The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-04-13

matters.
x sold 'Pegleg' Smith Wa
so called to distinguish him from tn
numerous Smiths-of the West, on az
count of a wooden leg, which he ha'
worn ever since anybody remembers,
him. Old Pcgleg's day was over be
fore [ knew him, and all [ remembe
of him was a garrulous old fellow i
San Froncisco, 20 way backward +
take drink when he found any on
willing to invite him. His adven
tures formed the snbject matter Of &:
book published some years ago; and
/ if recolIect rightly, an article ap
peared in one of the English maga
zines, about the same period. On ont
occasion old Pegleg came down to :
frontier brandy port, and there With
in few weeks not only spent all the
earnings OF the past season, had also
run so far along in debt that his fint
white horse which had been his com
panien for years, was placed in pawn
in the traders stables 1t was in
! vain that Smith begged its release. =
Pleading proving vain, Pegleg tried
to get possession of the stable-key,
but the attempt also proved futile,
until at last, all pacific methods fail
ing, he resorted, as last experiment,
to force. Waiting until the trader
was asleep, he hopped to the stable
door, applied his loaded rifle to the
key-hole, and in a crack blew off the
lock. In another crack the trader,
aroused by the noise, was on the
ground but only just in time to see
his debtor carecring joyously, on the
back of the white horse, over the
prairie, waving his cap, and gallop-
in5 at such n rate az to pat pursuit
out OF the question.
"\ remarkable man, but one much
less known, was Albert Pfeifer-
Like Carson, he was in tie irregular
Mexican Cavalry; indeed, he was
lieutenant colonel of the same regi-
ment. He was Il man of very sin
gelar appearance. His red beard
grew in patches, the intervening space
appeared burned and discoIored. This
was owing to his having been poison
ed by some of the Indians arrow poi
sons years before. He wore blue
goggles to shield his weak eyes yet,
though they were weak, they were
bright, clear and quick. His was al
most CHASTITY in its signs of suffering
and he walked stiff, with cane, be-
ing SCARED with nearly twenty wounds
carrying in his body some Indian
souvenirs OF bullets, and bearing two
frighrful marks where an arrow had
pierced directly through his body. just
below the hart n native of Friss-
land, he came to the United States
some so years ago, and during all
that time served as an Indian pacifi-
Gator, fighter and trapper, or as a
guide passes in the mountains
knowNseirly 10 himself and the III
i.ans. An acquaintance of mine used
to relate All anecdote OF Pfeifer. They
had started on tour together. and as
they rode along. the colonel gave
lim various directions how TO behave
n case they were attacked by Indians;
by saying, in his broken
English And now don't forget, if
ne be wounded, you kill me at once,
for l will not tall alIve into dere in
.ernal hands !; dey torture one horri-
by. And if you be wounded, l kill
you, you sec. Don't fall
81 write of Albert Pfeilfer as he
was four years ago. For all [ know
o the contrary he is still living; one
If the last and the bravest of the
men,
"Another specimen of the noun
ain men was an old fell ow whom l
nay call >eth Baillie. Seth was
,ather an intelligent man, and during
'ur rambles L used to be amused to
lear his opinion on men and things
III of which he pronounced with the
Utmost confidence, though his educa-
ion as taras learning was concerned
vas limited, and his range of obser-
Iatjon eqn lily so. Still, like western
oiks, he looked upon himself as par
icular smart,' ann a right smart
nance of an .argifer.'
'sBaille had been a good deal en-
,loyeI as guide to emigrants (o-, as
lie called them, 'emigranters'), for !
whom he had a supreme contempt.-i
The only job of that sort he ever look !
d back upon with pleasure was the !!
,iloting troop of U. S. Cavalry for
ervice in the Indian war of 1S55.-l
ie greatly admired the 'smartness'
# the major in command, and the
way he settled a troublesome account.
They had lost wagon here, and sold
horse there. a soldier had sold or
,artered his carbiue now and then;
nd, i'll fact their accounts were in
uch a state that to present a report
nd to account for everything to the
general was impossible.
1t last they came to the Columbia.
iyer. and to a place where there was
good deal of dry timber. Are
here no falls about here, Baillie? the
major asked. Oh yes ; the. falls of
he Columbia were not over 4 mile
Well, then,' the -major thought,
Well build a raft the roads pretty
,ad.' On the raft was placed Il bro
zen wagon, a three-legged mule, five
II six broken carbines, an empty
ask, and a few more such valuables.
rhe major wished to guide it along
With ropes, and though Baillie assur-
d him that the current was so strong
hat this was impracticable, he insist
ID. At las the men shouted that
hey could hold on no longer. wall,
hen let gor was the answer; and
,ver the fall went the raft and its
The major Gus ed small
:hance for show sIke, Baillie remark
Il. but after while he winked, and
ed to me; Il guess that's an A Q.
j. assistant quartermaster geneIafs)
way o squarin' accounts !! Every
.hinp--anl something more, too--