Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-03-09
and his portrait hung in the hail, with the
family escutcheons.
The story was published in the newspapers
and periodicals Of that day, all over Britain.
as a fact beyond controversy
American Travel.

The late celebrated Mr.. Clay was 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 a south eastern state, he
found himself in the company Of three other
persons, consisting Of young lady and gen
tleman, her husband, and Of an individual
muffled up in cloak, whose countenance was
concealed, and who appeared to be indulgint
in tete-a-tete with Morpheus Suddenly
big, brawny kentuckian got into the coach,
smoking cigar, and frowning fiercely around
as much as TO say, I'm half horse, half alli-
gator, the yaller flower of the forest, all brim-
stone but the head and ears, and that's aqua
fortis.' In fact. he looked as savage as meat
axe, and pulled forth huge volumes Of smoke
without reference to the company within, es-
peclally Of the lady, who manifested certain
timid symptoms of annoyance
Presently, after some whispering, the gen
tleman with her, in the politest accents, re-
qiested the stranger not to smoke, as it an
noyed his companion. The fellow answered,
4 recon I've paid my place. I'll smoke as
much as darn please, and all creation shan't
stop me no how With that he looked dan
gerous, and rolled his eyes round as ferceIy
as rattlesnake. 1t was evident he had no
objection TO quarrel, and that if it occurred
It was likely to lead TO deadly struggle
The young man who had spoken TO him had
shrunk back and was silent. Clay felt his
gallantry aroused. He considered for c mo-
ment whether he should interfere; but expc-
rienced a natural reluctance TO draw upon him
self the brutal violence of his gigantic adver-
sary. In that lawless country, he knew his
life might be sacrificed unavengcd. lie knew
himself physically unequal to the contest, and
he thought, after all, it was not his business
Quixotically to take up another mans quar-
rel
Feeling pity for the insulted and disgust tc-
ward the insulter, he determined to take no
notice when very quietly indeed, the cloaked
figure in the corner assumed an upright posi-
tion, and the mantle was suffered to fall from
it without effort or excitement. The small
but sinewy frame of man plainly dressed in
tightly buttoned frock coat, with nothing re-
markable about his appearance was seen, and
pair Of bright gray eyes, sought the fierce
optics Of the ferocious Kentuckian. Without
a word, this lay figure passed his hand un-
/ der his collar at the back of his neck, and
slowly and deliberately pulled FORTH long
extremely long-and glitering knife from its
sheath in that singular place. Strangcr;' 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 a
quarter Of minute, Ill put this knife through
your bowels as sure as death.
Clay said he never forgot in after life the
expression of the Colonel's eyes at that mo-
ment, 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
During two or three seconds his eve met that
Of Bowie. He was the weaker, and he quail
| ed With curse, he tore the cigar from be-
tween his teeth, and flung it, scowling, but
downcast, out Of the coach Windows Upon
! this, Colonel james Bowie as deliberately re.
/ placed his long knife in lis eccentric hiding
place, and, without saying a word to any one
else, or even vouchsafng glance at any one,
refolded his cloak around him, and did not ut-
ter another syllable TO the end Of the journey.
-Nc,c Quarterly Rcriclc for January.