The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-01-30
MISCELLANY.
John Taylor, the Timon of the Back
woods, Bar and Pulpit.
Far PR. SIS.

woods, Bar and Pulpit.
can never forget my first vision Of John
Taylor. 1t was in the court ho,se 81. Lewis
burg, Conway country, Arkansas, in the
summer of 1888.
The occasion itself possessed terrible inter-
est. y vast concourse Of Spectators ha, AS
sembled to witness the trial OF Young and
beautiful girl, on an Indictment for murder.
The Judge waited at the moment for the
Sheriff to bring in his prisoner, aud the eyes
of the impatient multitude all ccntcrcL on
the door, when suddenly stranger entered,
whose appearance rivted universal attention.
Here Is his purtrait-a figure tall, lean sin
envy and straight us All arrow face salIow,
bilious, and twitcllinS necessarily with ncr-
vous irritability a brow broad, soaring mas
sive, scanned with wrinkles, but not from age,
for he was scarcely forty eyes reddish yellow
like the wrathful eagle, and as bright and
piercing; and finally, mouth with lips of cast
iron, thin, curlcd, cold and sncering, the in
tense expression ofwhich looked the living
embodiment of an unbrcathe'l curse He
was habited in suit of new buck skin, or
namented after tile fashion Of Indian cos
tune, with lues Of every color Of the rain
bow.
Elbowing his slowly through the crowd
and apparently unconscious that hc WAS re-
gardcd as phenomenon, needing explana-
ton, this singular being advanced, aud with
the naughty air Of a king ascending the
throne, seated himself within the bar, thronu-
ed rs it WAS with the disciples of Coke and
Blackstone several of whom, it was known,
ayfa f,.
those old and famous masters.
The contrast between the outlandi>h garb
and disdainful countcnancc Of the stranger,
excited, especially, the risibility of the law
ycrs, and the junior members began sup
pressed litter, which grew louder, and soon
swept around the circle.
They doubtless supposed the intruder to
be some wild hunter of the mountains, who
had never before seen the interior of hall
OF justice. Instantly the cause and object
OF the laughter perceived it, turned his
head gradually, so as to give each laughter
look, his lips curlcd with killing smile
of infinite scorn; his tongue protrudine
through his teeth. literally writhed like 4
serpent, and calculated its sap-lke poison il,
a single world.
~'Savages p
No pen can describe the definite force
which he threw into the term no pencil
can paint the internal furors Of lis utter
ancc, although it hardly exceeded whis
per. But he accented evcryIlctter as if il
were separate emission of fire that scorch
ed his quivcrng lips; laying horrible EN-.
phasiss both on the beginning and end
of the word.
"SavagesT'
ltwas the growl Of red tiger in the hiss
OF rattesnake.
"Savages {"
The general glare. however, was i,nmcdi
,ately diverted by the advent Of the fail
prisoner, WHO then came in, surrounded by
her guard. The apparition was enough to
drive saint mad; for hers was style tc
6ewilder the tamest imaginations and nell
the coolest heart, leaving in both imagina
tion and heart cleaning picture, enamel
ed in fire and fixed in frame of gold from
The stars. 1t was the spell Of an encbant,
1nent to be felt as we'll as we'll rs seen. You
might feel it in the flash of her counte.
nance, clear as sunbeam, brilliant rs the
iris /; in the contour of her features, sym.
snetsscal as II cut by the chisel Of an ar.
tist in her hair OF rich auburn ringlets
flowing without a braid, softer than silk,