The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-10-21

4nW WVEs
EfkHO
There isa spirit in the sons of the
far west which we can trace through
all ages and almost every ciime, q
having peculiarized those living mid.
way between savage and civilized life
and, though their fearless rencountcrs
with death must rank it under the
name Of chivalry, there is oft a mix.
ture which, in polite society,we would
term felonious, or mayhap something
The incoprruous compound ma,
better be explaied by the following
anecdote, in which 1 shall consider
myself in the place ola deceased friend
from whom l heard it,
While On the frontier of Texas, sew
eral years since, 1 stopped at a small
town and put up at a tavern where the
luxury of the table more than com.
pensated for the smallness of the
house. My supper vas prepared and
l seated myself to partake oft. l had
hardly done SO, when the door opened
and . huge mass of a man entered.
His head was bound by a check hand.
kcrchief of cotton, tied i'm a bowknot
in front, and from beneath its edge
behind stuck o rough aud bristly mass
ofjet-black hair. His body was pro-
tected from the weather by q tight-fit-
ting buckskin hunting-shirt while
leggins and moccasins Of the same
material enveloped his legs and feet
a belt of undressed deer-hide buckled
about his waist supported two pistols
of huge dimensions, and from 1t was
suspended q leather scabbard contsin-
inga knife, the handle of which was
a fearful token of its length. lie
placed his rife in a corner, aud took
off the belts which hung owe his
brawny shoulders, ~suspending his
shot-pouch and powder-horn, which
were curiously wrought and told Of a
Mexican artist. Having thus partly
unburdencd himself, be pulleda stool
near the fire, for the night was damp
and chilly, and, slapping his muscular
hands on his thighs, seemed to peer
with his keen eyes into the cracking
fire, which roared up the wide chin.
ney.
Naturally funobtrusiye l noticed
him no farther, and was fully engaged
in my meal, when the knife and fork
fell from my hand al l heard his thun.
der voice fall upon my ear and, inspite
Of myself . tremosfr stOle tbf0ukh my
body as heard the awful tone with
which he spoke the last word.
Landlord, gi' me some liquor
have money"
The landlord glanced at his guest
and hesitated a moment, but the
stranger raised his eyes the effect was
magical; in an instant, the wcll-filled
whisky-boftle and tin tuInbler were
at his elbow.
Landlord, hang that OH the rifle
but stop, yf me the knife first" and he
handed the waist-belt, pistols, and
scabbard to the host, whilst he thrust
the knife into the bosom of his hunt
ing-shirt. As the inn.kecper was
obcying the bidding of his strange Wis
iter, the latter poured the tumbler full
of whisky and tossed it of at a swal-
lew. ifCaf- KID t''l
"Land1rd, he cried again, 81 want
something to eat-T've money for that
too" There was a deep tone i'm his
voice that disturbed me mysteriOusly.
The additional plate was placed on
the table, and the stranger seated
himself opposite to me. He had a fine
face--a careless independence on 1t
but the courteous manner i'm which
he asked, al hope l amt one too ma
ny here, stranger" excited my sur
prise. i assured him that 1 was
pleased rather than otherwise, rs /
disliked eating alone. - = -
Enough said,' answered be,
"there's my fist" and we shook hands
oyer the table. His appetite was in
proportion to his bulk, and we dis
coursed but little until after supper,
when he commenced a CONVEX salon
in which he evinced a sound mind,
although his language was rough and
full of provinciaiisms.
During our talk I ingratiated myself
in his favour, and in return for, my
p~oliteness, he recounted many deer,
wolf. and bear hunts, with such power
that 1 was delighted. The converse
ton, however, tagged, as l fell into a
train of musing ON the very impor-
tant business which had Brought me
10 that country. A gloom gradually
settled on the face of the stranger,
from which tried in vain to rouse
him. He answered me ccurteously,
10 be sure, but very short; and every
now and then had recourse to the
bottle, till it was emptied -
"Landlord, fetch me some liquor
he called authoritativelv, and he drank
more and more till finally he fell from
his stool, and, as | retired to bed in
another corner of the room, | heard
his snoring ring through the cabin,
Being much fatigued, having :rav-
clled forty miles on horseback during
Tie day, l slept till l felt a hand grasI
my arm-opening my eyes, l bebelt
the sun shining through the window
and the stranger awaking me.
STRANGER" said lie, "excusc me
but l saw last night that you was
whole-souled fellow, and l want yoi
TO 60 with me-"
Where to,?" l asked.
"The magistrate" he replied.
"What for?'
"T've got something OH my mind
must out tried liquor last night
but couldn't keep it down. l amt
drinking man no how, and feel like
dog. Come along with me and be m.
fricnd." 4r~fal. Il es
There was a bold Hankness mi hi
manner that could not withstand
L accordingly arose and equipped my
self, and we walked to the house Q
the magistrate, who sent word that b
would be up i'm a couple Of hours.
"Buttell him." said my companion
1.-THE servant, al want 10 see him o.
matter of life and DEATH"
"Da's no use O. dat grinned tn
slave, 9massa don't care bout life ant
death ill he git his sleep out
We left the house, but John Rox, q
he called himself, did not allude to hi
messing business more than to say
wi en- we see the Judge you'll know
ALL ss,L ~
.s We returned to breakfast, and oh
served my companion refused tn
morning dram presented to him b,
the landlord, and cat spariBgly
Something was evidently prcying o.
his mind, and l anxiously awaited tn
hour 10 hear it developed.
The time came, and we were admit
led to the presence of the dispenser Q
Justice, who was a man Of wealth
good spirits, and rotuudity OF person