The Empire County argus., 1854-04-15
NUMBER %

AMERICAN TRAvEL.--Thc late celebrated Mr..
Clay was a man of great resolution and consdera-
BILE daring. He told the following anecdote to
friend OF ours Travelling, in early manhood, in
public conveyance in South Eastern State, he
found himself in the company ofthree other PERSONS
consisting of young lady and gentleman, her hus-
band, and OF an individual mufled up in cloak,
whose countenanc was concealed, and who ap-
peared to be lndulgng in a etc-atete with Nor
pheus. Suddenly n big, brawny Kentuckian got
into the coach smoking cigar, and frowned fierce
ly around, as much to say I'm half horse half
alligator; the yallow flower of the forest all brim-
stone but the head and ears, and that's aquafortis"
In 1act' he looked as savage as a meet-ax and
pulled forth hugh volumes of smoke without refer
ence to the company within, especially of the lady,
who manifested certain timid symptoms of annoy
ance. Presently, after some whispering the gentle
man with her. in the potest accents, requested the
stranger not to smoke as it tannoyed his companion
The fellow answered. Il reckon I've paid nv place.
IL smoke as much as darn please and ali hell
shant stop me no how" With that he looked dam
geroua rolled his eyes round fercely as n rattle
snake. 1t evident he had no objection to n
quarrel and that if it occurred 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 considered for a
moment whether he should interfere but expe-
rlenced natural reluctance to draw upon himself
the brutal violence of his gigantic adversary In
unequal to the contest and he thought after ALL it
not his business Quixotically to take up anoh-
er mans quarrel. Feeling pity for the nsulted and
disgust toward the insulter he determined to take
no notice; when very quietly indeed, the cloaked
figure in the corner assumed an upright position,
and the mantle suffered to fall from it without
effort Or excitement. The small but sinewv frame
of the man, plainly dressed in tightly buttoned
trock coat with nothing remarkable in his appear
ance was seen, and pair of bright grey eyes
sought the fierce optics of the ferocous Kentuckan
Without word, this LAY fgure" passed his hand
under his collar at the back of his neck and slow
ly and deliberately pulled forth a long-extremely
long and gttering knife from it's sheath in that
singular place. Stranger he said, my name is
Colonel James Bowie, we'll known in Arkansas and
louisiana, and if you don't put that cigar out of
the wndcr in quarter of minute, I'll put the
knife through your bowels. as sure as death' Clay
said he forgot in after life the expression Of
the Coils. eyes at that moment The predominant
impression made upon him was the certainty of the
threat being fulfilled, and apparently the same con-
yction impressed itself long upon the offender.
During two or three seconds his eyes met that of
Bowie. He was the weaker. and he quailed With
a 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
deliberately replaced his long knife in its eccentric
hiding place. and, without saying word to any
one else or even vouchsafng glance at any one,
retolded his cloak around him. and did not utter
another syllable to the end of the journey.