Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-08-28

writing, took the pen and wrote I'M
derneath, II am at your service"
Morton took the pen and wrote,
Name your terms"
The stranger took the pen and
wrote: Weapons, rifles; distance, fifty
PAGES; place, west bank of the Colo
RADIO, opposite Austin; time, sunset
this evening. Don't fail to be on
time" and putting down the pen he
turned on his heel, strobe toward the
window and by a dexterous swing was
in the branches of the tree, making
his exit by the same means as he en-
tered. He walked down the street,
leaving the people in the council
room as well as those in the street
astonished at his singular behavior.
As soon as Judge Edwards recover
ed from his establishment at the pro-
ceedings of the last few moments, he
addressed Colonel Morton thus;
Colonel, is it possible that you in
tend to fight a duel with that man :?
He's mute and perhaps a maniac, aud
| think it would but tarnish your lau-
rels to fght:asduel with him"
There you are mistaken, judge"
replied Colonel Morton. 1T would
be no disgrace for even Colonel Nor
ton to fall in an encounter with
him."
You know him then p
81 do"
"Who is he, colonel ?"
Deaf Smith"
"0h, no" replied the judge deaf
Smith fell at the Alamo"
There you are mistaken again,
Judge" replied Morton that was a
trick of Houston to shield his favorite
from the vengeance of a score of des-
peradoes who vowed to have his life
if he was above ground"
well, then, colonel" retorted the
judge, IF that's as you say, it leaves
you in no better predicament. Deaf
Smith was never known to miss the
mark"
Its settled" replied Colonel Nor
ton. Its no disgrace to fall by his
bullet, while if | Kill him | will feel
proud of having felled the best shot
on this continent and now gentle
men" said the colonel rising, Il will
bid you good-by, | have some things
to attend to so hat this thing may not
be postponed. | hope to meet you
at sunset ON the west bank Of the Col
orado, opposite Austin. Adieu."
And the colonel stepped out of the
Office as light and lively as if he had
not to stand opposite the muzzle of
Deaf Smiths loaded rifle at sun
down.
When it was noised about through
the streets in the afternoon that Col.
Morton and the stranger were to fight
a duel at sunrise, there was great ex-
element among the sports. Some ex-
pressed a shade Of pity for any man
who might be found foolhardy enough
to meet the stranger in single combat.
Others offered to take bets on the
stranger, provided they could get long
odds in their favor, while all were
anxious for the going down of the
sun, that they might witness this
grand episode of frontier life. The
sun was nearing the western horizon
when Austin moved out to the bank
of the Colorado, and there was Col.
Morton with a group of friends
calm, cool and chatty-with a heavy
rife Of the most approved pattern in
his hand. He cast an occasional
glance at declining orb of day, and
looking along the woods that skirted
the river bank, in hopes of catching a
glimpse of his antagonist.
The crowd was getting restless. AS
the suns lower limb touched the wes-
tern horizon there emerged from the
woods in their immediate vicinity the
stranger, alone, and as if he had no
time to waste, walked straight up to
Colonel Morton and made him a rath-
er stiff bow. The colonel smiled,
pointed to one of his friends, who
showed the stranger a paper on which
was stated the preliminaries accord
ing to the code, viz: Both parties
we're to stand back to back, a person
appointed was to drop a handkerchief
at which signal both parties were to
walk straight twenty-five PAGES, turn
around and fire. The stranger nod
ded assent to this arrangement, and
be and the colonel were placed back
to back. The handkerchief was
dropped, both the principles deliber.
ately stepped off their twenty-five
PAGES. They both turned around al
the same time and we're rather long in
taking aim, so deliberate were they
The rifles cracked about the same
time, when Morton was seen to lear
into the air and fall heavily, pierced
through the forehead by the rife bal
of his antagonist. Deaf Smith put VI
his hand and wiped a streak OF BLOOD
from his cheek, where the skin haC
been abrazed by Colonel Morton'l
rife ball. He loaded his rife in hi
tracks and walked into the wood
whence he came, and disappeared be
fore the astonished crowd of specta
tors. Five days afterWard he return
ed in company with nineteen other
and President Houston, and remove,
the government archives from Austil
without molestation.
Dol cnuA nL-s Uo.-