The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-11-16


that mani. He is a mute, If not a positive
maniac. Such a meeting, | fear, win sadly
tarnish the ldstre of your laurels."
ee You are inistaken," replied Morton with a
smile "that mute is a hero Whose fame
stands in the records of a dozen battles, and
at least as many bloody duels. Besides he
is the fayorite emissery and bosom friend Of
Houston. If | have the good fortune to kill
him, | think twill tempt the President to
retract his VOW. s.1aI ~ j.
aYou know the man, then. Who is he"
Deaf Smith" !" answered Morton, cody.
/. @Why no; that cannot be. Deaf Smith
was slain at San Jaciuto," remarked Judge
Webb.
i "There again your Honor is mistaken"
said Morton. "1he story of Smiths death
was more fiction, got up by Houston, to
save his faYoriie from the vengeance Of GER
tain Texans in whose conduct he had acted
as "a spy. | fathomed the artifce twelve
mo nths since" e
"lf whatyou say, be true, you are mad
man yourselfp exclaimed Webb. Deaf
Smith was never known to miss his mark
He has often rought down ravens in their
rapid flight, and killed Camanches and Mex
leans at distance of two hundred and fifty
yards ]"
Say no more" answered Colonel Morton,
in tones of deep determination, ."tle thing is
already settled. have agreed to meet him.
There can bo no disgrace in falling before
such shot, and if i succeed, my triumph
will confer the greater glory" ~
Such was the general habit Of thought and
feeling prevalent throughout Texas at that
period.
Towards evening vast crowd assembled
at the place appointed 70 witness the hostile
meeting, and SO great was the popular reck-
lcssness as toiaffairs of the sort, that numer-
Gus and considerable sums were wagesed .on
the result. AT length the red orb of the
summer touched the survid rim of the wes-
tern horizon, covering it all with crimson
and gold, and filling tho air with flood Of
burning glory; and the two mortal antago-
nists, armed with long ponderous rifles, took
their station, back to back, and at a precon
certed signal-the wavering of handker-
chief-walked slowly and steadily in oppo-
site directions, counting their steps, until
each had measured fifty. They both COM
|peted the given number about the same in
stant. then they wheeled, each to aim and
fire when they choosed. As the distance
was great, both paused for some seconds
long enough for the beliolders to flash their
eyes from one TO another, and mark the stri-
king difference between them. The face OF
Col. Morton was calm and smiling, but the
smile 1t bore had most murderous meaning.
On the contrary, the countenance of Deaf
Smith was stern aud passionate as ever. A
side view ofhis features might have been mis-
taken for profile done in cast iron. The
one, too, was dressed in tho richest cloth, the
other in smoke-tintcd leather. But that
made no difference in Texas then; for the
heirs of heroic courage were oil considered
peers-the class of inferiors embraced none
but towards.
Presently two rifles exploded with stimuli
taneous roars. Colonel Morton gave prod.
igious bound upwards, and dropped to the
earth corpse. Deaf Smith stood erect, and
Immediately began to reload his rifle and
then having finished his brief task, he hasten
ed away into the adjacent forest.
. Three days afterwards, Houston, accom-
panied by Deaf Smith and ten more men,
appeared in Austin, and, without further OPP
position, removed the State papers.
The history Of the hero of the foregoing
anecdote was one Of the most extraordinary
ever known in tho West. He made his adj
vent in Texas. at an early period, and con
tinued to reside there until his death, which
happened about two years ago but although
he had many warm personal friends, no one
could ever ascertain either the land of bis
birth, or single gleam of his previous biop-