St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-08

Inc history or Dear smith" says the
New York Recorder, is Que Of the most
extraordinary in all the annals of the
frontier. The memory of that remark
able man is revered equally with that of
any q. the prominent actors in the war
for independence of the Lone Star
State" one of whose counties is named
for him. He made his appear
ance in Texas suddenly, at a
very early period IN the bloody his
tory of its struggle with Mexico, where
he continued to reside until his death,
which occurred about 1878. He had
host of friends and was the particular
favorite of Gen. Houston, yet none OF
these were ever able to learn the place
OF his birth or gather single fact IN re-
ation to his life previous to his advent
among them. Ii questioned upon the
subject. he Invariably placed his index
finger upon his lips, and II pressed
further, his brows gathered in big fur
rows, while his intensely dark eyes
seemed to shoot forth SPARKS of living
fire.
Deaf Smith" could write with aston
ishing facility and correctness. Denied
completely the sense of hearing, nature
had amply compensated him with the
keeneSt vision and power OF smell al
most incredible.
The rangers used to declare that
deaf Smith" could catch the scent Of
a Mexican or Indian at us great a dis
lance as a buZzard could distinguish the
odor of dead carcass"
it was these powerful attributes
which fitted him SO admirably for the
periloUS occupation OF scout, in which
capacity he rendered invaluable service
| to Gen. Houston's army during the war
| for the Independence of Texas. de
| always went wherever he was sent, no
matter how dangerous the duty, alone.
almost invariably succeeding in OBJ
tanning the information required.
His private life was as eccentric as
that of his official. He never could De
persuaded to sleep under the roof of
house or even 10 accept the friendly
| shelter of tent, no matter what the
| condition of the weather might be.
| Wrapped in a single blanket, Oh the
| coolest nights, he preferred to lie out in
| the open air, count the stars, OF gaze for
| hours at the moon, when at its full.
| When not in the employ Of the Texas
army. he hunted constantly, frequently
absentlng himself for weeks or even
months, on solitary expeditions into the
vast wilderness of The great South
west. He was genuine son of
nature, a grown up child OF the
forest and prairie, whose beauties
he worshiped with all the supersti-
ton of the ancient Druds. His infirmi-
ties probably were the principal cause
of this. which excluding him from a
cordial fellowship with man. he was
compelled to cultivate the friendship of
the inanimate things of earth, which TO
him were companions, for they, too, like
HIM, were voiceleSS. Many stories of his
heroic conduct in battle aid his wonder
full stoicism and utter absence Of fear in
frequent desperate duals are current
among the people, among whom, or,
rather, their immediate ancestors, he
lived for so many years. | have space at
my disposal for only one.
About two years after the end of the
Texas revolution difficulty occurred
between the new government and a
portion Of the citizens. The constitu-
tion had fixed the city OF Austin as the
permanent capital, where the archives
of the public were to be kept, with a
reservation, however, of a power vested
in the president to order their temporary
removal in case of danger from the in
| roads of foreigG enemy, or the force of
a sudden Instruction.
The ComaDcheS. the most impudent
and powerful tribe of Indians in the
Southwest, began to commit their char
acteristic atrocities within the very
sight of the young capital. Upon this
demonstration OF what might become
serious hostlities Gen. Houston, the
president. who resided in the town of
Washington, OH the Brazos, dispatched
an order commanding those under him
/ at Austin to send the state records to
Washington, which he declared to be
pro tempore the seat of the govern
ment.
1t is Impossible to describe the storm
of excitement the promulgatlon of the
order raised in Aust Only those who
have experienced a "county-seat fight
In Kansas are able to appreciate the
ulaynllude OF such 4 row. The OMners