The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-02-02
Clay and Bowie.

Horny Clay used to tell story of his
own experience. Upon certain occa-
sion, in his early manhood, Mr.. Clay
was travelling in public stage coach in
Tennessee. His fellow passengers were
young lady and her husband the lat
tor evidently an invalid-and man in
the front corner, 80 muffled up in n fur
lined cloak that his features were con-
cealed. He appeared to be rather under
than over the medium siZe, and was evi-
dently enjoying refreshing slumber.
By-and-bye u big, brown-faced, brawny
Kentuckian got into the coach, smoking
rank, coarse grained cigars He gazed
around fiercely, as though he would i'm
press upon the minds of his new com
panions that he could chew up and swal-
low any one who dared to interfere with
him. In short, he was "half horse and
half alligator, with n goodly sprinkling
of panther and grizzly bear thrown i'll. Z"
He puffed forth huge volumes OF smoke
without the least concern for the COM
fort of his companions.
Presently the lady, who seemed to be
growing sick, whispered to her husband,
and the husband, in the politest manner
possible, asked the stranger if he would
not throw away his cigar, as the smoke
greatly disconnected his wife. With
On impudent, staggering stare the fellow
replied, interlarding his speech with
several oaths:
81 reckon I've paid my place: I'll
smoke rs much as l please. la like to
see somebody stop me !"
He looked very dangerous as he
glarcd around, and it was very evident
that ho was used to quarrel and strife,
and, furthermore, q struggle with him
might have been q deadly one. The
young man who had spoken to him
shrank back, and was silent. Tho lady
lowered the sash by her side for breath
of fresh air.
Mr.. Clay felt every gallant instinct OF
his soul aroused. He considered for q
moment whether he should interfere,
and found himself reluctant to draw
upon his own head the brutal violence
of the gigantic ruf6an. In that then
lawless country he knew that his Lite
might be sacrificed unavenged. He
knew himself to be physically unequal
to the contest, and he thought, after all,
it was not his business to risk his life In
so Qui1otic q manner.
Clay was settling back, with pity for
the insulted and disgust for the insulter,
when, suddenly, but very quietly, the
cloaked figure in the corner assumed an
upright position, suffering the frrred
mantle to fall back without particle OF
excitement, thereby revealing the small,
but well-knit, muscular frame of man
plainly dressed in closely .buttoned
frock coat, with face rather pale, and e
pair of bright gray eyes that cleaned
like polished steel-and those strange
eyes Quickly attracted the attention OF
he ferocious Kentuckian.
With O terrible calmness this quiet
man passed his hand under his collar at
the back of his neck, and deliberately
drew forth long, glittering and ugly
looking knife from its sheath IN that SIN
gular place.
"Stranger," he said, "my name is
Colonel James Bowie, well known in
Texas and Arkansaw. If you do not
put that cigar out of the window In less
than fifteen seconds, III put this
knife through your heart, as sure as
death |"
Clay said TINT he could never forget
the expression of the colonel's eyes at
that moment. They told, hs unmistaka-
bly, rs signs can tell, that tho threat
would certainly be fulfilled; and this
conviction evidently impressed itself
upon tho mind of the offender. During
a very few seconds his eyes met th,se OF
Bowie. With NIL his brute strength he
was the weaker man, and he quailed.
With muttered curse he threw the
cigar away, upon which Col. Bowie
coolly returned his knife to its sheath,
and without another look or word re-
folded his cloak about him and lay back
as before. At the next stopping place
the Kentuckian got out and took se"t
with tho driver.