The Van Buren press., 1879-04-05

! .he Circuit Court for Pope county, II
which Hill resided, he got out of bet
one morning uncommonly gloomy, ant
while at the breakfast table, suddenly
burst into tears.
"What is the matter, my dear ?" aske(
Lucy that beautiful Lucy, who hac
formily left her wealthy home in Caro-
lima for the robbor and the robber'.
cave.
Il have had dreadful iream." answer
cd the husband, shuddering at the recol
lection Il saw George Strong in ms
sleep, and he kissed me with his pail lip.
that burned like fire and smclled of sui.
phur. am sure l shall die before sun
set"
"Then do not 60 to court to-day,
said the wife in accents of earnest aue
entreaty.
"But will" replied the husband firm.
ly., "When mans time is come he
cannot hide from death besides, it will
be the act of a coward to do so, If one
possesses the power" Then addressing
his son. fine intelligent boy of thirteen
he continued, "l'ill, you see my" point.
ing his finger as he spoke to the great
double barrel hanging on buckhorns over
the door; practice with that every morn
ing, and the day you are sixteen shoot
the loads Of both barrels into the man
who will this day kill your father"
"Yonder comos Nose Howard he will
protect you, pa remarked Mary, Hills
eldest daughter, lovely girl of fifteen,
who was to be married the next day TO
the youth tnen approaching.
Hill and Howard departed; Lucy with
tears, and Mary blushing. both calling
out as they left the gate. stake good
care of him, Nose, and be sure and bring
him back to- o-night."
"Never fear" answered the youth with
a laugh, "Hill will never die till Kill
him."
"Then he will live forever" retorted
Mary, laughing also.
AS soon as the friends reached the viii
lage; Hill began to drink deeply and
manifested more than ordinary anxiety
for combat, insulting everybody that
crossed his path, and all the youths en-
treaties failed to pacify him. At last the
desperate swore that he would clear the
court house, and Immediately entered,
with furious countenance. and threat,
as to his purpose. Judge, lawyers, jury
and spectators, made general rush for
the door. One old drunken man did not
run as fast as Hill wished, and he sprang
on the imbecie wretch and commenced
hnatipr him unrpnrnifnilv
Howard then got hold of his future
father-in-law (alas who was never to
be, and attempted to pull him away.
With eyes red aud glaring like mad
and with single blow OF his hist ldred
him to the floor. Then following up the
act, he leaped on the youth, and began a
most ferocous battery. In vain did
Howard endeavor to escape, crying ou,
in tones of beseeching horror
"For Gods sake cease! Hill don't you
know me-your friend Mose2 Remem
Der Mary
Hills anger only increased, till finally
he threw his hand to his belt and clutch
ed a pistol. Hnd then Howard's blood
also boiled, and he resolved to fight fol
his life. He wrs as powerful frame as
the other-the only person in all Arkan.
sas to be compared with the desperate
in physical strength.
Howard grasped the barrel Of the pis
tol as Hill cooked it, and the weapon ex
ploded in their hands without doing any
injury. Once more they hitched, and the
most dreadful struggle ensued ever wit
messed in the West. The advantage
shifted from one side tn the other for ths
space of five minutes, till both were bath
ed in streams Of their own blood.
Even the bystanders, looking or
through the windows uf the long court
house, were struck with wonder and awe
At length while writhing and twisting
like two raging scrpents, the handle OF
Hills huge bowie knife, unthought ol
previously protruded from beneath his
hunting shirt. Both saw it at the same
time, and both attempted to grasp it
Howard succeeded. Quick as Tightening
he drew the keen blade from its scabbard
and sheathed it up to the hilt in the bosom
of his friend and his Mary's father.
"The dread is fulfilled" exclaimed
Hill, with smile of strange sweetness
that remained on his features even afteI
he was corpse. He then sank dowr
and expired without a groan.
Howard gazed on him there as he lty
with that singular smile on his face, anc
his glazed eyes open. And then awaken
ing with a start, as if from some horrible
vision of the night, the poor unhappy
youth fell headlong on the body Of hi
friend, crying in tones that melted many
hardened spectator to tears :-"Grea
God what have done? ?" He kissed thu
clammy lips of the dead--tried to stauncl
the bloody wound with his hankerchief-
and then, apparently satisfied that al
was over, sprung upon his feet with
shout, or more properly scream, "Fare
we'll, Mary-your father is gone and
am going with him." and turning tn,
the CORY knife towards his own breast
would have plunged it into his own heart
had he not been prevented by the by
standers, who had now crowded into thu
room.
The same evening Nose Howard dis
appeared, and was heard Of no more fol
nearly two years. when horse trader
brought back word that be had seen hin
in San Antonio. Texas.
When the shocking news reached Hiils
family, the beautiful Mary burst into {
wild laugh. She is now in tho asylum
for the insane, at New Orlerns.