Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-08-05

through McCluskey' 8 mouth, carried away with
it several of the clenched teeth and portion OF
the tongue, finally lodging in the base of the
skull. McCluskey staggered forward wildly a
few steps, and made desperated efforts to steady
| himself The blood poured in torrents from
the wound, and stained his huntiDg-shirt and
dripped from the muzzle of his pistol ; but with
heroic courage he continued to advance. spit
| ting out mouthfuls of blood and teeth at every
| step.
| During the interval thus gained Anderson,
| who, in his crippled state, had every reason to
shun hand-to-hand encounter, had not been
idle, but fired another well-aimed shot, which
| broke McCluskey' left shoulder. AS if this
was not enough, he sent still another ball after
him, which, striking him in the pit of the
stomach, caused him to fall forward heavily on
his face McCluskey was now mortally wound
ed, and momentarily growing weaker from loss
of blood. Tearing open his shirt in his agony,
crimson spot in his left side indicated where
Anderson's first shot had taken effect He still,
however, retained his grasp of his pistol, and
by an effort, superhuman in its GOODNESS and de-
liberation, fired at his antagonist bis third shot,
The latter had been closely watching for this,
and endeavored to save himself by suddenly
dropping to the ground. Too late, however,
McCluskey's finger was already on the trigger
and his eye along the sights and when his ad-
verssry's body reached the earth it was heavier
by Colts pistol ball. A scream of pain fol-
lowed, and the spectators saw the figure of a
man clutching wildly with his hands at the
grass, and writhing and twisting in horrible
contortions. The bullet had struck him full in
the abdomen, and like his antagonist Anderson
was now fast-dying man. At this juncture it
seemed as If the crowd would interfere, but
Harding sernly bade them keep back and leave
the men to settle the matter 10 their own way.
As none cared to dispute with the gigantic hun
ter, the mandate was oheyed, though univer-
sal expression of horror ran through the spec
tators, number of whom were the engineers
and attaches of our own party. Still, horrible
as was the scence, no one thought of leaving
the spot. An irresistible fascination to see it
out bound one and all alike to the blood stained
locality. But the fnale was at hand-the cur
tain almost ready to drop.
McCluskey, summ0niug, by supreme effort,
his remaining strength. drew his knife and be-
gan to crawl feebly In the direction of his antag
onist. The latter, who had raised himself to a
sitting posture saw the movement and prepar
ed to meet it. Both had dropped their revol
vers, leaving to the Geld steel the completion of
the work.
By this time it had grown quite dark, and to
distinguish the movements of the combatants
required the closest attention. Anderson was
clearly unable to move any portion of his body
save his right arm. With this he raised his
knife aloft, and as McCluskey crawled up to
within reach, dealt him q terrible blow in the
neck, cutting mCaoes. tendons and veins. and
half seveTing the head from the body. Bat the
effort was too much for him, and leaving the
weapon sticking in the. wound he pitched
heavily forward on bis face. Every one sup
posed that this blow would have instantly kill
ed McCluskey, but strange to say, it did not,
for SO great was his vitality that before falling,
he twice plunged bis own knife into the body
of Anderson. The tale is soon told. McClus-
key lived minute longer than bis antagonist.
The dead bodies firmly locked ia each others
embrace, were taken to the house of Harding
and laid out side by side on the gaming-table.
A crimson trail marked the path OF those who
carried them indoors, and pools of blood in
dicated the scene of the late conflict.
There was no gaming that night. The hun
ters and Indians appeared to find excitement
enough in talking over the events of the day
without having to resort to the usual pastime.
About ii o'clock the moon rose, and the bodies
were taken out for burial. There were no fun
eral ceremonies, but JOB Harding remarked as
the muffied forms were lowered into the grave:
There go two as brave men as ever lived. -
They were buried deep to keep the wolves and
coyotes from digging them up, and the earth
was heaped up in little mound to mark where
they slept. And then, with the night wind
whispering soft requiem over the dead mems
graves, and the moon shining sadly from her
distant sphere in the upper ether, the crowd
slowly dispersed, and each man sought his
couch.
New HORTICULTURAL FERTILIZERS. As
nearly every one has few. flowers, either in
gardens, borders, or pots, the following new fer
tilizer suggested by the Scientific american
will prove of benefit in beautifying them in TO-
liage and bloom:
Some time since we called attention to
new chemical fertilizer for horticultural pur-
poses, suggested by DR.. Jeannel, of Paris. Les
Mondes, of recent date, in commenting on re-
suits obtained by its use, says that it represents
the fertilizing principles of at least one hun
dred times its weight of concentrated animal
manure, and supplies to the plants nitrogen,
phosphorus potash, sui phur and iron, in.
completely soluble state. The compound con-
sists of 400 parts of nitrate of ammonia; 200
parts biphosphate OF ammonia; $50 parts nj
trate of potash; so parts muriate of ammonia
so parts sulphate of lime, and 40 parts sulphate
of iron. These ingredients are pulverized and
mixed. One drachm Of the powder (about
teaspoonful) is then dissolved in quart of
water, and wineglassfu of the solution given
two or three times week. in accordance with
the health and luXuriance of the vegetation.
1.-THE plants may be placed in any kind of
earth however poor, even pure sand, or may
not be potted at all. 1t is stated that certain
flowers the fuchsia, for example-may be cul-
tivated without any earth by simply placing the
stalk in jar, at the bottom of which is an inch
Or so of water just sufficient to cover the ends
of the roots. To the fluid proportional guam
tty of the fertilizer is added, as above specified,
once in eight days. The foliaceous develop
ment Of plants treated with the substance is
said to be truly wonderful, and yet the rapid
growth of the leaves does not interfere with the
most luxuriant Towering. To this we may add
| that quite recently we have tried compound
hastily composed of the majority of the sub
| stances above detailed, merely as an expert
ment, on a small and sickly fuchsia. The plant
was dropping and little else remained than a
| half dry stalk. After two applications of the
fertilizer its effect was apparent, and at the end
OF ten days, during which probably half pint
OF solution had been supplied to the earth, new
shoots had sprung out, leaves formed, and the
entire plant became perfectly loaded down with
buds.'
A PROPOSED NEW STATE.-The movement
looking toward the foundation of a new State
out of North Mississippi, West Tennessee aud
Western Kentucky is being discussed with con.
siderable animation by the newspapers publish
ed in the section interested. A convention il
to be held at Jackson on the Goth inst, wher
| delegates are to be present from everv CITY