Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-04-14
The Arkansas Coward.


5 The beautiful little town Of Va
n Buren, on the Arka hsas river, ne;
} the Cherokee line, during lis earl
n history, was fam Gus for the numbe
and ferocity of its desperadoes, bein
y the principal meridi4 An and focus {
rendezvous for gamb Hers, Indian ira
. ders. and all sorts Of adyenturer
y who had found it nee essary to chang
their domicil from lands governed.b,
the administration Of rigid crilni
nal code. The half-bred brave
from the Cherokee na alton, also flock
ed to the same site, to drink, carouse
| take hand at calids, and eXhi5lf
their powers in sangqinary "set-tos'
with pistols and long knives. Such
a state of society mhy be imagined
1T cannot be described. Not q sun
performed its circuit that did notwit-
ness some dreadful sin gle combat
with or without mur Hero us weapons,
while now and then dozens at time,
and BIZ mutual agreement, marched
from the rum-shop out in a public
square, and engaged Iin mortal strife
At this period, Thomas A. Myers
emiarated to ArkansasI aud opened
a large grocery store at Van Buren,
acting, himself, as kekpdr dr and retail
er. Such an occupation at that time
required man of the| most deter |
mined courage, as tile store had al |
always back room of d shed attach
ed, especially appropFiat fed to gamb- |
ling, both by day and BY night, and
where players were shpRlied with the
liquor at the bhr, and would
be sure to bully the s no Ger out OF his
charges, ! dhl ess restrained
BY fear. $
For while, howeF FPf, Myers sue
,eeded admirably. Th le half-breeds, {
oafers, and q etharterel| fghters,'' as
hey called themselves, held a caucus, :
nd unanimou sly voted that the new q
rival was danger bus subject, and !
ad better be left alone. This yer
let. was Altogether owing to tile \
tranger's personal appearance as .
lilitary as it we'll might be concei Fed.
al. manly, and symmetrical in n
labe. with gteat eu dowments both " y
strength and agllity J, he would have II
" equal in the AZ m Of naked na- te
ire But byIthe cunning insentfons u
art. iron, Steel, and lead, the t hun 7
n and lightning Of guupowdef are Il
ade to fight for the feeblest boSom; :;
ID thus dw;Irfs and giants, prov YldeG /;
th are alike, the heirs of true dour- 4
e, now stand on the same lead ar
vel. It waB b elieved also that My n
) possessed thd resplute will to han :
3 those awful engines Of des trae- vi
N where life and death hun g on III
e touch ofa trigger. His coante- So
nee betofened the perfeetio IN Of ii
avery. His face wore generally a "a
,rn expression, and when that melt va
into siaile, the { smiles seemed .Ja
erner still. His yes we're exceed al
ely black, wild, penetrating and c.
,tiess, and had that cold, cleaning, er'
,talic look, which may be regarded hi,
the surest sign Of desperation ne
sides, he carried an appalling sup
7 Of pistols, ana a b9Eie-lzuiie four be,
IN inches in the blade. Hence fe,
cry body was respectful and obli- ",
lg to the osten 81 ble hero, for pc an,
4 Of several weeks, during WHICH t,r
unusual calm reigued in the village Gu
At length tie rriblo affay occur r to
at Myers grocery Half q dozen iro
,-agms exploded in quick success be,
and the doaltning roar 50 fright ira
ID the Keeper that he took to his cul
is and fed from his own establ fish Of
Mt. The fact settled public Q pin evt
as to his character. wifi
sWhat |. chicken hearted coward a b
run fro1n b his own CASTLE excl him bla
General Cole, the Napoleoh OF for
ntier dqelists and gamblers.
Why, he hasn't the spunk OF a my
d possum," lisped Bill Green, the squ
ldy loafer, combinghis soap locks Gus
h his long rosy nails. Ny
Let's drink his liquor and smoke and
segars and not pay for them, Pc of
Sc as how he's a coward" said sfo
Ii Warhawkl a huge half-breed, and and
ing logic, Jack ieaped over the
nter, and began to 6il glasses and St.
d out segarF, crying: Coast to
brave, my boysl Well never be
it while the world has chickens OIL He
waite seatiler." J~c