Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1854-09-30
Advent Of Col. Archibald Yell.
LIFE IN TEXAS FIFTEEN YEARS AGO.

The morning OF the lirs Monday i'm
November, 1885, broke on the mild meri.
dian Of Arkansas, with a sun of almost
oriental. .brilliancy. A sky clear as crys.
tal bent It's blue arch an atmosphere
soft'and warm as the bulmy breath of
May. 1t was godsend of golden wealth.
er TO the gathering crowds Of human be.
ings that from an early hour came pour
ing into the streets and public square OF
Van Buren,, new but fourishing VILLAGE
situated on the river from whence the
state derives its name, and in the imme
date vicinity of the Cherokee line. Men,
woman, and children, white masters, black
slaves and wild painted Indians, with
plumes nodding from their swarthy brows,
continually swelled that living sea, all
burning with impatence 10 witness their
iayorite SItoao-to enjoy, one might say,
their only popular amusement, the com.
mon plesure alike of every class--for on
that day the district court opened its regu.
lar sessions for the large county of Craw.
ford. -e
Persons ignorant of the economy Of
social life in the b1ckwoods cannot even
imagine what strong and strange pas
sicn those far western people manifest for
the excitement Of the forum, and more
especially for tho concomitants and con-
sequences which always attend or follow
in lis train. But we should remember
that, in the paucity Of other means of
gregarious amusement, it is 10 them
church, theatre, gymnasium, newspaper
and telegraph-the sole focal point of re-
union, where all orders, and not unfre.
Queutly both sexes, 90 to see and be seen,
Tho courtyard is also the frontier pre-
paratory school of party politics, in which
the young athletics of ambitious genius
learn 10 exercise their tongues to dart
dagger.words Of bitter denunciation, and
their hands to WELD real daggers, pistols
and shot.guns.
This, TOO, is the battle ground where
the older heroes, whose laurels have been
cuIed on many a bloody field, meet to
measure arms. This is the constituted
place for the decision Of all matters in dis.
pate Of every name and description
The paper pleas of record form but a
small item of the multifarious issues 10 be
tried here. Has the fair fame of a wo-
mau been soled by the poisonous lips OF
SANDER, it is here, near the door OF the
forum, and within hearing of the Judge
and jury, that father, brother, or usband
will wash out the dark stain with the red
lie blood of the calumniator, or else lose
the last drop of his own. Has a private
quarrel occurred betwiXt bullics, aitor'
MES, doctors, teachers or diyines, be sure
it is here, in the public courtyard, before
the gazing, shouting, agitated multitude,
that the parties will fight il out. Such is
the common law of custom and the pre-
scription Of immemorial and sangulnarv
usage.
Here, also, is the chosen rendezvous
ofrogues, drunkards, whskered gamblers,
horse Jockeys and all office hunters and
demaaogues. 1t is for reasons such as
these that the docket OF frontier courl
is never cleared Of its cases for every
old one adiudicated, at least two new one;
are added to the list, and thus the accu
mutation goes on increasing from year to
wear. This makes il the elysium of the
LAWYERS. There is sad drawback, how
ever, on their felicity. The li;igants;
witnesses and spectators are mostly load
ded down with deadly weapons, and arc
equally ready to use them on the slgnteS
show Of Insult. Hence none but learles'
fighters need hope for success at Inc
bSr Under such state eofcircumstances
il is EASY TO conceive the scenes oil wllC
strife. confusion and outrage exhibited IN
a frontier forum, where the Judge is ior
ced by necessity to be either tyrant or
slave, and the counsel are always ouIlies
II was, therefore, the anticipation o
violent excitement in the shape OF actua
TRAGEDIES that drew such eager and hur
ryinp ,hrongs to the courthouse IN !h'
village of Van Buren on the occasion
frst alluded to. The human panorama
presented a view animated and busy II
The hinhest degree. Out of hundre.
houses. forty.three were groceries, VIII
oyerv door and window wide open, an,
so dcnsely crowded 'iia' Il SIu,'o !,
o.dozon clerks in each establishment
supply the thirsty customers, ,o5n 6eslG0 oq wei ,o
coan,er might be seen group OF I'VE; Me'
dressed gamblers, ringing i9ge'nor ar,,I;n ,ip'
full wine glasses before .ne ih ,bei
champagne disappeared oenea,n ., s,oo .rS.
boards. In the center Of the room s.oo
rude mountain hunter, with his rine !. !.
one hand and q huge quart mesSGnO s ,;nO :
The other Just raised 10 MS pa.so' r. An;
One Instant more and the nec'al 'o " RI n,
Gre shall melt on his great red tongue. n n'
nol 1t stopped IN bans'.n % .! .,o,cbes ,ac n
arm of nongrel India VINO s"u', :, ,hrong
oyeraowing vessel and flies away .nrouS ',S
He,i,r ,hs ,hpons' Click bang What soua u,
'.'o nuos ' ,ha,i The deafening roar oi io
San,er;s @ rifle, followed by death yell :
Gsp 'sa,Gd agony ms the Indian falls corpsss
'e',,". . ,,ndor those beautiful shao