The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-12-31

The WESTERN BoRDERER.--Mt. Gladstone;
in his last Kansas letter to the London Times,
gives the following graphic sketch Of the west
ern borderer: ~ss ~ -
! at is impossible, however rightly to COM
prehend life in Kansas without taking into con-
sideration the natural characteristics of the west
ern borderer. Take him at his best, and the
pioneer of the new world possesses noble
character There he stands, in his rough WOOL
len shirt of yellow or red, his big boots forming
q large circumference around his leathern hose,
a buffalo skin upon his back at once his COW
erng by day, and bis bed, sheet and blahketj
all combined, by night-his coenskin cap or
/ slouched felt hat, covering face which hot suns
and keen frcsts have made brown as an In
dams, his rifle across his shotilder, his belt
stuck full Of twine, and knives and hatchets,
and ammunition, and all the minor necessaries
of lile--the produee of his last shot perhaps
upon his shoulder, bis visage the 6ercer for un-
combed hair and thick brstIy beard; there he
stands, ready for the widest river, or the thick
est forest, OF the broadest prairie, or the Wild
est Indian, or the most savage beast that it may
be his lot to light on ready TO do or die.
| That there is charm in all this, at least to
those whose hearts are fresh and simple, and
who are sick of the luxury of display, the hel-
low pretence and unmanly refnements of the
eastern cities, will be understood by every one.
| There is romance about the unheeded peris and
unthouglt of hardships, there is attaction in the
manly generosity of these brave pioneers of civ
iisation. They are the men to conquer the
wild woods and stern nature that is before them
and they do it, Step by step, not gradually,
but rapidly, they have carried forward the out
posts of civilised life the red man has recedcd
before them; the waste wilderness has been
transformed into fruitful field; hundreds, thor
! sands of miles have submitted to the steady
march Of their conquest; population has follow
ed to fill up from behind the lands they have
cleared; and hating, ''as crowded up like city,"
the place where they can see IN the distance the
smoke of another mans log hut or cross anoth-
er mans claim they ever move on, loving on
ly the act of conquest, and the pride of giving
to the world new lands for its enjoyment.
Open hearted, hospitable. manly, erterpfls-
ing, reckless of danger, careless of comfort, filE
of cool courage and determination as the west
ern pathfinder is, it may readily be supposed
he holds in most hearty contempt the dehcately
raised Yankee, that is, inhabitant of the north
eastern States. TO him the Yankee appears
the embodiment of all that is stiff and cold, cal
culatng and selfish. He would not exchange
the trough and ready' welcome to one of his
own western log huts for all the gorgeous
looms and costly display of the most brilliant re-
ceptions in the eastern cities. And well 1t 49,,
that in some parts eff the Union, the manly
strength ofthe first founders is thus perpetuated.
With all his faults there is life and vigor in the
western borderer, and although capable being
transformed into the worst of ruffians, because
the most reckless and determined, yet there are
l<1o &C IL, hos hoar rpbia
to show, in this rough population of Missouri and
other border lands, which noble in them
selves, and of the highest value to the interests
of the States.
ACTING UPON PR1NC1PLE-Some years ago,
during sojourn in Montgomery, it was the
writer's good fortune to be numbered among the
friends of colonel e. The colonel was one of
those in whose breast the milk of human kind
ness overhowed. 1t was his misfortune that he
was never able to say ''no." And to so great
an extent was this weakness carried, that it had
become notorious fact that the colonel would
lend money to any one on the first asking, rather
than refuse it. But 50 often had his good ma
ture been imposed upon, that he had establish
ed rule for his own government, which he was
always careful to explain to applicants for funds.
and usually did so after the following style:--
"Wa ant ten, do you? Well, you can have it.
But when can you pay it back? You see, I've
got great deal Of money loaned out around,
and like to keep it circulating, but l like to
know just about the time when it's going to get
around back to me; and hate to be disap-
pointed. A man that disappoints me once ney-
er gets any more money from me-;
Acting upon this supposition, one K, noto-
rous gambler applied to the colonel, one day,
for one hundred dollars, rather doubtful of his,
success, however. G.was staggered, but catch
E ing his breath, and overcome by good nature,
he REPLIED "Want undred?-certainly you
can have it; but when will YOU pay me back?
always want to know when my money is com
ing in as may want to use it elsewhere. Fix
your own day, but be prompt on the day you
fix; for man who dlsappoints me once, never
gets any more money from me-.
K. took the money, promising TO return it on
the following Wednesday, and, punctual to the
day and hour, he did return it, borrowing from
all his friends to enable him to do SO. Accord
ing to general supposiiion, his credit was there
by opered with G. to any extent; and, two weeks
after, his friends pressing for repayment, and
wanting a 'stake'' for himself, he applied bold
ly to G., nothing doubling his success. Cot
onel, let's have couple of hundred for day Or
So will you,'
:. "Can't,' says G. Sorry, but can't, really
you disappointed me 50 about the last; and
l told you that man who disappointed me once
E never could get any more money from me-
disappointed you'll said K. why, colonel.
you mistake the man: l paid you to the hour and
minute!
"Ah, exactly said G., 'that's just it. You
see, Inever expected to getit." Porers Spirit.
The St. Louis Republican doubts whether so
unique or so old bill Of lading can be found
in the valley of the Mississippi, as that which
follows 1t is a translation from bill of sale
executed the 18th of May, l741,' by Barois,,
notary, in Kaskaskia. What would our steam
boat men say now, to receive such price for
an old salt kettle, when they are in the prac
tice of transporting 900 to 200 tons of goods
between the ports of New Orleans and St Louis,
and are in very bad humor it, by chance they