Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-11-19
"Gentlemen, it is ungenerous to abuse me
thus, for confess | have no courage cannot

fight"
This continued for o whole year, when
change occurred that caused the insulters to rn
their ignoble prosecutions. He had beautliu
wife, whom he loved with the tenderest passion
One day when the husband was absent, the hid
eous half. breed, Jack Warhawk, instigated t
the damning deed by Gen. Cole, went to tn
grocery keepers private residence and maltreat
ed his lady in the most shameful manner.
Myers returned home to find his beloved on
drowned, as it were, in tears. He heard tn
narrowing tale without external manifestation
of anger or emotion. His face, it's true becam
somewhat pale-his lip quivered an instant, ant
settled to an expression rigid as mouth OF iron
and his Wild black eye, it may be, shot forth
few more beams of penetrating fire, but ne dlt
not mutter curses. He uttered not whisper, O
menace-he did not even deign to condole o
sympathize with his afflicted wife. de onl.
armed himself with bowie knife, fourteen inch
es in the blade, from hilt to point, and starte'
for the village.
e. came in sight of his enemy, promenadin!
the public square, and boasting of his villainou
achievement. At this vision Myers lips curie'
into horrid smile, and his dark eye melted int
stream of tears He approached, till he stoo'
nearly touching the half-breed, and then said Il
q hurried Whisper
"Wretch, be quick; draw! for by St. Paul
one of US must die"
And he waited until the other should be read.
for strife on equal terms. He did not have t.
wait long, for Jack, understanding that cold gllt
tering, snaky smile, and those hot gushing tear
as the certain tokens of murderous madness, I'm
mediately unsheathed at the same moment witt
his adversary, and then began the dreadful com
bat, which was soon decided.
Myers parried three furious blows at the hate
full half-breed; and then grasprg his foes cloth
ing with his left hand, with the other plunged
the knife into his heart The Cherokee expired
without groan.
And now the inward and terrible passions o
Myers found vent in appalling explosions. hi
curses were fearful-he spurned his enemy witt
his foot, and wished aloud he had hundre'
lives, so that he could enjoy the pleasure OF XII
ing him an hundred times over his wrath thel
changed for his other nsulters. He flew at LOAF
er Bill Green, and tore out his soap locks" D.
handsful. He sprang upon Gen. Cole, and pui!
ed his nose until it was tattened between III
thumb and tngers-all the while that CORY knii
dripped with blood.
His enemies were so taken by surprise-ter
ror-stricken, stupefed, that for space the.
seemed utterly incapable of voluntary motion.
The coward had suddenly become the braves
of the brave The equipoise of opposition feel
ing was destroyed forever; the sheer power o
pure will had conquered physical fear.
Do any of our readers doubt our strange sto
rv? If so, let him address q letter of inquiry t.
Hon. George W. Patched, Van Buren, late Judg
of the Supreme Court OF Arkansas, and the full
est information may be obtained.
On the evening Of the same day General Ooi'
called q special council OF his friends to consul
on the course he should pursue. There was bu
one opinion-that he had been insulted by
gross public indignity and must call his foe Il
the field of honor.
Accordingly upon the following day chal
lenge was despatched, which Mr.. Myers yer.
promptly accepted, and fixed the time at nool
of the same day-the weapons to be double bar
relied shot guns-the distance ten PAGES.
The parties met on the sand beach, under tn
bank of the river, above the town, and hundreds
assembled to witness the issue. The mortal bel
ligerents were placed by their seconds, and thu
death dealing guns-enormous double barrels,
rested with dark, yawning muzzles on the sanu
in their hands. The spectators We're much as
tonished by the strange contrast exhlDlted IL
their appearance. Gen. Cole was an old, expe
rienced duelist, who had shot his man before ht
was eighteen, and had often been engaged in at
fairs of the kind
On the contrary, Myers was unacquainteo
with fire arms, and had always hitherto beer
deemed an unmitigated poltroon. And yet, sin
gular to record, the duelist was nervous and ag
itated, almost trembling, while the repnted COW
ard was calm, firm, steady as rock, with tha
horrid smile on his curling lip, and few scat
tered tear drops, cleaning in the sun, on Ill
cheek!
Gen. Coles second gave the word, Fire-one
two, three He need not, however, to have
counted SO many, for with the echo OF the wore
fire, Myers elevated his piece as quick as thought
and touched the trigger. There was tremen
dous roar and Gen. Cole fell dead. His heae
was pierced with twenty buckshot.
No man ever again called Myers coward, in
Arkansas-no one ever thought of the term q!
his shadow cleaned in the sunlight. He hac
taken his degree in the college of desperation
and his diploma was written in blood!
He became politician of great notoriety--s
leader in that part of the State-was repeatedly
elected to the Legislature, where he acquired
distinction by his talents, but more by his fear
less daring, and he is said to be in progress q
ascension, having recently obtained the commls
sion of Major General of the Militia. We hope
before many months to see his name on the roi
of members of Congress. :.
Nature made him coward-Love tor his IN
suited wife made him brave-and bravery has
conferred honor.