II first
wondered how that could be, as the graS,;
was SO high in every other place, but the
affair soon explained itself. More careful
| examination showed me that the solitary
object was an Indian, and his object in
plucking up the dry grass was evident
he was going to fire the prairie! 1t was
doubtless the same fellow that Lad es-
capped at the time had been fired on
He had discovered my retreat, and was
about to revenge himself III singular
| manner.
1.-The wind was blowing fresh towards
me, and if the grass had ! cen set Oh fire,
| no power on earth could have saved me,
| for the ilcctest horse could not run fast
cnoEgn to escape It's devour;ng i!i.aies.
\ terrible dread OF t',at kind Of death
came over me. IStood like one f:,scina ed
and gazcd at the preparation Of the Sav-
age. lie stood in the middle Of TIC open
space he had made, with blazing torch
in his hand. Innumerablc thoughts
rushed through my mind in an instant of
time. was never so completely para
iyzed and stupified before in my life
The power of thought seemed TO be the
only power left me, and that was stimu-
lated to an unnatural degree. The past,
present and future were reviewed and
speculated upon in that brief and broken
| fragment of time in which the savage
stood waiting for the brand to burn more
brightly before he thrust it into the grass.
Yes, my destiny was to be burned
Some hunter or traveller would find my
body charred or blackened; and others,
after time, would pass nv bones bleach