The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-09-01
THE TEXAN DUEL.

"Put down that knif., or the
consequence be upon your own
head. Putt down, I say" and
the hand Of tho speaker slowly
and deliberately raised revolver.
II was. u very anxious moment
for, the lookers.on. Ono Of tho
combatants was brawny ruffinn,
upon whose face was stamped alt
the evil passions of tho human
race. Black haired, black beard
ed, black eyed, and strong enough
to foil an OK with a single blow of
his fist. Tho other was Il pale,
slender, intellectual looking young
man, boy almost, with light curls
and complexion, and blue eyes.
The scene was in the little town
Of Washington, on the Drazos
'Rivor, and the time midnight.
"Do yer know who yer are
talking to, boy2" was the coarse
and uneducatod answer Of Luke
Bouton, than whom no glmester
in tho vicinity was moro dctestcd
and feared.
"A man to whom (and not with
out reason) was imputed every
crime---even that ot mnrdcr; who
was an untailing shot with the
pistol, and rifle, and unmatched in
skill with that strictly border
weapon, = tho bowie knife. a
short residence III that locality
had given him II reputation as IL
duelist, for tho long grass Of the
tempas covered tho forms ct two
who had fallen by his hand,
Where he camo from no one
know, and he was particularly re.
ticent about his former life. Still
it was whispered - behind his
back, for no ono was fool hardy
enough to say it to his f.ce--thal
he was one OF the very few who
escaped from the terrible justice
Of f'Natchez undcr tho iliil,' when
the outraged citizens nwoke in
their wrath and took speedy ven
gcance in their own hands. BE-
that as it might, he had already
earned a name sufficiently huh to
need no additions ovon whcro the
majority Of crimes wcro looked
upon lightly-muking Texas, in
its infancy, tho paradise Of the
evil.
-" @Of the other, his boy antagon-
ist, even less was known. 1t was
but, two days since his arrival,
and he had como on horseback
and alone. or his business he
hpd nothing to say, but his sauve
manner and quiet gentlomanIy
department had already made
him friends among tho bettcr por-
tion Of ho sparse population.
t Very much to their surprise.
therefore, was it that they had
seen him entor into a contest ut
cards with the professional game
stcr, B0uton, confident that he
would either DO cheated or buIlicd
out Of his money, in case he
should bo .successtul, which was
almost beyond tho range Of pos.
,sibiIity. ~
ev But for two hours tho game had
boon progressing, the gambler
getting moro angry at every dcaI,
and the youth Keeping perfectly
cooland breathing taunting words
aB' # his object was still further to
provoke him. Ifit was his pnr-
pose to do 40, he was moro than
successful, for Boulon had sudden
ly sprung TO his feet, and drawn
his heavy kpifo, with oaths upon
his lips and murder flushing from
his eyes. '~H ytHI g.
"Put down that knife" again
repeated'the young man, MAJ k
Whiteman. aa no had given all to
understand was his nnmc. "Put
It down. No ono but II coward
ahd'a cheat would attempt to use
such fatal arguments in II simple
game Of chance" -.
.an"aEr eheat J. coward!" thundcred
Bouton, with allhis wrath aroused
-"By heaven, I'll make yer ont
yer words.".. al. ., r,,t. -,
F"For fear you do not fully; un.
dcrstand, 1 will repeat thum."
4 "Yer'dare notp' WIS hissod from
tho moro than tightly compressed
lips" -" .@,t'.. ...7z| =
Coward cheat! u dire say any
"thMg to' 3ne'like YOU" >1,,' 1',.
"GYard Or gin J." and lis Knifo
flasbhsd a4tliilll! more wildly aronnd.
IN vain th0 others interfDrod
They, ;earedIittle for Bonton, but
they, tdidroare for young White
man, and could not but ho sur.