Volcano weekly ledger., 1855-12-29

the field of honor"
You know the man, then? Who is hep
Deaf Smith," answered Morton, coolly.
Why, no that cannot be- Deaf Smith
was slain at San Jacinto," remarked Judge
Webb
There again your honor is mistaken, " said
Morton. The story of Smiths death was a
mere fiction, got up by Houston to save his
fayorite from the vengeance of certain Tex
ans in whose conduct he had acted as a spy"
If what you say be true, you are a mad
man yourself ~ exclaimed Webb. Deaf
Smith was never known to miss his mark He
has often brought down ravens in their rapid
fight, and killed Camanches and Mexicans
at distance of two hundred and fifty
yards !"
Say no MORE" answered Colonel Morton,
in tones of deep determination the thing is
already settled. have agreed to meet him.
There can be no disgrace in falling before such
a shot, and if succeed, my triumph will con-
fer 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 to witness the hostile
meeting, and so great was the popular reck-
lessness as to affairs Of the sort, that numer-
GUS and considerable sums were wagered on
the result. At length the red orb of the
summer sun touched the curved rim of the
western horizon, covering it all with crimson
and gold, and filling the air with food of
burning glory ; and the two mortal antago-
nists, armed with long, ponderous rifles, took
/ thair rot 10 hac auI %
certed signal--the waving of handkerchief
walked slowly and steadily in opposite d.
reetions, counting their steps, until each had
measured fifty. They both completed the Civ
en- number about the same instant, and then
they wheeled, each to aim and fire when they
chose As the distance was great, both paus-
ed for some seconds-ong enough for the be-
holders to fash their eyes from one to anoth-
er, and mark the striking difference between
them. The face Of Colonel Morton was calm
and smiling, but the smile it bore had most
murderous meaning. On the contrary, the
countenance OF Deaf Smith was stern and
passionless as ever. A side view of the fea-
lures might have been mistaken for a profile
done in cast iron. The one, too, was dressed
in the richest cloth, the other in smoke tinted
]
as then for the heirs of heroic courage were
all considered peers--the class of interiors
embraced none but towards.
Presently two rifles exploded with simulta-
neous roars Colonel Morton gave prodig-
ous bound upwards, and fell to the earth a
corpse. Deaf Smith stood erect, and imme-
diately began to reload his rife and then,
having finished his brief task, he hastened
away into an adjacent forest
Three days afterwards, Houston, accompa-
MED by Deaf Smith and ten more men, ap-
peared in Austin, and without opposition re-
moved the State papers
The history of the hero of the foregoing
anecdote was one of the most extraordinary
ever known in the West. He made his ad-
vent in Texas at 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 his
birth, or a single geam of his previous biog-
raphy. When he was questioned on the sub
ject, he pressed his finger on his lip, and if
pressed more urgently, his brow writhed, and
his dark eye seemed to shoot sparks of livid
fire lie could write with astonishing cor
rectness and facility, considering his situation;
and although denied the exquisite pleasure
and priceless advantages of the sense of hear
ing, nature had given him ample compensa-
tion, by an eye quick and far-seeing as an ca
giles. and scent keen and incredible as that
Of a raven He could discover objects miles
away in the far-of prairie, when others could
perceive nothing but earth and sky, and the
rangers used to declare that he could catch
the scent Of Mexican or Indian at as great
a distance as buzzard could distinguish the
odor of a dead carcass.
1t was these qualities that fitted him SC
well for a spy, in which capacity he rendered
invaluable service to Houston's army during
the war of independence. He always went
alone, and generally obtained the information
desired His habits in private life were equal
ly singular He never could be persuaded to
sleep under the roof of house, or even to
use tent cloth. Wrapped in his blanket, he
loved to lie out in the open air, under the blue
canopy of pure ether, and count the stars, or
gaze with yearning look at the melancholy
moon. When not employed as a spy or guide,
he subsisted by hunting, being often absent
on solitary excursions, for weeks and even
months together, in the wilderness lie was
genuine son of nature, grown up child OF
the woods and prairie, which he worshipped
4 with sort of Pagan alteration. Excluded
.pby his infrmties from cordial fellowship with
his kind, he made the inanimate things of the
earthEhis friends and entered by his hearts
,iopton into brotherhood with the lu
minaries of heaven Wherever there wa
land or water. barren mountains or tangled
4 4 H.