Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-03-20

Legal advertis ements inserted at statue prices.
Notices or strays published four weeks, $i,75
New Anecdote OF Henry Clay.
A writer in the .Ns,c Quarterly Re-
Iview, London publication of much in
Iterest, relates very striking anecdote,
which, he says, he received from afriend
Ito whom it was related BY Mr.. Clay
himself. The story is as follows:
Travelling in early manhood, in
public conveyance in SOUTHEASTERN
State, Mr.. Clay found himself in the
company Of three other persons, consis-
ting Of young lady and gentleman, her
husband, and Of a perssn muffied up in
cloak, whose countenance was concea-
led, and who appeared to be indulging
in a tete-a-tete with Morpheus. Sudden
ly big, brawny Kentuckian, got into
the coach smoking cigar, and frowned
fercely around, as much as to say, Pm
half horse, half alligator the yaller flow-
er of the forest, all birthstone but the
head and ears, and that's aqua-fortis.
In fact, he looked as savage as meat
axe, and pulled forth huge volumes of
smoke, without reference TO the compa-
/ ny within, especially of the lady, who
manifested certain timid symptoms Of an
noyance. Presently, after some whis-
pering, the gentleman with her, in the
politest accents, requested the stranger
not to smoke, as it annoyed his compan4
ion. The fellow answered, 4 reckon
j I've paid my place. I'll smoke as much
as darn please, and all h--ll shan't stop
me no how With tina; he looked dan
gerous, and rolled his eyes round as
j fiercely as a ratt.esnake. 1t was evil
dent he had no objection to quarrel,
!, and that if it occurred, it was likely to-
lead to deadly struggle. The young
man who had spoken to him shrank
back, and was silent. Clay felt his gall
: lantry aroused. He considered for
/ moment whether he should interfere, but
Experienced a natural reluctance to draw
, upon himself the brutal violence Of his
gigantic adversary. In that lawless
country, he knew his life might be sac
: rifced snavenged. He knew himself
physically unequal to the contest, and he
T thought, after all, it was not his business
Quixotically to take up another mans
t quarrel. Feeling pity for the insulted,
and disgust towards the insulter, lie de.
|termined to take no notice when, very
+, quietly indeed, the cloaksd figure IN the
corner assumed an upright position, and
the mantle was suffered to fall from it
D without effort or excitement. The small
but sinewy frame Of man, plainly dres-
sed in tightly -bustened frock-coat, with
b nothing remarkable about his appear
!, ance, was seen, and pair of bright gray
n eyes sought the fierce optics of the fero-
J cious Kentuckian. Without word
this 'lay figure passed his HAND under
d his collar at the back of his neck, and
e slowly and deliberately. pulled zfartl, .
9 long, extremely long and glittering knife
: from its sheath in that singular place.
: Stranger he said, 'my name is Colonel
h James Bowie, we'll known in Arkansa.
n and Louisiana, and if you don't put tina,
y cigar out of the window in quarter Of
i a minute, III put this knife through your
!, bow els, as sure as DEATH Clay said he
n never forgot in after life the expression
6 of the Colonel's eyes at that moment
: The predominant impression made upor
him was the certainty of the threat be.
ing fulfilled, and apparently the same
conviction impressed itself ere long up
d on the offender. During two or three
L seconds his eye met that of Bowie. His
: was the weaker, and he quailed. Will
/ a curse. he tore the cigar from between
, his teeth, and flung it, scowling, bu
= idown-cast, out Of the coach window
el U pom this, Colonel James Bowie as de-
\ liberately replaced his long knife in its
'r eccentric hiding place, and, without say
4 ing word to any one else, or ever
IS vouchsafng glance at any one, refold'
al ed his cloak around him, and did not ut
4 ter another syllable to the end Of ths
e. journey"
81 Those who remember how Mr.. Cla,
n could tell story, can imagine the etfec
Re Of the above as narrated by him.
IN