Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-04-07
advantage shifted from one side to the other

advantage shifted from one side to the other
for the space of five minutes, till both were
bathed in streams of their own blood.
Even the bystanders, looking on through
the windows of the log court house, were
struck with wonder and awe. At length
while writhing and twisting like two raging
serpents, the handle of Hills huge Bowie
knife, unthought of previously, protruded
from beneath his hunting shirt. Both saw
it at the same time, and both attempted to
graspit it. Howard succeeded. Quick as light
ming he drew the keen blade from its scab.
bard, and sheathed it up to the hilt in the
bosom of his friend and his Mary's father.
"The dream is fulfilled" exclaimed Hill,
with a smile of strange sweetness, that re-
mained on his features after he was corpse.
He then sunk down, and expired without a
groan.
Howard gazed on him there as he lay.
with that singular smile on his face, and his
glazed eyes opened. And then, awakening
with a start, as if from some horrible vision
of the night, the poor unhappy youth fell
headlong on the body of his friend, crying
in tones that melted many hardened
spectator into tears-"Great God what have
l done?" He kissed the clammy lips Of
the dead-wet his cheeks with rain Of un-
availing sorrow-tried to staunch the bloody
wound with his handkerchief then, ap.
parently satisfied that all was over, sprung
upon his feet with shout or more properly
scream, Farewell, Mary-your father is
gone, and am going with him." and turning
the point of the CORY knife towards his own
breast, would have plunged it into his own
heart, had he not been prevented by the BY
ISLANDERS, who bad now crowded into the
room.
The same evening, Nose Howard disap.
peared, and was heard Of no more for nearly
two years, when horse trader brought lack
word that he had seen him in San Antonio,
Texas.
When the shocking news reached Hills
family, the beautiful Mary burst into wild
laugh. She was maniac.
Had we been inditing tale of romance,
we would have paused with the preceding
page but literal truth compels us'to record
another fact equally characteristic, both as
to the chief actors and the back'woods theatre
Of the main tragedy.
It will be remembered that the fallen des-
perado had enjoined it on his son to slay the
slayer of his father on the day he should
arrive at sixteen. Without any such charge,
vegeance would have been considered by that
boy as sacred duty for, on the frontiers the
widows of the slain teach vengeance to their
children, and occasionally execute it them
selves.
Accordingly, Bill Hill practised with his
fathers gun every day for two successive
years, and this even before he had any rumor
as to the place of Howards refuge. He then
learned that his foe was in Texas and two
months before he was sixteen set out to hunt
him up.
At the end of four months, Bill Hill came
back, and hanging up the double-barrels in
their old buckhorn rack, answered his moth
er's inquiring look.
Mother Nose is dead-I let him have
both loads. Though cried before l done
it, and afterwards, too-he looked so misera.
BILE, pale, and bony as skeleton"
Poor Mosew said the mother, weeping
"but it could not be hel ped. The son of
such brave man as Nixon Curry must new
er be called a coward, and besides, it was
your fathers order.''