The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-01-31
That Smile.

A g0Od story was tOlo III one VI Ine
committee rooms at the capitol the
other day touching the Senatorial ca
reer in Washington Of the Hon. Sam
Houston, of Texas. 1t was some time
in the forties, not long after Houston
had come to the Senate. The great
Texan was attended by a faithful
black from Virginia bearing the dis
tinguished name of Richard Henry
Lee. Richard proved himself good
body servant in all things save one.
He attended faithfully on every want
of his eccentric master, who was keep
ing bachelors quarters, but no argu-
ment was sufficiently persuasive to in
duce Richard Henry Lee to keep the
rooms in order.
A general air of slothful neglect
marked the surroundings Of their do
mestic establishment, and time and
again Houston threatened to have
Richard aayed and his black hide hung
c ier the backyard fence as frightful
example to 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 Aunky good
lesson. He deliberately locked the
door, and without saying a word cross
ed over to table where he kept his
pistol case, removed two pistols, load
ed them, handed one to Richard and
took the other himself.
Snow, Richard Henry Lee, he be-
gan in low vice that foreboded i'll,
''you stand in that corner while take
my 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 pa
tience has ceased to be virtue. 1
have reasoned and pleaded with you
to maintain my rooms in that state Of
cleanliness to which, as a free born
Texan, I am accustomed, and you have
baseiy ignored my wishes in the prem
ises, and have gone on in your sloth-
full, shiftless ways without regard
either to my feelings or my comfort.
Now, you internal scamp, Ihave made
up my mind to kill you. I could do
so without giving yol show for your
life, but absolute fairness shall dis
tinguish the method Of your taking
off. Get into your 'lace, and when I
drop this red bandanna handkerchief,
shoot If you kill me, so be it. [
forgive you now. If I 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 a 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-
tions. The Texan took handker-
chief out Of his pocket, 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.
ri say, Mars Sam he shouted in q
transport of rejoicing, ~ thought yo'
rally meant it; but yo just pokln tun
at me. Goramity,' he added, with a
sigh of relief, ''it makes me shiver to
think how near yo' was to death !
Dat smile was all dat saved yo' life. I"
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 hair-breadth further.-Kash-
ington Post.