The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-10-24
WooDsFIEID MONROE COUNTY OHIO TUESDAY, OCTOBER a.

luailed On one side of its broad, ,glesm.
ng blade was the picture of a fight be-
5wixt hunter and black bear. The
bear seemed to be squeez ug the man to
Heath in its iron hug while he was fierce
y digging at the monsters heart with
.he point Of his knife. r ..it
Such devices ore common on the arms
Of the most notorious desperadoes on
the frontiers, and are the object of as
intense pride to their owners as were
the insignia of the most exalted chivalry
to the knights of the heroic ages. For
all men are poets, and the idea seeks for
evermore to render himself incarnate in |
the material torm-to speak in knowing
signs to the senses Destructiveness
will have Its images as we'll as Devo-
ton. @
Wilson made the frst pass, deter
mined thrust aimed at the pit of his an
tagonists stomach, which the other dexs
trously parried. For a time both par
ties fought with admirable GOODNESS, and
with such consumate skill that only
slight wounds we're inflicted, and those
on the head and face whence blood be-
gan to trickle freely And still--omin.
Gus and awful vision--while,the contest
ragged, the opposite and characteristic
signs of desperation remained fixed,
seulptured by the hand of horrible ven
geance in either countenance. The cold,
smile, now converted into a fendish grin
Of immeasurable malice, s.illllingered on
Wilson's livid lips; and the tears still
flowed, mingled now with warm blood
from Anthony's black, blazing eyes!-
The cla,ter of knives, ,thrusting and fend-
ing off, and sharply ringing against each
other was hideous to hear, and alone
broke the silence that reigued through
out the hall. He ra .oe
At length both foes, maddened at the
prolonged obstinacy of the struggle, and
blinded by the gore from the red gashes
about their eyes, lost all caution, cool
ness and equiDimity, and battled wildly
more like devils than living men.-
Each one more intent on taking the life
Of his enemy than guarding his own, ex
erted every nerve and muscle with
truculent fury that struck the very
bebolders with icy fear. Both parties
we've both severely wounded in different
parts of the body; but still there came
no pause in the combat, until Anthony.
striking a heavy, over handed blow, cut
his adversary's arm halt off at the wrist !!
Wilson changed bis bowie.knife into his
left hand, and, for an instant, ran several
steps backward, as ii to decline any fur
ther contest He then stopped, and smil-
ing more fearfully than ever-a fearless,
internal look-aeain rushed forward
Previously, at this crisis, when certain
victory was within his grasp, Anthony
committed the folly of ainging his knife
at the others bosom, which, missing its
ain, fell with a loud ringing noise on the
fuor, more than thirty feet distant. This
error decided the tremendous combat
Anthony was entirely disarmed and at
the mercy of the tiger man. Wilson
darted upon him with hoarse cry of
anger and hellish joy-there, where he
stood, motionless as rock, powerless
to resist, aud yet too brave to fly. One
sharp thrust ripped open the victims
bowels. and he caught them, as they
were falling, in his hands! Another
stroke, directed at the neck, severed the
main artery, and the blood, spouting out
with gurgling noise, sprihkled the
robes and even the faces OF some mem
bers who sat nearest the horrid scene.
Tue last act of the tragedy was closed,
ana the curtain of death dropped on the
CORY stage. Anthony, without a groan
or sign, fell in his place corpse, and
Wilson, fainting from the loss Of blood,
sank down beside him. 77a 9fiF ifF
Up to this moment, although sixty
Legislators we're in their seats, and more
than hundred lookers-on in the lobby,
aud jeweled bevies Of bright. eyed ladies
in the gallery, still no one save those ra-
ging madmen, had moved no sound had
disturbed the whisperless silence but the
Changing of their conclusive steel Bot
then, as both tumbled on the floor like
Jumps of lead, single wild, wailing,
heart-shivering shrek, as if some other
soul we're parting with its mortal clay,
arose in the crow wd Of females, and all
was again still; but whe ther that deep
cry Of an orphaned spirit was uttered by
the maiden of poor Anthony's bosom,
who had hoped to morrow to be his
bride, or by the beautiful little daughter
Of Wilson, or by some plying stranger,
could never be ascertained to!
Wilson recovered and is vet alive, and
there is srarcely an inch square on his
face that does not show its deep scar, as
momento of the matchless combat He
was expelled the House, bailed by mer
ciful Judge, brought to trial and acquit
ted. There never was jury yet in the
backwoods that would convict person
for Staying another in fair fight. For
the desperate is the backwoods hero,
whom all men worship. 7s2 ,'H e
Now pull off YOUR coats