The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-03-04
Xii Carson.

calamity UP to the rescue of the reputation OF
her husbands old friend, Kit Carson. In some
OF her pleasant papers on distinguished Pee
pie she has Known," she pays a nerited trib,
ute to the famous scout, the motive OF her arti-
Gle being The false light fiction has cast upon
his maine through the poetry of JOAQUIN Miller:
Mrs. F. says he was no savage rake or rufiian;
and that his domestic life was as regular and
blameless as that of a Quaker. Even in his
clock-work. He once sid to Mrs. Fremont,
speaking of a man who had treated him UNI
handsomely, ''If ever get the chance l will do
him an honest injury" A volume could scarce
ly give more vivid ilea OF the old frontiers
man than this phrase. -
And we can bear personal testimony to the
truth of the portrslture Of Kit Carson, drawn
by Ms Fremont. We have met him in the camp
on the scout at the card table, in the privacy
OF social Intercourse, and we can say, verify,
that we have never come in contact with a
! ''milder mannered,' man., He was as gentle as
child in his ordinary department. His unaf-
fected modesty amounted almost to timidity,
and his integrity and honesty as natural as his
courage was cool and relentless. In crossing
the Plains, we had read dino novel called
exit Carson the Gold Hunter" It detailed
wonderful stories Of his adventures in Califor-
mia, immediately after the discovery OF the
precious metals in chat country. We felt curl
Gus to learn whether there was any truth in
the incidents related. When we first met b m,
we asked whether there were any Of the state
ments that were correct. His response was-S'n.
a word of truth in thenl," although they made
him marvellous hero.
: His private life was unexceptionably exem-
dosaed by the habits of the country in which he
lived, aud his subsequent amends for it. He
lived with Mexican woman, without marriage,
for a number of years. After children were
horn to them, he married her to legitimizc his
offspring, and, in his own words, Ito do JUS
tice to good weman." He rarely ever indul
ged in strong drinkoand never to excess. He
would take social game Of cards, but never
gambled, in the sense that the word is ordina
| rily used. 1t was seldom that he used profane
language, and was as unpretending and mod
est in his intercourse with men, as though hi
name was not honorably associated with some
of the most daring deeds of American frontier
life.
In hostile campaign, his caution, at first
amounted to timidity, but when the fray open
4 ed and the deadly work once commenced HI
was as furious and desperate as wounded
tiger. His favorite weapon was large bowie
| knife, although he was an expert with the rifle
and colts revolver. But his greatest feats O.
herois11, and physical proves were In hand-to
;, hand encounters, in which his cleaning blade
never failed him.
| In personal appearance Carson was about
| feet, inches in height, weighed abont It's lbs
| broad shouldered, compactly built, slightly
bow-legged and pigeon-toed, had light, keen
small grey eyes, his face cleanly sflaven, and al
ways wearing smile, in ordinary intercourse
He was very illiterate- could neither cad mol
write, except that he had learned to sign his
name. To meet and converse with him, these
defects could net be readily discovered, howev
err. No one, on a casual acquaintance, would
suspect him for being anything more than 6
| modest, unpretending citizen, with none OF the
impetuous. volcanic fire that developed, at the
sight of Indian war-paint and seal ping knife.
Few men have ever lived in this or any Other
country, exposed to so many Temptations, who
have passed more blameless lives, and exhi bited
a more evenly balanced moral nature. He was a
warm, steady, generous hearted friend, with a
nature that was easily touched and softened by
day. to the relief of the INDECENT suffering.