M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-07-03


S he was slender, pale faced man with
iair complexion, bright, blue eyes, and
= countenance Of profound and even poeti,
4 thought, apparently incapable of resis ting
= shadow OF aggression, or so much as harm
ing fly.
I "Are you the author Of ''Vindex," in III,
: recent number OF the arkansas Whig?r de-
manded Woods, advancing so near to his in
tended victim that their heads almost touch
) ed.
" am answered Coleman, in his clea
| alarm.'
Then thus chasiisc our impudence and
iaisehoodg' shouted the enragel editor ,seizinC
lhe clergyman s nose with gasp of iron
and splitting scomfully in his mouth.
: III did not fear to have the foul stains
your polluted blood on tie now pure record o.
my conscience, would teach you a lesson
never TO be forgotten until your diving dayp
remarked Coleman, Us calmly as if in pray.
: er meeting.
away with your paltroon and liar" order,
cd Woods, administering several contemplu.
Gus kicks, as the other retreated slowly from
the inglorious field.
The rumor of the affair circulated with in.
conceivable rapidity,and Immediately became
the subject OF general conversation; but sin
guar as u may seem, everybody denounced
the Juvenile preacher, so that he sunk down
at once from the pinnacle Of popularity 10
The lowest abyss of shame and degradation ;
and ON The subsequent Sunday, when he as
cended the pulpit not halfa dozen hearers at
tended the service. His chosen church deser-
ted him as coward for that was the real
cause OF offence, although many disguised
tlie iact under the aimsy pretext that thev
ulSapproved OF his condnct in meddling with
questions Of politics.
II Is impossible to paint the emotions Of
the young minister when he witnessed this re-
suit, and saw himself entirely abandoned by
lls spiritual flock, Even the negroes and
Doys taunted him as a coward whenever he
appeared in the streets, and his aiIianced
bride, a lady of great beauty and intelligence
gave him cold aud cruel dismissal. Had
he been proved guilty Of burglary or theft his
disgrace could not have been more.
No one therefore, wondered when he with
drew from the fellowship of the Methodist
denomination; and shut himself up in the
solitude of his private apartment, as MANY
supposed, lin condition bordering on mental
arrangement. The following week, however
revealed the fruits of his meditations in an
unexpected manner that startled the whole
city. Another article came out in the Ar
Kansas Whig, and this time over Levi Cole.
mans own signature, which excelled any
satire ever before seen in the South-wes f6r
| awful, ,boundless, bitter denunciation. Every
waiturc of the ex.preacher's pen seemed like
the flash OF an internal sword-every word
pierced like the thrust of poisoned dagger.
The editor OF the Democrat and all his friends
-indeed his whole party, and even his fami-
ly-were subjected to the penalty of summary
massacre. lie dragged into the light all their
private as well as political sins, and accg sed
them OF imaginary crimes, that caused every
reader to turn white with honor.
Then as soon as the newspaper was issued
ne left his room and promenaded the public
thorough fare with the proud tread of a
hero, accompanied by Pent Noland, both be-
ing thoroughly armed. A challenge from Is
real Woods then perhaps the wost deadly
duelists in the world,w the immediate con-
sequence, and tue youth accept it, to combat
with pistols at ten pacesl
The interview took place the next morning
at sunf!se, on the bank Of the Arkansas River
half mile above Little Rock and never did
a greater concOurse OF spectators swarm to
behold similar scene..
AT the appointed hour, the seconds, Elias
Wharton for Woods and Fent Noland for
Coleman, stationed their principals in posi-
tlon,and the anxious thrrng actully trembled
IN fearful expectancy of the brutal signal
Indeed. the proximity of the foes Was SO
close that the escape ofeither with life seem
ed altogether hopeless. ,...,
In the meanwhile wonderful charge had
been wrought in the aspect Of the formerly
mild and merCilul minister. His blue ewes |
looked luminous as fire. balls,and the thought. |
ful sadness OF his countenance had been re- |
placed by perpetual smile-but such smile
fierce, scorching, murderous, as appeared to |
have the power Of blasting the ga5er's sight,
like the flash of Lightning from thunder.
coud.
As Fent Noland left his friend he whisper-
ed lnhls ear. "B3 sure and aim at the euemy's |
head and fire at the word, it is your only
chance"
AT length the signal sounded, and both
weapons roared apparently together; yet, in |
tact, Colemans had the precedence by some
half second, and that dimnutive fragment
Ut duration made. all the difference of an en-. |
tire eternity in the result,
Woods fell to the earth like stone Drop
ped from the hand with bullet. hole through |
his right temple, while his own ball whistled |
the forth of all inch above his adversary's |
head!
From tina! day the fame and fortune OF Levi |
Coleman might be considered firmly establish
ed. He was installed forthwith in the edi-
toTial chair of the arkansas, Whig& welded
pen and pistol with the same triumphant
success, until suddenly the angel of pestIlence
cul short his brief and brilliant career.
~~-~-N~~~~~DN~~O~~~
Cool FOR kAEsAs.-A recent Westport
letter has the following at is said that a
skeleton was found recently upon the Wok.
amsa creek, with bowie-kniie and shea tn
lying near it. 1t was not known to whom
it belongs, but it is generally supposed to
have been the property of some unlucky
gentleman, who having departed this life left
it there as something he had no further use
for."
~~-~~-~>-,~>>~--~~.-~D~-~.o>~~~~~~O,
The PEOPLE WILL FURNISH HIM WITH 4
HALI.--The following prophetic paragraph
in the New York Journal OF Commerce of the
issue ofApril 26. |,
g The Know Nothing councils of Philadel- i
phia have refused the use of the Hall of In
nanenlpncp for ihp rocont;o, oT tho Ho,, | ,