The Osceola times., 1879-03-29

he dreaded, above all other thing meet
ing an end like his ancestors. II was not
| fear, for an Alst n does not know what
fear Is. He was rs brave man as ever
| lived. In the army, as one OF Morgan 8
lieutenants, he was the most reckless and
daring OF them all. He once actual y
had biscuit shot from between his
teeth, but with laugh he continued his
breakfast. He said to your corresp0ii-
dent once: 81 have boy who is hot
headed fellow himself, and have take q
| my wife's hand IN mine many time and
knelt with her BY his bedside and prayed
TO God that I might bequealh him legacy
| OF peace and q quiet DEATH" 1t was his
highest ambition. as he has often said, to
break the old tradition that 'an Alst- n
must die in his boots" Once sgain,
was with him when he was going to the
field to meet Col. E. 7. Clarke, Of .
rival newspaper. The challenge had
been issued, and he was Just going TO
take the midnight train. Suddenly, he
turned TO q dark wall, and, leaning his
head on his hand, prayed aloud that God
might spare him the death his people had
died, and allow him to live in peace till
a quiet death could claim him. He
never believed, however, that this would
be granted him. 1t made him gloomy to
talk OF it, but to his fri nds he would say
| that he knew his destiny was To "die the
Aston death" He even had q super
stition that certain man was going to
kill him. There had never been any
trouble between them, but Alston always
said, Z" That man ia my fate" The man
was his friend, and never became any
thing else. Despite these gloomy
thoughts, Aston was devout believer
in the code. After he had Joined the
church he still adhered to his belief at
is q peacemaker," he said. In South
Carolina, where the code stood above the
state law, there never was so quiet and
decorous community. In Charleston
county there was not a murder in
eighteen years. ard the files Of the Char.
lesion Courier for nearly twenty-five
years do not show the use of the word
"liar" or "rcoundrep or any similar epi
theots a single time. There were no
street fights or rows, and no assassina-
tions A high code OF honor was estab
lished, and it made even towards brave
men. He used TO tell of Carolina
Judge (Mr. Pettigrew), who, having two
men before him for trying to fight duel,
said: "Gsntlemen, it will take me an
hour to write out these warrants. In the
tnat can take you cut Of my jurisdiction,
20 that you can complete your work be.
fore l could hold you" Col. Alston
never fought duel himself, though he
issued and accepted several challenges.
The conservative spirit Of these latter
DAYS almost always settles these matters
without the exchange of shots. While
Alston would have died before be would
have submitted 10 a dishonorable COM
promise, know what stubborn heroism
| it II ured to carry him into an affair OF
homer lie shrank with horror from such
test. His whole life was overshadowed
by the memory of his ancestors and
their bloody ends. He was recognized
authority on matters OF tue code, and
was usually called into all prominent
affairs. While he was tenacious of the
honor Of his principles, he never stickled
for technicaiities, and usually succeeded
in adjusting the differences. Only once
was he second In q fatal meeting. He
attended young Mc(iraw, of Char lesion,
and loaded the pistol that killed Tabor
There had appeared in the Charleston
Mercury communication assailing
Judge McGraw, signed with q nom de
plume. Contrary to the usual practice
of demanding the name of the author Of
the offensive article, Aston demanded
for McGraw satisfaction of Tabor and his
two editorial associates, holding that the
grsvamen Of the offence was In the pub
lication. The name OF the author was
offered and declined. Tabor then an
nounced himself responsible. McGraw,
through Aston, challenged the three
editors, naming Tabor first. The parties
went to the field. At the second shot
Tabor Jumped straight into the air, fell
upon bis back, shivered and died. Nc
Graw WAS unhurt, and the affair stopped
there.
Alstcn had been engaged in many per.
sonal encounters, but never had been
seriously hurt. 1t Was harder for him
to take an insinuation of insult than for
a,y one else; but he always repressed
his anger, and, If possible, avoided
trouble. He was a fine talker, genial
gentleman. OF winning address, and those
saved him from many difficulties that
his impetuosity would have led him into.
His favorite maxim, however, was the
saying of Sir Boyle Roach, "The best
way TO avoid danger Is to meet 1t plump
ly, and his boldness often suficed where
tenn porizing would have failed In the
trouble that led to his death, after he
had been sent of by Cox to arm himself,
his first impulse was to get double
barreled shot gun, and go and look Cox
up and kill him. He WAS thoroughly
acquainted with the violent habits of
his enemy, and knew be-t how TO meet
them. He was dissusded from this course
however, by Governor Colquitt and
others. He was very much depressed at
tne idea that Cox was hunting him down
and seemed to have premonitiom of
what was coming. He said, throwing
himself into a chair in the treasurer's
Office, 1T Is awful hard to know that
man is dogging you and that you have
got to kill him or be killed" Instead OF
going of to arm himself, he went into a
restaurant TO get some dinner. He ate
heartily, but was very much worried. AT
length he WAS persu AIDED to take pistol,
getting one that he had never seen be
ore, a self-cocking six-shooter. When
he entered the tressurer's Office he seem.
ed relieved to think he bad found re-
treat IRON the trouble. No sort of per-
sonsl fear moved him, but the idea of
bloodshed seemed to sicken him. When
he ssx Cox enter and hal draw his pis.
toll at man evidently mistaken for him,