Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-03-29
SHOT IN THE EYE. ..-
\ True Story of Texas Border Life.
.. DY W. C. WEBER.


\ True Story of Texas Border Life.
DY W. c. wEBBER.
About four months after this affair, in
company with an adventurous friend,
was travelling Western Texas. Our
objects were to see the country and
amuse ourselves in hunting for a time over
any district we found well enough adap-
ted for particular sport--as for bear hun
ting, buffalo hunting, &c. Either of
these animals is to be found in greater
abundance, and of course pursued to grea-
ter advantage in peculiar regions and as
we were anxious to make ourselves IA
miIiar with all the modes of life in the
country, we made it a point in passing
through to stop whenever the promise of
anything specially interesting offered it.
self. Praires, timber, and water were
better distributed in Shelby than any coun-
ty we had passed through-the timber
predominating over the prairie, though
intcrlaid by it in every direction. The
diversity of surface attracted a greater va
riety, and quantity Of game, as we'll as af-
forded more facilities to the SPORTSMAN
Indeed it struck us q perfect Hunter S
Paradise; and my friend happening to
remember man Of wealth, who had mo-
we'd from his native country, and settled,
as he had understood, in Shelby, we in
quired or him, and very readily found
him.
Whatever else may be said or thought
of the Texans, they are unquestionaOly
most generously hosPitable. We were
frankly and kindly received, and horses,
servants, guns, dogs, and whatever else
was necessary to ensure our enjoyment oil
the sports of the country, as we'll as the
time of our host himself, were forthwith
at our disposal, and we were soon to our
hearts content, engaged in every charac-
ter Of exciting chase.
One day we had all turned out for a
deer drive. This hunt, in which the dogs
are used for driving the game out OF the
timber, scattered the hunters very much,
they are stationed at the different stands,
Which are sometimes miles apart, to
watch for the deer passing out for this
reason the party seldom gets together
again until night. We divided in he
morning, and skirted up the opposite
sides of wide belt Of bottom timber
while the " drivers" and dogs penetrated
it, 10 rouse the deer, which ran out on Ell
ther side by the stands which were known
to the hunters. We were unusually sue
cessful, and returned to a late dinner at
the hosts, the planters house. BY
dusk, all had come in, except my friend,
whose name was Henry, and a man ma
med Stoner, one of the neighbors, who
had Joined our hunt. Dinner was ready,
and we sat down to it, supposing they
| would be in in a few moments. The
meal was nearly over, when Henry,
who was valuable fellow, came bust
ling into the room, and with slight
Hurried manner, addressed our host:
! esquire, ihis is strange country OF
yours! Do you let crazy people range in
it, with guns in their hands %
"Not when we know it. Why? What
about crazy people? You look excited. "
! Well, l think I've had enough to
make me feel little curious"
/ What is it ? What is it - exclaimed
everybody eagerly.
/ "Why, have met with either the
Old Harry himself-a ghost or a mad
man; and which it is, am contoundedly
/ puzzled to tell ?"
." Where How ?"
! He threw himself into a chair, wiped
the perSpiration from his forehead and
continued :
You know Stoner and myself, when
we parted from you this morning, took up
the right hand side of the bottom timber
Well, Stoner accompanied me TO my
stand, where we parted he to go on to
his, and have seen nothing OF him
since. Soon after he left me. deer pas
sed out. shot at it, wounded it, and
jumped on my horse to pursue it. The
deer had staggered at my fire, but was
not so badly wounded as supposed, and
led me off, until it suddenly occurred tc
me that 1 might get lost, and l reigned
up but I9soon found that this second
sober thought had come too late. and Iha
1 was already out Of latitude. 1 wan
dered about nearly all day, though ia
king care not to go very far in one direc
ton, before came across anything whic
promised, to set me right again. l a
last came upon wagon trail, and felt re
lieved, for knew it must take me