Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-02-17
American Travel.

The late celebrated Mr.. Clay was a man of
great resolution and considerable daring. He
once told the following anecdote to friend Of
ours
Travelling, in early manhood, in a public
conveyance in southeastern State, he found
himself in the company of three other persons,
consisting of young lady and gentleman, her
husband, and of an individual mufled up in a
cloak, whose countenance was concealed, and
who appeared to be INDUCING in a tetea-tete
with Morpheus.
Suddenly a big, brawny Kentuckian got into
the coach, smoking cigar, and frowned fierce
ly around, as much as to g say: uTm half horse
half alligator; the yallow flower Of the forest,
all birthstone but the head and ears, and that's
aquafortis." In fact, he looked as savage as a
meat-axe, and pulled forth huge volumes of
smoke, without reference to the company with
in, especially of the lady, who manifested GER
tain timid symptoms OF annoyance. Presently,
after some whispering, the gentleman with her,
in the politest accents, requested the stranger
not to smoke, as it annoyed his companion.
The fellow answered: 81 reckon I've paid my
place. I'll smoke as much / darn please; and
all hell shan't stop me no how" With that he
looked dangerous, and rolled his eyes round as
tercely as rattle-snake. 1t was evident he
had no objection to quarrel, and that, if it oc-
Cured, it was likely to lead to deadly struggle
The young man who had spoken to him shrunk
back and was silent.
Clay felt his gallantry aroused He consid.
cred for moment whether he should interfere
but experienced natural reluctance to draw
upon himself the brutal violence Of his gigantic
adversary. In that lawless country he knew
his life might be sacrificed unavenged. He
knew himself physically unequal to the con-
test and ne thought, after all, it was not his
business quixotically to take up another mans
quarrel. Feeling pity for the insulted and
disgust toward the insplter, he determined to
take no notice; when, very quietly indeed the
cloaked figure in the corner assumed an mn
right position, and the mantle was suffered to
fall from it without effort or excitement. The
small but sinewy form Of man, plainly dress
ed in tightly-buttoned frock-coat, with nothing
remarkable about his appearance, was seen,
and pair of bright gray eyes sought the fierce
optics of the ferocions Kentuckian. Without
word this s'lay figure" passed his hand he.
meath his collar at the back Of his neck, and
slowly and deliberately pulled forth a lone.
extremely long and glittering knife from its
sheath in that singular place. Stranger" he
said, "my name is Colonel James Bowie, well
known in Arkansas and Louisiana; and if YOU
don't put that cigar out of the window in a
quarter of a minute, III put this knife through
your bowels sure as DEATH
Clay said he never forgot in after life the
expression of the colonel's eye at that mo-
nent. The predominant impression made up
on him was the certainty of the threat being
fulfilled; and apparently the same conviction
impressed itself ere long upon the offender du.
ring the two or three seconds his eyes met that
OF Bowie. He was the weaker, and he quailed.
With curse he tore the cigar from between
his teeth, and flung it, scowling but downcast.
out of the coach window.
Upon this Colonel James Bowie as delibe-
rately replaced his long knife in its eccentric
and, without saying word to
any one, or even vouchsafng glance at anv
one, refolded his cloak around him, and did
not utter another syllable to the end of The
journey .-Neso Quarterly Rcriep for January.