Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-09-13

"hSu iutoAiCdtGu. 8bulu SbEIke UlI WITH
his cane to cure him of his cowardce, as
ne said. The poor grocery keeper brooked
all these gross indignities with the pa
tience of martyr; and would sometimes
meekly demonstrate.
"Gentlemen, 1t is ungencrnus to abuse
me thus, for | confess | have no courage,
cannot fight"
This continued for whole year when
a change occurred that caused the insul-
ters to rue their ignoble prosecutions He
had beautiful wife, whom he loved with
the tenderest passion. One day, when
the husband was absent, the hidious half
breed, Jack Warhawk, instigated to the
damning deed by the persuasion of Gen.
Cole, went to the grocery keepers resi-
dence and maltreated his lady in the most
shameful manner.
Myers returned home to find his be-
loved one drowned as it were in tears He
heard the narrowing tale without extern
al manifestations of rage or emotion.
His face it is true, became somewhat pale
his lip quivered an instant, and then
settled to an expression rigid as a mouth
of iron and his wild black eye, it may
be, shot a few more beams Of penetrating
fire, but he did not mutter curses. He
muttered not whisper of menace he did
not condole or even sympathize with his
afflicted wife. He only armed himself
with bowie knife, fourteen inches in the
blade, from hilt to point, and started for
the village
He came with:n sight of his enemy, then
promenading the public square and boast
ing of his villainous achievement. At this
vision Myres' lip curled into a horrid
smile, and his dark eye melted into a
stream of tears. He approached till he
stood nearly touching the half breed, and
then said in horrid whisper
Wretch. be quick, draw for, by St.
Paul one Of us must die !"
And he waited till the other should be
ready for the strife on equal terms. He
did not have to wait long. for Jack un-
derstanding that cold, glittering, snaky
smile, and those hot gushing tears, as the
certain tokens Of murderous madness, i'm
mediately unsheathed at the same moment
with his adversary, and then began the
dreadful combat, which was soon decided
Myers parried three furious blows of
the hateful half-breed and then grasping
his foes clothing with his left hand. with
his other plunged the knife up to the hilt
in his heart The Cherokee expired with
out groan.
And now the inward and terrible pas
sion of Myers found vent in appalling
explosions. His curses were fearful to
hear-he srurned his fallen enemy with
his foot, and wished aloud he had hun
dre6 lives so that he might enjoy the
pleasure himself of killing him a hundred
times over. Ills wrath then changed for
his other insulters. lie flew at the loaf
er Bill Green, and tore outhis ''soap locks"
by handfuls.
He sprang upon Gen. Cole, and pulled
his nose till it was fattened between his
iugers-all the while that CORY knife drip
ping with blood in his right hand His
enemies were so taken by surprise terror
stricken, stupefied, that for space they
seemed utterly incapable Of voluntary
motion.
The coward had suddenly become the
brayest of the brave The equipoise Of
opposing feeling was destroyed forever :;
the sheer power of pure will had conquer
ed physical fear. Does any any one doubt
our strange story2 Let him address 4
letter of inquiry to Hon. g. w. Pachel.
of Van Buren, late Judge of the Supreme
Court of Arkansas, and the fullest con
frmation can be obtained
On the same evening Gen. Cole called
a special counsel of his friends to consult
on the course he should pursue There
was but one opinion-that as he had been
insulted by direct and gross public indig-
nifty, he must call his foe to the field Of
4 h. - La
day challenge was dispatched, which
Myers promptly accepted and fixed the
time at noon of the same day-weapons
to be double barreled -guns-distance
ten PAGES
The parties met on the sand beach, un-
der the bank of the river, above the vii
lage, aud hundreds collected to witness
the issue The mortal beIligerents were
placed in position by their seconds, and
the death-dealing guns-enormous double
barrels-rested with dark, yawning muz-
zels OH the sand, in their hands. The
spectators were much astonished at the
strong contrast exhibited by their appear
ance Gen. Cole was an old experienced
duelist, who had shot his man before he
was eighteen, and had often been engaged
in affairs of the kind.
On the contrary, Myers was unaequain-
ted with fire arms, and had hitherto been
deemed an unmitigated paltroon. And
ye., singular to record, the duelist, stood
up nervous aud agitated, almost trem
bling, while the reputed cowardwas calm,
firm, steady as rock, with that appalling
smile on his curling lip, and few scatter
ed tear drops cleaning in the sun, on his
cheek
Gen Coles second gave the word Fire
-one-two-threel He need not how
ever. to count so many, for with the echo
of the sound fire" Myers elevated his
piece as quick as thought, and touched tue
trigger There was a tremendous roar.
and Gen Cole, the duelist, fell dead. His
head was pierced with twenty buck shot
No one ever again called Myers COW
ard in Arkansas-no one ever thought of
the term as his shadow gleameC, by the
sunlight He had taken his degrees in
{ II g J Il. II