Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1854-03-08

own ships, with cargo Of coolies for this mar
ket. , ,..t ..,..If 4
AMERICAN TRAVEL.
The late celebrated Mr. Clay was man Of
great resolution and considerable daring
Hence told the following anecdote to a friend
of ours. Travelling, in early manhood, in pub
lie conveyance in a South Eastern State, he
found himself in the company of three other per-
sons, consisting of u young lady and gentleman,
her husband, and of an individual muffled up in
q cloak, whose countenance was concealed, and
who appeared, to be indulging in tete-a-tete
with Morpheus. Suddenly big, brawny Ken
tuckian got into the coach smoking cigar, and
frowned iercey around, as much as to say,
"rm half horse, half alligator; the yaller flow-
er of the forest, all birthstone but the head and
ears, and that's aqua fortis." In fact he looked
as savage as a meat axe, and puffed forth
huge volumes of smoke without reference to
the company within, especially of the lady, who
manifested certain tmd symptoms of annoy
ance.
Presently, after some whispering, the gentle
man with her, in the poltest accents, requested
the stranger not to smoke, as it annoyed his
companion. The fellow answered, 6" reckon
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 dangerous, and
rolled his eyes round as fercely as rattlesnake.
1t was evident he had no objection to quarrel,
and that if it occurred it was likely to lead to a
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
experienced natural reluctance to draw upon
himself the brutal violence Of gigantic adver-
sary. In that lawless country, he knew his life
might be sacrificed nnavenged. He knew him
self physically unequal to the contest, and he
tho't after all, it was not his business Quixotic-
ally to take up another mans quarrel.
Feeling pity for the insulted and disgust to-
ward the insulter, he determined to take no no.
tice; when, very qietly indeed, the cloaked fig
ure in the corner assumed an upright position,
and the mantle was suffered to fall from it with
out effort or excitement. The small but sim
envy frame of man, plainly dressed in tightly
buttoned frock coat, with nothing remarkable
about his appearance, was seen, and a pair of
light gray eyes sought the fierce optics of the
ferocious Kentuckian. Without a word, this
"lay-fgure" passed his hand under his collar at
the back of his neck. and slowly and deliberate
! ly pulled forth long-extrcmely long-and
glittering knife from its sheat in that singular
place. stranger" he said, "my name is Colo
mel James Bowie, well known in Arkansas and
Louisiana, and if you don't put that cigar out
of the window in quarter of minute, I'll put
this knife through your bowels as sure as
death"
Clay said he never forgot in after life the ex-
preston 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 it.
self ere long upon the offender. During two oil
three seconds his eyes met those of Bowie He
was the weaker and he quailed. With curse
he tore the cigar from between his teeth, and
flung it scowing, but downcast, out of the coach
window. Upon this, Colonel James Bowie as
deliberately replaced his long knife in its ecen
tric Kidding place, and, without saying word tc
any one, refolded his cloak around him, and die
not utter another syllable to the end of the jour
ney. New Quarterly Review for Jan.