The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-02-28
NO. 157.
GEN. SAM HOUSTON.
One of the Stories He Used to Tell on
Himself While at Washington.

One of the Stories He Used to Tell on
Himself While at Washington.
A good story told in one of the
committee rooms at the national
capitol, as related by one of the
Washington papers, adds another
to the many interesting incidents
of the life and character of that
Texan, Gen. Sam Houston, during
his residence in that city as Senator
from the Lone Star State.
The great Texan was attended by
a faithful black from Virginia bear
ing the distinguished name of Rich
ard Henry Kee. Richard proved
himself a good body servent in all
things except one, He attended
faithfully to every want of his ec-
centric master, who was keeping
bachelors quarters, but no argu-
ment was sufficiently pursuasive
to induce Richard Henry Lee to
keep the rooms in order. A gener-
al air of slothful neglect marked the
surroundings of their domestic es-
tablishment, and time and again
Houston threatened to have Rich
rrd iayed and his black hide hung
over the back yard fence as a
frightful example of all evil
doers.
Things ran on in this way until
one day Houston returned to his
rooms from the Senate and found
the condition of affairs at home so
bad that he determined then and
there to teach his fun4Sy a good
lesson. He deliberately locked the
door, and, without saying a word,
crossed over to a table where he
kept his pistol case, removed two
pistols, loaded them, handed one to
Richard and took the other him
self.
Now, Richard Henry Lee" he
began, in low voice, that forebod-
ed ill, you stand in that corner
while | take my position in this, OPP
posite you, face to face, man to
man, pistol in hand. You have be-
trayed my confidence and trampled
upon my feelings until patience has
ceased to be virtue. | have rea
soned and pleaded with you to keep
my rooms in that State of cleanli-
ness to which, as a free born Texan,
| am accustomed, and you have
basely ignored my wishes in the
premises, and have gone on in your
slothful, shiftless ways without re-
gard either to my feeling or my
comfort. Now, you Internal scamp
! have made up mind to kill you.
could do so without giving you a
show for your life, but absolute
fairness shall distinguish the me-
thod of your taking off. Get into
your place and when drop this red
bandanna handkerchief, shoot If
you kill me, so be it. ! 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. Re-
member, however, that no man ev-
er faced me with a pistolin 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 mechanically followed Houstons
motions. The Texan took hand
kerchief out of his pocket. which
he held aloft as signal, and then
raised his pistol with the other
hand to level with his lackeys
heart.
AS he did SO an involuntary smile
fitted across his face, and instant
ly Richard dropped his pistol, while
his face spread out into a huge
smile,
ct say, Mars Sam he shouted, in
transport of rejoicing, 4 thought
yo' rally meant it, but yo' Just pok-
in fun at me. Goramity," he add
ed, with a sigh of relief, lit makes
me shiver to think how near yo
was to death. Dat smile was all
dat saved yo' life. F"
Houston told the story as good
joke on himself, assuring his hear
ers that he was positive Richard
would have killed him if he had
carried the joke Il hairs breadth
further