The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-04-03

his seeming discourtesy.
"Will you be kind enough to inform
us what your business is with this meet.
ing"
The stranger answered the question
by handing letter to the Judge, whose
supersCription was, "To the citizens OF
Austin" The seal was broken and. it
was read aloud:
"FELLow CITIZENS: Though in error
and deceived by the arts of traitors,l will
give you three more days to. decide
whether you will surrender the public ar.
chives. At the end of that time you
will please let me know your decisions
.ne letter was read, the deaf mar
waited few moments for reply, and
turned to leave the hall. AT this mo-
ment Col. Morton interposed with low-
ering brow and beckoned him to the ia
BILE. The stranger obeyed and Col. Nor
ton wIote:
"You were brave enough to insult me
by your threatening looks ten minutes
ago; are you brave enough to give me
satisfaction 7"
The stranger instantly penned the re-
ply:
81 am at your service"
The colonel again wrote:
"Who will be your second ~
This was the answer:
81 am too generous to seek an advan.
tage, and too brave to fear one on the
part of others; therefore never need
the aid of second.'
Morton wrote:
shame your terms"
The stranger wrote without moments
hesitation:
"Time, sunset this evening; place. the
left bank of the Colorado, opposite Aus.
tin; weapons, rifles; distance hundred
yards. Do not fail to be on time.''
The last sentence was not calculated
to soothe the feelings Of the irritated
colonel, and he compressed his lips as
he read it.
The next moment the stranger strobe
across the floor and disappeared through
the window in the same manner he had
entered.
ais it possible that you are going to
fight that man ?" exclaimed Judge Webb.
"He is a mute, il not maniac. Such a
meeting I fear will tarnish the luster Of
your laurels."
"You are mistaken" said the colonel
with a smile. "That mute is hero
whose fame stands in the record OF q
dozen battles and almost as many duels.
Besides, he is the favorite emissary and
bosom friend of Houston. II have the
good fortune to kill him / think the
President will retract his VOW against
venturing any more ON the field of hon.
or"
"You know him thenp Who is hep"
asked several
"Deaf Smith"
"Impossibe! 1t cannot be. Deaf
Smith was slain at San Jacinto," replied
Judge Webb.
"'rhere again your honor is Mistaken
said Morton. ''The story Of Smith 8
death is mere fiction, gotten up by
Houston for the purpose of saving his
friend from the vengeance of several
Texans on whose conduct be had acted
the part of spy. l learned the artifce a
year ago."
"Then you are madman yourself,
colonel Deaf Smith was never known
to miss bis mark. He has been known
to have brought down ravens in their
flight, and has picked off Comanches and
Mexicans at a distance of two hundred
yards"
"The thing is settled. fancy l can
do little of that business myself"
"But for Gods sake,'' persisted the
Judge, becoming excited, IL don't want
you to be murdered"
"Who is going to be ?" asked the col.
onel, as he coolly smoked his cigar and
smiled in his usual way.
"Why, you, if you undertake to fight
Deaf Smith"
"This thing is all arranged, as ! said
few moments ago, and l wouldn't back
out if was certain to be shot; for what
is death to dishonor
Toward evening large crowd assem-
bled at the place appointed for the meet
ing, and so reckless were the people re-
garding the issue at stake-a human life
perhaps two-that there were all manner
Of jokes, and nc a few wagers laid upor
the result.
At length, Is the sun sank below tht
horizon, the two mortal antagonists ap
peared on the open space and stood back
to back. At the waving of the handker
chief they began pacing off from eacf
other, both stepping exactly together, a
if they were keeping time to the tap o
drum. They completed the dislanc,
at the same instant, when they wheeled
so far as to face each other and fi,e a
soon as possible.
AS they were separated by conside
rable distance they raised their rifles ant
paused a moment to take aim. Th,
pause was long enough for the crowd t.
glance from one to the other and not
the expression Of their faces Col. Nor
ton was calm and smiling, but the smil
was murderous one-far more terribl
than the severest smile could be. Dea
Smith, however was as rigid and pas
sionless as ever. His profile might hav
been supposed to have been cut in stone
so expressionless was it. The forme
was attired in the finest broadcloth, an
the other in snaky tinted leather.
The next instant both rifles explode
simultaneously. Col. Morton gave
smothered shrek, sprang upward an
fell to the ground-dead. Deaf Smit
stood unmoved and began reloading hi
rifle, which being done he turned ava
, and disappeared in the adjoining fores
Three days after Gen. Houston, a
companied by Deaf Smith and ten oth'
J men, made their appearance in Austil
and without further opposition remove
the State papers.
/, Deaf Smith, as l remarked before, WI
one of the most extraordinary men ev
known in the west. He appeared
q Texas at an early period and reside
there until his death, which occurre
e over dozen years ago. He had mar
: ardent friends, but nothing definite W;