The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-10-24


mortal rencohnter. He was even deem
&c coward, for he had been known to
pocket open insults without so much as
showing sign Of resentment.
One day the bill to provide for the
more etfeetaal rewarding of wolf -slsyers,
denominated, in short, "the wolf scalp
bill,'' came up for discussion. This had
been standing reform measure from
the earliest settlement of Arkansas, and
will probably continue to he so long as
the Ozark mountains shall rear their
black, bristling crests in the western di
vision of the State. or the Mississippi
swamps shall occupy so large an area in
the east Accordingly, whenever the
wolfscalp billis taken up, tremendous
debate ensues. The contest then is no
longer between the ins and outs of pow
er. Wings and Democrats alike over
leap the iron lines of party demarkation,
and begin general massacre Of chance
medley. 1t is battle-war to the knife,
and the knife to, the handle-of every
member against every other; the object
being as to who shall urge the most an
Initiating statutes against their common
foes, the wolves, because that is the great
piyot-question on which hinges the pop
ulsrity Of each and all
The present occasion was the more
arousing. as there had happened lately a
laughable, but most annoying, instance
in fraud of the previous territorial law.
1t seems that cunning Yankee, fresh
from the land growing wooden nut
megs," had conceived notable scheme
of rearing wolves Of his own; 80 that
by butchering hairy whelp at his op.
tion.. and taking its ears to Justice OF
the Peace, he could obtain a certificate
of "wolf s.,a.p," emitting him to ten dol.
lars out of the county treasury. 1t was
said that this enterprising genius had al.
ready in his pens number of 6ue look
ing breeders, and expressed sanguine
hopes of soon realizing handsome for
tune! ,....s-s ....I, .s.-
Numerous we're the provisions adyo.
Gated to prevent such scandalous eva
sions in future. Among others, Bro en
c. Roberts,of Marion, moved "thal each
certificate OF a genuine wolf.scalp be
based on not less than four affidavits. and
be signed by at least four Justices and
and Judge Of the Circuit Court"
Abel Anthony moved to amend by
adding, sand by the President of the
Real Estate Bank" I9sa ~
THIS was intended by the mover mere.
ly as jest, to throw ridicule on the
complicated machinery OF Roberts bill
and accordingly it excited general
smile. But very different was the effect
on Mr. Speaker Wilson, President OF
the Real Estate Bank. He saw tit to in.
terpret the amendment as the deadlies,
insult! ta
! glanced toward the honorable Chair.
man, expecting to see him enjoying tiIe
joke; but the momert beheld his coun
tenance | was absolutely Mortified at its
savage expression His face was o
ashy paleness; and there, on those thin
white lips, as if in devilish mockery o.
malice, sat that grim, snake-like, writh
ing smile, which merely moved the curl
ed mouth, spreading no further, nor ef
fecting any other feature-that signifi
cant smile Of murder, so peculiar to al
most the whole class Of desperadoe,
when about to do some deed Of death
There was, however, brief space for spec
ulation as to physiognomic signs; fo
hardly had the offensive words left An
thony's lips, when Wilson sprang to hi
feet and imperiously ordered the othe
to sit down 'iis afa,''tea gni
Anthony, manifes.ing no token o
either surprise or alarm, replied midi,
that he was entitled TO the floor.
ISL, down." Wilson repeated, an,
this time in voice Of thunder.
si''l am entitled to the foor, and vii
not resign it," said Anthony. apparently
without anger, but giving back look o
calm, immovable eresolution a ar
Speaker Wilson then left the chair
drew his bowie.knife, descended the step
ofathe platform, and slowly and deIihe
rateIy advanced through the hall som,
forty feet, in the direction of his focal
the while that CHASTITY, horrd smile coil
ing uphis, pallid lips, and his ears NOV
ing backward and forward with thos
strange, short, sharp vibrations whicl
had won for him long before the nick
name of, "Horse Ears
- AS Ahthony3was commonly consider
ed q coward, when the spectators behelt
the farsfamed and all,dreaded duelist ad
vancing upon him with uplifted blade
glancing. aloft in the air as if really 70
the fatal blow, all supposed that the re
puted craven would flee in terror from
his place. No one believed that he wa
armed, or that be would fight under an,
circumstances, or with any odds Of posi-
ton or weapons. But in this opinion
everybody was mistaken, and no one
perhaps, more so than his infuriate ad
versary While that ferocious man wa
coming toward him, he stood calm an,
motionless as o pillar of marble. Hi
color did not change one shade. A
his limbs were rigid as iron. His onl
evidence of unusual emotion was a CO
pious efflux of tears! At the sight O
this we all shuddered, for we knew th
weeper would conquer or perish In th
backwoods experience has demonstrate
two unmistakable tokens of thoroug
desperation frozen smiles and hot
gushing sears; and tears may always b
regarded as far the most dangerous :
Such conclusion vas verified fully i
the present instance: for as soon as th
Speaker approached within ten feet 0
bis weeping enemy, the latter suddenl
unsheathed a. lbowie-kHife from his be
som, and stepped boldly forward to tn
protfered battle. And then commence
a struggle for life and death, the mos
obstinate, bloody and frightfully pre-
tracted, ever witnessed in the South
west. Is 45o ff.5 sH-47r ra
Wilson's knife was long, keen, and 8
highly polished that you might see you
self in the reflection of its smooth, ,brigt
surface, as in the most perfect looking
glass, the image being an extremel
small miniature, SO symmetrical was til
roundingof the fine, glittering steel :
On each si,le of the flashing blade was