Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-06-25

Anecdotes Of the Inventor OF the
Bewie-Knife, Told by One who
Knew Him.
PHILADELPHIA Times.

Philadeldhia Times.
On one occasion Bowie whose rep
utation had reached Memphis, ar
rived by boat at that city, or rather
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 a large number of people
were watching the arrival Of the
strangers. Looking down, one OF
them recognized Bowie as he step
ped oyer the gang-plank, and made
the remark: 'there comes Jim Bow
i..''
"What ~ shouted big fiat-boat-
man, then known as the Memphis
Terror, as he looked down the bluff:
"what Jim Bowie? That's the
fellow I've been looking for for
months. Jim Bowie Why
him, I'll whip him so quick he
won't know what hurt him. I'll
whip him if never whip another
boys and see the fun -
Bowie came slowly up the bank.
In his hand be carried an old um-
brella. lie had no pistols, and was
evidently not expecting or in fact
prepared for fight. This fact did
not escape the now thoroughly in
terested spectators. Up went the
flat-boatman promptly, as Bowie
reached the top of the bluff. SIS
your name jim Bowie ?'' he asked.
Bowie replied that it was.
ssThen shouted the flat-boatman,
as he squared of, 81 think you are
a damned rascal, and Pm going to
whip you right here and now"
Bowie was a man of few words.
He stood and gaZed at his adverse
ay, who was more embOldened than
ever 81 think you're a damned
coward" he yelled, ''and I'm go
ing to knock your head off," and SO
saying the Memphis Terror advanc-
ed TO the conflict.
Bowie never finched. 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 a foot and thrust out
| his umbrella as if to keep his antag-
onist at bay.
The Memphis Terror, seiZing the
umbrella with one hand, made a
pass at the inventor of the famous
knife with the other. In so doing
he pulled the umbrella to himself,
leaving freein. the right hand OF
/ Bowie his murderous weapon,
which to this moment had been
concealed in the folds of the i'm
promptu sheath. The sight OF
Bowie standing there with the knife
in his hand and the CLEAN of veng-
ance in his eye was too much for
The Terror. - &Fgh -
From the bouncing bully he be-
came transformed into a craven
coward in a second. His face turn
ed pale and his knees trembled,
while the dirk dropped from his
hands as he gazed on Bowie's weap-
OH with staring eyes. "Put it up ;
put away that Scythe for Gods sake
Bowie, L am mistaken in my
man %
Bowie advanced a step.
"Don't-dOn't kill me 20 beseech-
ed the bully; "for Gods sake, man,
don't 90 for me with that scythe,
and / swear to you I'll never at
tack another man as long as l
live"
Bowie looked at his now thor
Oughly demOralized opponent for a
moment and then turning on his heel
with the expression Coward, walk
ed rapidly away. Thenceforth the
Memphis Terror was a 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
dancing, and ON occasions where
he could enjoy both he invariablyap-
peared in the best of humOr, and the
reserve which had begun to charac-
terize him at this time appeared to
thaW out. 1t was on one occasion
at a dance, when he was in such IA
vorable conditions, that L. had an
opportunity for u free-and-easy chat
with him about some of the encOun-,
tiers in which he had been engaged.
Referring to the disparity in size be-
tween himself and some of the men
whom he had met in conflict, /
asked him how he regarded his
chances under such circumstances.
p "SuppOse," said /, referring to a
man of herculean build, who stood
near, suppose you were attacked
by sueha man as Hob johnson there.
What them"
8Oh," dryly responded Bowie, 81
would cut him down to my size!
$50 a---s,..-s=