The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-03-22
SAM HoUsToNs PRACTICAL JOKE.

| SAM HOUSTON'S PRACTICAL JOKE.
| Ee Stopped just In Time to Save Mis- Own
Life.
1t was some time in the forties, not
long after Sam Houston had come to
the senate. The great Texan was at
tended by faithful black from Vir-
ginia, bearing the distinguished name
of Richard Henry Lee. Richard
proved himself a good body servant
in all things save one.
He attended faithfully on every
want of his eccentfic master, who
was keeping bachelors quarters. But
no argument was sufficiently persua-
sive to induce Richard Henry Lee to
keep the rooms in order. A general
air of slothful neglect marked the
surroundings of their domestic estab-
lishment, and time and again Hous-
ton threatened to have Richard fayed
and his black hide hung over the back
yard fence as frightful example to
all evildoers.
Things ran on in this way until one
day Houston returned to his rooms
from the senate and found the condi-
ton Of affairs at home so bad that he
determined then and there to teach
his funky q good lesson. He delib-
erately locked the door, and without
saying a word crossed over to table
where he kept his pistol case, re-
moved two pistols, loaded them,
handed one to Richard and took the
other himself
Nov, Richard Lee" he began in
"a low voice that foreboded i'll, ''you
stand in that corner while I take nv
position in this, opposite you, face to
face, man to man, pistols in hand.
You have betrayed my confidence
and trampled upon my feelings until
patience has ceased to be q virtue. I
have reasoned and pleaded with you
to maintain my rooms in that state of
cleanliness to which, as free born
Texan, l am accustomed, and you
have basely ignored my wishes in
the premises and have gone on in
your slothful, shiftless ways without
regard either to my feelings or my
comfort
"Now, you internal scamp, 1 have
made up my mind to kill you. could
do so without giving you a show for
your life, but absolute fairness shall
distinguish the method of your TAX
ing off. Get into your place, and
when drop this red bandanna hand
kerchief shootl If you kill nae, so
be it. I forgive you now. If kill
you, it won't make any difference
anyhow. You are good for nothing,
and your removal will be a blessing
to society. Remember, however, that
no man ever faced me with pistol
IN his hand and lived to tell it."
With ashen face Richard Henry,
who, despite his negligence, loved his
master most devotedly, took his stand
In the corner assigned him and me-
chanically followed Houston's mo-
tons. The Texan took handker-
chief. out of his pocket, which he held
aloft as a signal, and then raised his
pistol with the other hand to level
with his lackey's heart.
AS he did so an involuntary smile
fitted across his face, and instantly
Richard dropped his pistol, while his
face spread out into a huge smile.
Il say, Mars Sam, he shouted in
a transport of rejoicing, Il thought
yo' rally meant it, but yo' just pokin
fun at me. Goramity," he added,
with a sigh Of relief, 1T makes me
shiver to think how near yo' was to
death. Dat smile was all dat saved
yo' life"
Houston told the story as a good
joke on himself, assuring his hearers
that he was positive Richard would
have killed him if he had carried the
joke a hairbreadth further.-Wash-
ington Post.