Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-03-06
Smoking In a Stege.

The late Mr.. Clay was man of grea
resolution and considerable daring. II.
once told the following anecdote to frient
OF ours. Travelling, in early manhood, ir
public conveyance in Southeastern
State, he found himself with three Other
persons, consisting Of young lady enc
gentleman, her husband, and an individu
al, mufled in cloak whose countenancs
was concealed, and who appeared to BE-
indulging in tete-a-tete with Morpheus
Suddenly big, brawny Kentuckian gol
into the coach smoking a cigar, and frown'
ed tiercely around, as much as to say "I'm
half horse, hall alligator; the yaller flow
ers Of the Forest all birthstone but the head
and years, and that's aquafortis." In fact,
he looked as savage as a meat-axe, and
,,nfed forth huge volumes Of smoke, with
out reference to the company within, es-
peeialIy the lady, wh. manifested certain
timid symptoms OF Snnoya2ce' Presently
after some whispering, the gentleman with
her, in the politest accent, requested tie
stranger not to smoke. as it annoyed his
companion. The fellow answered, i
reckon I've paid I'll smoke as much as
darn please, and hell shan't stop me, no
how" With that he looked dangerous,
and rolled his eyes round as fiercey as a
rattlesnake. 1t was evident that he had
no objections to a quarrel, and that if it
occurred it was likely to lead to a deadly
struggle. The young man who had spo-
ken to him shrunk back and was silent.
Clay felt his gallantry aroused. He con-
sidered for moment whether he should
interfere. but experienced natural reluc-
lance to draw upon himself the brutal vio-
lence of his gigantic adversary. In that
lawless country, he knew his life might be
sacrificed unavenged. He knew himself
physically unequal to the contest, and he
thought, after all, it was not his business,
quxotically, to take up another man quar-
rel. Feeling pity for the insulted, and
disgust towards the insulter, he determined
TO take no notice: when very quietly, in
deed, the cloaked figure in the corner as
sumed an upright position, and the man
tie was suffered to fall FROM it without Ell
fort or excitement.
The small but sinewy frame of man,
plainly dressed in tight buttoned frock
coat, with nothing remarkable about his
appearance, was seen, and a PAIR of bright
gray eyes sought the fierce optics Of the
ferocious Kentuckian. Without word,
this clay figure passed his hand under his
collar at the back of his neck, and slowly
and deliberately pulled forth a long-ex-
tremey long--long and g!ittering knife
from its sheath in that singular place
stranger" he said, my name is Col.
James Bowie, well known in Arkansas and
Louisiana and if you don't put that cigar
out Of the window in aquarter of min
ute, I'll put this knife through your bowels,
as sure as death" .z.5zzls
Clay said he never forgot it in after lite
the expression of the Colonel's eyes at that
moment. The predominant impression
made upon him was the certainty of the
threat being fulfilled, and apparently the
same conviction impressed itself ere long
upon the offender. During two or three
seconds his eyes met those Of Bowie
He was the weaker, and he quailed.
With curse, he tore the cigar from be-
tween his teeth, and flung it, serowling,
but downcast, out of the coach window
Upon this, Col. James Bowie as deliber-
ateIy replaced his long knife in its cccen-
trio hiding place, and, without saying a
word to any one else, or even vouchsaiing
glance at any one, retolded his cloak a
roNnd him. and did not utter another syl-
liable to the cad OF his journey.-Qaarierly
RerieU for January.