The Portland daily press., 1894-01-15
SAM HousToN's SAVING SMILE.
But For 1t His Servant Would Have Shot
Him Dead.

A good story was told in one of the
committee rooms at the Capitol the other
day touching the Senatorial career in
Washington of the Hon. Sam Houston
Of Texas. 1t was some time in the '40s
not long after Houston had come to the
Senate. The great Texan was attended
by a faithful black from Virginia bear
ing the distinguished name of Richard
Henry Lee. Richard proved himself a
COED body servant in all things save one
He attended faithfully on every want
of his eccentric master who was keeping
bachelors quarters; but no argument
was sufficiently persuasive to induce
Richard Henry Lee to keep the rooms in
order. A general air Of slothful neglect
marked the surroundings of their do.
nestle esta blishment and time and
again Houston threatened to hayeRichard
fayed and his black hide hung over
the backyard fence as a frightful ex-
ample to all evil doors. Things ran on
in this way until one day Houston re-
turDe 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 f1unky good lesson.
He deliberately locked the door and
without saying word crossed over to
a table where he kept his pistol case, re-
moved two pistols, loaded them handed
one to Richard and took the other him
self. ea
Now Richard Henry Lee he began in
low voice that forboded ill" you stand
in that corner while take my position
ia shss opposite you face to face. man to
man, pistol in hand. You have betrayed
2J confidence and trampled upon nv
f0eifnRs until patience has ceased to
be virtue. l have reasoned and plead
ed with you to maintain my rooms in
that state of cleanliness to which as a
free- porn Texan ! am accustomed and
you have pasely ignored my wishes in
the premises and have gone on in your
siothful, sh1ftless way without regard
either to my feelings or my comfort.
Now you Internal scamp / have made
up my mind to kill you 1 could do so
without giving you show for your life
but absolute fairness shall distinguish
your place and when I drop this red
bandanna handkerchief shoot! If Won
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 blessing to
society. heInem per- however, that no
man ever faced me- with pistol in his
hand and lived to tell it.n
With ashen face Richard Henry who
despite his negligence loved his master
most devotedJy took his stand in the
corner assigned him and mechanically
followed Houstons motions. The Tex
an took a handk rchief out Of his peck
ct which he held aloft as 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 huge smile
Il say Mars Sam" he shouted in
transport of rejoicing II thought yo'
rally meant it but yo' just pokin' fun
at me. Goramity. he added with sigh
Of relief. at makes me shiver to think
how near yo' was TO death Dat smile
wRs all that saved yo' life.
Houston told the story as good joke
on himself assuring his hearers that he
was positive Richard would have killed
him il he had carried the joke a hair
breadth further