Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-10-14
LA, OTOBR 1870

John Lafitte, bastard of the old pirate p
The gambler recled in his chair as if he
had been Struck with a thundcrbolt, but lie
recovered again from the shock in moment,
and asked in firm tone-'sWhat game do
you wish with me p arb
"Pokcr hyst, and pistols afterwards if you
play foul 1i5replicd Bowie. 8'.'~
every we'll, rejoined the ether, and they
took their seats at the table
Fora time tho success seemed about equal
ly balanced, the gain and loss being alternate
At last, the gambler ventured one of his
skillful manocuvres in dealing. Bowie smiled
strangely as his bright eye detected the trick.
He said nothing, however, but looked at lis
hand, and bet five thousand dollars, stalking
the money in large bills. The gambler went
FIVE thousand dollars, higher, which resulted
in ''call." Bowie held "four jacks )" but,
with his labitual fcndish chuokle, his an.
tagonist showed "four queens" exclaiming
as he did so-"By heaven, the pile is mine !''
"Not yet" shouted Bowie, az with both
hands he raked the heap of notes, to the tune
of twenty thousand dollars, into his own
pocket.
The foilcd blackleg made sudden, invol-
untary movements as if to grapple with his
antagonist, but the quietly raised hand aud
quick glance of the calm blue eye withheld
him Presently, however, choking and pur-
pie with rage and shame the gambler roarcd
ITO the hurricane deck, and let pistols be
trumps this turn !"
Good as gold !" replied Bowie, and the
two hastily assembled the stairs aud assumed
their separate positons-the gambler over the
stern and Bowie over prov.
At that instant the sun was just rising in
cloudless sky, Nature looked subime-a
bride worthy of her Almighty Husband and
God. The woods aud waters appeared as
parts of one divine picture, with the boundlcss
blue OF heaven for its background The
broad bosomed river rolled away like an i'm.
mensc sheet of FURNISHED silver, spcckl,d here
aud there with the flash of golden bubbles
shining flashes ganboled in the sparkling
wave; and all the bright birds--thosc sweet
singers, whose life is dream, and that dream
oo%tyn ot yn9# @ps'faiy 'aay while the two great duclists
the most deadly ever known in the southwest,
stood with cooked pistols, eye to eye, and
their fingers fixed OH the hair triggers, pre-
pared aud waiting to slay and be slain.
81 am ready You give the word, cried
Bowie. in his Gear ringing voice, and with
that inscpcrablc smile of strange meaning on
his lips.
al am ready Fire - shouted the gam
bier, in tones as murdcrous as death
The two pistols roared simultaneously
Bowie did not move, though he had barely
escaped with his lifc for the bullet Of his foe
had cut away one Of the golden locks of his vel
low hair. The gambler was shot through the
heart, and dropping on the brink of the deck,
,aA almost tumbcd into the river. lie was
buried by the squnttcrs at the next wood yard.
Aud thus persisted justly Il bastard son Of the
great pirate I.aftte.
There never was jury cmpannellcd in the
west two would have brought in verdict
against any man for killing him, and more
especially under the circumstances, because
public opinion pronounced that che ought TO
be killed" And such were the dcsperadoos
that Bowie commonly cxterminatcd.
The generous victor Immediately proceed.
cd to the ladics's cabin and restored the win
nings of the gambler to the young merchant
aud his beautiful wife, who both received the
boon as gift from heaven, with as much
gratitude aud JOY.
If we should write volume concerning tho
exploits of James Bowie, his character could
revealed in the foregoing anccdoto. He was
always the sa,nc-thc friend of tho feeble,
the protector Of the oppressed, and the sworn
enemy of tyrants. lle was brave without
fear and generous beyond precedent; and
though he had faults, gigantic ones too, he
atoned for all tho errors of n stormy life by
tho splcndor of his magnificent death. Ills
tomb is the Alamo, his cpitaph tho word
'Toxas" and his famo will fill an humble
though safe niche in the Temple Of Freedom
through all time. lie can never be forgotten
Til the bowels Of the earth cease to furnish
metal for the fabrication Of those bright blades
of steel which bear his imperishable name
| Spend Wisely Look most to yonr