The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-01-09
For the South-Western.

#4nAS3@H W. 52 e For the South Western.
The elegant Young Gentleman-his old mother
his pretty sister-and one hundred and twenty
negroes, figuring in western Texas.
An erroneous impression is buttoo frequent
ly entertained BY people who have been raised
and educated in the older States, in respect to
their fancied shrewdness, and the easy crcdulity
and imposition Of those living in newly set
tied country; whereas in nine cases out Of ten
the former in regard to quick perception and
reflection, and adroitly converting every unex-
pected emergency into the most profitable avail
for their own special benefit, almost distances
the keen inventions of Yankeedom, for in
deed, what are the chicaneries Of bass-wood
clocks, warranted to go perpetually until the
machinery wears out, wooden nntmegs, can
dies and hams, compared to the gigantic and
towering geniuses Of the west, who figure on
the wholesale scale, who survey and plot off
landed estates and lay off villages, towns and
cities, and afterwards go east and penetrate the
very heart Of the Yankee nation and dispose
and obtain the proceeds Of them, when their
localities would be as difficult to find, as the
bounds and notes of the aerial empires and
kingdoms, related in the Arabian Tales or Sin
bad the Sailor; unquestionably the latter are
soberly speaking in reference to the former
mere children wearing their leading strings,
and this striking popularity Of the pioneers, |
noticed and studied during several years, when
I remained on the frontiers Of Texas, and as
a general rule, it was only in some rare cases
that | ever witnessed the native acuteness of
the citizens overmatched; yet in defiance of
their keen vigilance which is continually quick
ened and frightened by the numerous pressing
necessities that necessarily strain their think
ing, faculties, they are Sometimes grossly de-
celved. One OF those Instances that occurred to
my personal observation, | will now introduce
for the amusement of the reader in which dia-
monds cut diamonds, and shew the aborigines
were mastery outwtted and totally defeated
with their own weapons. ....-..... .....,. +
| In the immediate vicinity of the village Of
in western Texas, there was a settler, Mr.. =,
who had commenced life poor, but by his per-
severance and industry, and close trading in
lands and negroes, he had realized quite a
handsome fortune, he was undoubted as fine a
Judge of mankind as ever knew, it seemed to
me he could read mans thoughts, ,as he spoke,
when he looked in his countcnance, notwith
standing in this particular instance he was at
| fault - ....
4 Mr.. - owned six hundred acres of choice
bottom and timbered land that lay contiguous
to the village, for which he asked ten thousand
dollars in cash. A great many strangers had on
| different occasions examined it, but the extray-
agant sum of money alarmed them, although
I they were generally pleased with the soil and
locality, hence they left and made selections
and purchases elsewhere; at length after an
interval of few months without any call from
buyers, young gentleman about 26 years Of
age, Of a prepossessing exterior, and a mild
and unassumng manner, made his appearance,
who stated that the price was no object to him,
i and if the land and its situation came up to his
" expectations, he would purchase it for his
mother, an old lady, who in company with his
sister, was few miles behind on the road will
one hundred and twenty negroes. Mr.
looked at him and became exceedingly suspl
cious, he closely scrutnsed him from head tt
:. foot, but then he saw nothing save candid com
posure; the index of conscious rectitude. HI
proposed to him variety of questions respect
ing his family and affairs well calculated to en-
tangle him also in hopes he might gather W
a contradiction, but in this he was foIled by the
familiar and unembarrassed manner in which
they were answered; consequently Mr.. =!
views suddenly underwent revolution, and hl
prior misgivings gave place to the conviction
that every thing was correct. Then the young
gentleman and Mr.. rode through and rount
the land, the former was very particular IN hi
examination of the lines and corners, and sub
sequently commenced series of critical inter
: rogatories in reference to the validity Of tht
title, and the parties from whom the convey
ance had been made to Mr.. This minute
~,
ent purchase, elevated and strengthened hin
in the good opinion of Mr. -, who immediate
" afterwards consummated the trade with him
when both repaired to the Office of lawyer IL
!, the village, to prepare the deed OF conveyance
# The agreement was that the entire sum of tel
i thousand dollars should be paid down as sool
as Mr.. - executed the deeds; but such was
S the length of one of the deeds founded on ar
old Spanish claim. that the attorney declared
: he could not possibly finish them till next day
this made no difference with Mr.. -, for be was
A fully satisfied in his own mind of the genuine
Y ness of the young gentleman's representations
E and as proof of it, the latter in one OF the
stores inspected some ready made clothing
j and selected out the finest suit of black clotf
which was amongst them, then hat, boots
! shirts, silk handkerchiefs and gold fob chain
and desired the merchant to lay them aside
that as soon as his mother came. he would pay
/, for them; here Nh. = interrupted both of them
and told the merchant to charge them to him
! also any thing else he might require, and he
could settle with him in the morning, when he
paid for the land. f7sE -. szs 2.s=4at 7at
The lawyer who was writing the deeds first
circulated the report of a rich young gentle:
man. who had paid down ten thousand dollars
in gold for tract of land; then came the tale
of the mother, the sister and one hundred and
twenty negroes; the rumor Of him and his
property in less than an hour was all over the
village, and the young ladies were nearly ta-
king spasms and fits to beintroduced to the Ell
egant, rich young gentleman, while the young
gentlemen were equally as bad off to become
acquainted with his young and interesting sis
ter. But as for themother, poorold woman, she
was out of the ring, all wished her happy
and glorious exit to another state of existence,
as they had no use for her. 5
i In the meantime, he was wondering what
I n IL. |,