Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-05-10

us Nv IL INV INV WhSh ~ w
cient oak. His hands looked like sledge-ham
mers, and his countenhnce bore tho impress oil
reckless bravery--a sort OF mute defiance ana
challenge to all the heroes of the human race: Ills
eyes were of q peculiar tint-that fierce reddisn,
yellow which resembles the iris of the eagle-ofa oil
colors considered the sign of the most dangerous
character. :,
Indeed, he had acquired his title to be placed
foremost in the highest class OF fighting chivairy
by daring feats performed in all the principal cities
of the South, from Charleston TO New orleans
Nevertheless, he had more sense than to reply Tor
impunity on the terror which his name so irresisti-
bly, inspired. His Office was an armory. A huge
doubled -barrelled shotgun hung Mt short avs
lance above his head, and half q dozen loaded PTS
tolls lay beside him on the table, while the silver
bilt of a dagger peeped flom beneath his vest
lie was ready for immediate battle, whoever might
be the assailant.
Suddenly footsteps resounded on the floor be
hind, and u stout, dark-featured man, OF middle
age, with long, flowing hair of raven hue and Hash
ing black eyes, rushed into the room in q state OF
wild and almost phrensied excitement, and threw
himself into n seat.
The editor at first anticipating n hostile visit,
cooked a revolver, but instantly perceived his mis-.
take, deposited the weapon at his elbow, exclaim-
ing as he did so What now, Elias Wharton y!
Is there a new tempest brewing in the political at
mosphere?
just look here" calculated the other, with an
infuriate gesture, pointing to u column of the Ar
kansas Wing, which he held up, with the ink not
yet dry on the paper.
Woods snatc6ed the article from the fingers of
his friend, and devouring the contents with a rapid
glance, uttered q malediction too horrible tor re-
cord, while his very lips turned white with rage
and disappointment.
as not that too bad 2" vociferated Wharton,
c~linching his interrogatory with a still more dread
full oath. "Who would have expected, in the mer-
idian of Little Rock, to see a philippe against du-
elling?" .
"And an appeal to the religious prejudices Of
the people 7" added the editor, frowning till his
brows met in a ~frightful arch.
Eyes; and the cunning scoundrel has managed
to lay all the blame of such combats on the Demo-
Gratis, from the first settlement of the country ~
affirmed the other.
ters, from my ~stabbing a sophomore at the Univer-
sity of Virginia, till my rife-battle with Doctor
Wilson :" complained Woods.
"And that TRADE alone will do more injury to
our party than anything that has happened for
years" remarked Wharton.
"Who can the writer be ?" asked the editor in a
musing tone.
81 cannot so much as imagine" returned the
friend. at is not the learned and lugubrious style
of Pike, nor the snowy defamation Of Absolom
Fowler. 1t must be some new hand in the prolific
field of whiggery."
What shall we do to spike this fresh gun in the
battery for, unless that be accomplished, we
shall lose the election" said the editor, with q look
of sore embarrassment.
You must demand the author, and provoke him
TO an interview" suggested Wharton.
And suppose they should give up the name of
Fent holland, as they did on the last similar occa-
sion? You know it would be suicide to fight the
author of Pete Milestone p answered Woods,
with a shudder.
AT the moment William, the elder brother of
Elias Wharton, entered the sanctum, exclaiming,
Il have discovered the writer of the article signed
'Vindexp"
"Who is he? who is he?" asked the political
comrades, in the same eagerly impetuous breath.
"You would never conjecture in q thousand
guesses," replied the other.
"Let us know at once; do not keep us in sus-
pense."
Levi Coleman, tho young Methodist preach
err"
"The devil |" shouted the astohished editor.
"The devil % echoed his sympathizing friend.
GLOW did you learn so strange a fact ?"
From the foreman in the Wing Office, in the
strictest confidence, however, SO that you must not
hint at the source of the information"
"And now what is to be done 2" they all in
quired together.
1.-The case is complicated with serious difficult
ties" observed Elias Wharton: 'for if we let the
matter pass in silence, the rascally hypocrite will
become holder in his attack; and if we punish his
insolence as it deserves, every Methodist vote in
the State will probably be cast against US"
After rejecting a few minutes, the Journalist
sprung 10 his leetj crying OUT IurlOusly-l VIII
fix the base wretch, ESQ that the members of his
own sect will disown him !" And he hastily buck,
led on his belt. and, filing it with pistols, rushed
forth into the street.
AS chance would have it, the youthful minister
was at that instant, walking by the door. lie was
T a slender, pale faced man, with II fair complexion
z bright blue eyes, and q countennnce of profound
y and even poetic thought, apparently incapa
7 capable of resisting a shadow of aggression, or sc
much as alarming a fly.
al ~
Are you the author of 'VindeX,' in the recent
number of theArkansas Whig?" demanded Woods
advancing so near to his intended victim that theii
heads almost touched.
II am" answered Coleman, in his clear, silver,
voice, without b~etraying the %faintest alarm.
Then thus | chastise your impudence and false
i hood J" shouted the enraged editor, selling tn
: clergyman's nose with a grasp of iron, and spit
i ting scornfully in his mouth.
Il "lfI did Hotfear TO have the foul stains Of YOU
:; polluting blood on the now pure record Of my con
science, l would teach you a lessonsnever to N
f%orgotted until your dying dayl" remarked Cole
!" man, as calmly as if in a prayer meeting,
4 away with you poltroon and liar !" ordered
S Woods, administering several contemptuous kicks
as the other retreated slowly from the ingloriou,
! field.
The rumor of the affair circulated with incon
ceivable %rapidity, and Immediately became thesub
ject of general conversations; but singular MS it may
seem, every body denounced the juvenile preacher
so that he sunk down at once from the pinnacle Of
popularity to the lowest abyss of shame and deg
radiation; and on the subsequent Sunday, when he
assembled the pulpit, not half a dozen hearers at
6 tended the service. His chosen church deserted
him as a coward-for that was the real cause of of
fence, although many disguised the fact under the
q aimsy pretext that they aisapprove of his conduc
: in m~eddling with questions of politics.
I 1t is impossible to paint the emotions of tn,
/. young ministers when he witnessed this result
and saw himself entirely abandoned by his spirit
ual flock. Even the negroes and boys ,aunted hin
and his afianeed bride, a lady of great beauty anC
intelligence, gave him a cold and cruel dismissal
' Had he been proved guilty of burglary or theft
his disgrace might not have been SO complete.
r No one, therefore, wondered when he withdrew
from the fellowship of the Methodist denomination
and shut himself up in the solitude of his private
E apartment, as many supposed in a condition Dor
dering on mental Arrangement. The following
q week. hoMaver. reyenled the fruits nf his medita