The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1854-03-15
SMOKING IN A STAGE.

The late Mr.. Clay was a man Of great
resolution and considerable dating. lie
once told The following anecdoie to friend
Of ours. Tavelling in early manhood in a
public conveyance in a southeastern Stale,
he found himself in company Of three 9th
er persons, consisting ol young lady and
gentleman, her husband, and an individual
muflled in cloak, whose countenance
was concealed, and who appeared to be
indulgiug in a tele-a.iete with Morpheus.
Suddenly a big, brawny Kentuckian got
into the coach, smoking a cigar, and Grown
ed iiercely around, as much as to say,
"l'm half horse, half alligator, the yalIer
flower Of the forrest, all birthstone hut the
head and ears, and that's aquaforlis." In
fact, he looked as savage as meai-axe,
aud puffed forth huge volumes Of smoke,
without reference 10 The company within,
especially the lady, who manifested GER
tain limid symptoms Of annoyance. Pres.
emily, after some whispering, the gentle.
man with her, in The politesi accent, re-
quesled The stranger not IL smoke, as il an
noyed his companion. The fellow an
swered, e. reckon Nv paid for my place.
III smoke as much a, | darn please, and
all hell shan't stop me, no how" With
that lie looked dangerous, and rolled his
eyes round as fercely as aratlesnake. II
was evident he had no objection To a quar-.
rel. ald that ir it occurred it was likely To
lead 10 deadly struggle. The young man
who had spoken to him shrunk back and
was silent. lag.4 Ia.- .a. 81
Clay felt his gallantry 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
tina, lAwless country, he knew his life
might he sacrificed unavenged. Tie knew
himself physically unequal 10 the contest.
and he thought, after all, it was not his
business, Quixolically, to take up another
mans quarrel. Feeling pity for the in
suited, aud disgust toward the insuller. he
uCteIulluCu W thhc uO nVHSCN WH'H' 'c'N
quietly indeed, The cloaked figure in the
corner assumed an upright position, and
the mantle was suffered 10 fall from it
without effort or excitement.
The small but sinewy frame Of man,
plainly dressed in iighdy.b, toned lrock
coat, with nothing remarkable about his
appearance, was seen, and pair Of fright
grey eyes sought the fierce optics Of the
Ier0ciuu, Kenmckian. Without word,
this "lay figure" passed his hand under
his collar at The back oi his nick, and
slowly and deliberately pulled firth a long
extremely long-and gliuering knife
from It's sheath in that singular place.
" Stranger" he said, "my name is Col.
james Bowie, well known in Arkansas
aud Louisiana, and il you don't put that
cigar out of the window in quarter of a
minute, III put This knife through your
bowels, as sure as death"
Clay said he never forgot in after life
the expression Of the CulOneTs eyes al tina
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 me, those Of Bowie. He
was the weaker, and he quailed. Will
curse he tore the cigar from between hi,
teeth and 1unJ il. scowliug. hut uOwncrst