Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-05-11
knives literally cat th's man to pieces
This Colonel Morton was appointed %
command this battalion OF desbera'

| CoiiiInhhu lhlt Dhtthi'On VI ucsPfF'
fdoes, ''"''' 'U'', ''"'l sue
The Colonel wilh Judge Edwards
aud other prominent citizeps occp'
pied a hall 10 which they were hold
ing q council with closed doors,
barred agaihst ingfess, ID and TO
devise means how TO counteract
the schemes Of Iiouston,LnalioI ..
. "A crowd stood Oh the sidewalk
outside discussing che situation In 10
very 'gthtle mood when their ut
tepiion was attracted "by'a stranger
comingup with . long steady stride
towsrd,lhs building within which sat
the con6lave. lie was dressed To- the
gaib oia lianter--a heavy coonskip
cap With the tail dangling down over
the broad and tasseled collar Of his
buckskin hunting shirt, which was
secured at the waist bya strong belt
of buffalo hide, in which were con-
vcniontIy stack, ieady 70 grasp at an
instant's warning d heavy par Of
silver mounted pistols anda hunting
knife. His neither limbs were encas
ed 10 loggings Of buokskin and mecca,
sins, and In his hand no carried a long
heavy rifle. '"' ...
He appeared ,opaa,y' t 10 attention 70
the inquisi,ive lQoks of those he met,
but walked straight up to the epclos:
ure in which the house : stood, aud
without seeking admittance at the
door he sprang with the agility Of a
cougar AMI grasping the pendant limb
of a Eeo that grew near the wall OF
the house, carrying his rife with him
no climbed the tree, which was hut
short distance To the second story,
aud there was an open window
through which he swung himself, and
he was in the council room Of the
disturbed denizens of Austin. Had
an incendiary shell of the most mod
ern invention landed in that room ii
could not have created more of a SIR
prise than did tho entrance of the
stranger 70 uneeremoniously. Colonel
Morton scowled while tho rest looked
amazed at the strangers calm, cool,
de6ent look and attitude.
Morton broke the silence by de-
mandipg of the stranger, "What
brings you into our presence in this
manner without invitation or even
consent 7"
The stranger looked at Morton,
then at the rest OF the company and
walked up to the table, took sheet
of paper and taking pen and ink
wrote these words thereon: 81 am
deaf"
Judge Edwards looked at the
writing and taking the pen wrote
underneath. my dear sir, will you
please to tell us what business brings
you here among us in such strange
manner?"
The stranger glanced at the paper
and Immediately drew from the
pocket OF his hunting shirt letter
signed by Sam Houston which read
as follows:
"Although the citizens Of Austin
are in the wrong and knowingly so,
yet the President before resorting to
extreme measures will give them five
days longer to deliver up the archives
of the Republic, at the end of
which time if not delivered he will
come and take them by force.
(Signed)
b.. SAM HousroN, President
The stranger after delivering his
message and having seen it read, was
in the act of turning away when
Colonel Morton, drawing his attention
to the paper on which he had written.
wrote: "You were brave enough to
Insult me by your impudent entrance
and defept look. Are you now brave
enough to give me satisfaction :"
The stranger after glancing at the
the writing, took the pen and wrote
underneath. II am at your service"
Morton took up the pen and wrote,
"Name your terms
The stranger took up the pen and
wrote, "Weapons-Rihes; distance
fifty PAGES ; rlace-west bank Of the
Colrado, opposite Austin, time sun.
set this evening. Don't fail to be on
time," and putting down the pen turn.
ed on his heel, strobe toward the
window and by dextrous swing was
in the branches of the tree making his
exit by the same means as he entered.
He walked down the street leaving
the people in the council room as well