Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-05-27
THE MAN FROM TEXAS.
A Characteristic Sketch of Life i'm
the Southwest
From Texas Siftings.l

Iney SAID that he always went
heeled, toted derringer and was bad
crowd generally" 1t was rumored that
he had killed five, eight, some said ten,
men during his short career yet no one
would have thought, to look at the we'll
| dressed young man, mild of manner,
and careful as to the parting of his hair,
that he was the fre-eater he was reputed
to be.
He was unlike the CORY desperate of
''the villain-still- style of
literature, as divinity student is I'M
like the life insurance agent of real life.
| lettering Gnder the responsibility of a
copious diamond breast-piu, and carry
ing small cane in his gloved hand, he
might have been taken for hotel clerk,
were it not for his conciliatory and gen
tlemanly manners.
When Phil. Parker was pointed out
to strangers as a gambler, and a man
who had checked several of his acquaint-
ances through to the other world, it was
always added that he was a gentleman
for all that, and was never known to
take an unfair advantage of any of his
victims, nor to go back on friend.
This heightened and honorable des-
perado Operated" in one of the inland
cities of Texas, two years ago. He was
one OF the chief features of the place.
he was character so associated with
the city, that to speak of it without
mentioning Phil. Parker would be like
writing description OF Sheffield with
out abiding to the matter of cutlery.
| A stranger, stopping q few DAYS in
| 10 xuh Do !
apt to leave with the impression that
the place consisted of wretchedly poor
Jail. very handsome court house, and
of Phil. Parker and several thousand
other inhabitants.
Unlike most professional gamblers, he
was seldom "broke." When. in the
language of the fraternity. he "struck
1t rich, and was in funds, he would
sometimes celebrate the occasion by a
free use of the flowing bowl. This
made him enthusiastic on the subject of
shooting, his enthusiasm eliminating in
a visit to some friends saloon, where he
would exhibit his proficiency in the use
OF the revolver by SCATTERING mirrors,
lamp chimneys, bottles and other fragile
articles, concluding with the laconic re-
/ s
NINE put EN- on the slate
His right to indulge in such mild
eccentricities was seldom disputed. for
two reasons: First, to do so would be a
risk OF the class that insurance compa-
MES term extra-hazardous, and, second
", Phil. always dropped in after he
became sober and paid for all damage
done. On several occasions the glass
OF every lamp on the square was shat
tered by pistol bullets, fred 10y some
person or persons unknown.
In connection with this, it is a note.
worthy fact, that, on every one of
these occasions, Phil. Parker was in
town, and also that, strange to say, the
intelligent and ever-vigilant policeman
had Just stepped around the corner to
obtain clue from man, regarding n
case that was being worked up by
that lynx.eyed officer (the man wore an
apron and furnished the clew in a tum.
bler). Thus it was that the unfortunate
absence of the peace officer, at the crit
zeal moment, prevented him from seeing
or arresting the offender.
The subject of this sketch was very
much respected wherever he was known
especially by the police
Mat Woodlief, noted gambler, once
kept saloon in one of the little railroad
towns on the Sunset Route. One night
big, clustering Texan came into the
saloon with some friends. After form
ing himself into hollow square around
eight or ten able-bodied glasses OF whis-
ky, he became boisterous and began ex-
humlng old grievances about the war.
and Its consequences to him in the loss
OF his plantation and negroes (he never
| owned slave in his life, and the only
connection he ever had with a planta-
ton was through hoe handle). He
abused the Yankees, calling them liars
and thieves, aud using toward them all
manner of vile epithets, he said 81
can make the biggest man of them eat
dirt, | can. The burned body snatch
ers, took all of my negroes, but I'll get
even with 'em yet. There amt one of
them man enough to stand up with me
III fair fight. l just want one OF them
to contradict me, an I'll bore holes in
him till he can't hold water. wish one
OF the cowardly coyotes would come
along now, till I'd carve out the ma
terial for a funeral. I'm just pining
away for fight; I'm raw-hide
Texan, l am; but 1 can lick daylight
outn the biggest Yankee ever grew in
New England"
During this harangue, Phil. Parker,
who had been playing a quiet game of
poker IN the back room, appeared upon
the scene. He was dressed in black, a
linen duster on his left arm, and a silk
hat, OF the latest style, perched jauntily
over his right eyebrow. Sucking the
end of an iyory-headed walking cane.
this eighteen carat desperate sauntered
up to the bellicose Texan.
"My FRIEND" said he, '1'm Yankee
from Massachusetts; I'm harmless and
inoffensive drummer suauirer in mode.
sed .fOrtiter an re, as we say in the clas-
sizes, and it is with pain that l have
heard you ventilate your opinion rs you
have just now done. / do not like to
hurt your feelings, sir, but my duty,
under the circumstances, compels me to
tell you that you are coward: my re-
gard for truth causes me to remark that
you are liar; and my wish for candid
interchange of compliments, prompts
me to state that do rot think you are
brave enough to kill worm, nor that
you have the courage TO quarrel with
crippled hea."
The warike mutilator of Yankees was
speechless with surprise. The temerity