The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-06-16
JAMES BOWIE.
aectlotes of the Inventor of the Bowie Knife
Told by One Who Knew Him.

Told by One Who Knew Him.
On one occasion Bowie, whose reputation
had reached Memphis, arrived by boat at
that city, or rather OF what was then known
as the Third Chickasaw Bluffs. The bank,
from the boat landing to the top, was about
one hundred and fifty feet high and large
number of people were watching the arrival
of the strangers. Looking down one of
them recognized Bowie as he stepped over
tho gang-rlan]I, and made tho remark,
There comes Jim Bowie.
What" shouted big flatboatman, then
known as the memphis Terror" as he
looked down the bluff; what! Jim Bowie2
That's the fellew I've been looking for for
months. Jim Bowie! Why him,
I'll whip him SO quick he wont know what
hurt him. I'll whip him if I never whip
another man as long as live! Stand by,
boys, and see the fun!"
Bowie came slowly up the bank. In his
hand he carried an old umbrella. lie had
no pistols and was evidently not expecting
or in fact not prepared for fight. This
fact did not escape the now thoroughly in
terested spectators. Up went the tiatboat-
man promptly, as Bowie reached the top Of
the bluff. rs your name Jim Bowie?' he
asked
Bowie replied that it was.
Then" shouted the datboat man, as he
squared off, II think you damned rascal
and I'm going to whip you right here and
now"
Bowie was man of few words. He
stood and gazed at his adversary, who was
more emblodened than ever. II think
your a damned coward" he yelled, ''and I
am going to knock your head off," md SO
saying the Memphis Terror advanced to
the conflict. IT,
Bowie never f1inched. His keen eye was
fixed on the ''Terror, who at this moment
was face to face with him. But as the man
of Memphis drew dirk from his breast,
Bowie stepped back foot and thrust ont
his umbrella as if to keep his antagonist at
bay.
The memphis TERROR" selling the UNI
brella with one hand, made pass at the
inventor of the famous knife with the other.
In so doing he pulled the umbrella to him.
self, leaving free in the right hand of Bowie
his murderops weapon, which 10 this mo-
ment had been concealed in the folds Of the
impromptu sheath, The sight Of Bowie
standing there; with the knife in his hand
and the CLEAN of vengence in his eye, was
two much for 1.-The Terror"
From the: bouncing bully he became
TRANSFORMED into q craven coward in Sec
ond. His face turned pale and his knees
trembled, while the dirk dropped from his
hands as he gazed on Bowie's weapon with
staring eyes, "Put it up; put away that
scythe, for Gods sake, Bowie. was mis-
taken in my man,
Bowie advanced step.
'Don't-don't kill me!' beseeched the
bully; "fcr Gods sake; nan. don't 60 for
me with that scythe and swear to YOU I'll
never attack another man as longas live"
Bowie looked at his now thoroughly de-
moralized opponent for a moment, and
then turning on his heel with the express
sion, Coward" walked rapidly away.
Theneeforth the Memphis Terror" was
changed man, and until the day Of his death
he never lost the sobriquet of "Put-up-
that scythe.'
Bowie was very fond of music and dane
ing and ON occasions where he could enjoy
both he invariably appeared in the. best Of
humor, and the reserve which had Begin
% characterize him at this time appeared to
thaw out. It was on one occasion at a
dance, when he was in such favorable con-
ditions, that had an opportunity for q
free-and- easy chat with him about some of
the encounters in which he had been en-
gagged. Referring to the disparity in size
between himself and some Of the men
whom he had met in conflict, asked him
how he regarded his chances under such
circumstances. 49,.
Suppose" said I, referring TO a man of
herculean build, who stood near, suppose
you were attacked by such man as Hob
johnson there. What them" -;
ooh" dryly responded Bowie, Il would
cut HIM down to my size!"