The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-12-05
A PRINCE OF THE PLAINS,
KIT CARSON WAS THE IDEAL
FRONTIERSMAN AND SCOUT.
Brave as a Lion, Modest as Girl
Anecdotes About the Famous
Scout-Brinaing Game Into Camp.

Brave as a Lion, Modest rs Girl
Anecdotes About the Famous
Scout-Brinaing Game Into Camp.
NJ all the frontiersmen it has
been my fortune to know in
timately, during checkered
life OF forty on the great
plains and in the Rocky Mountains,
Kit Carson was the prince. He was
brave, but not reckless. Perfectly
unselfsh, he was veritable exponent
of genuine altruism. AS true to his
friends as the needle to the pole, he
would fight for them, and die for
them, if needs be. He died at Fort
Lyon, COL, on May %, 1853, during
a short visit to the post, where he had
favorite son residing. Early on the
morning of that day, while mounting
his horse in front of his quarters, an
artery in his neck was suddenly rup-
tured, from the effects of which, not
withstanding tina best medal assist
ance was rendered by the surgeon OF
the fort, he died in few moments. l
was stationed at Fort Harker, Kan,
at the time of his untimely taking of,
SAYS Henry Juman in the Detroit Free
Press, and had received letter from
him a week before, in which he in
formed me that he was on his way to
make me long-promise1 visit. His
remains, after reposing for some time
at the fort, were taken to Taos, go long
his home in New Mexico, where suit
able monument was erected over them.
As an Indian fighter Kit Carson was
matchless. The identical rifle. which
never failed him, and was used by him
for more than thirty years, he be-
queathed just before his death, to
Montezuma Lodge. F. and A. NJ,
Saute Fe, of which he was member.
Under the average height. Carson
was rather delicate looking in his
physical proportions; he was, how
ever, a quick, wiry man, with nerves
of iron and an indomitable will. He
was full of caution, and possessed an
imperturbability in the moment OF
great danger that was something
grand to witness.
Kit, years before he became famous,
fought duel on horseback with no.
toriously pompous braggart, CANA
dian French trapper. He escaped
with bullet wound behind his left
ear, the scar of which he carried to his
grave, but he "winged" his antagonist
and forever stopped his Boosting.
Kit Car on was the most reticent
man concerning his own adventures |
ever met. 1t required the greatest
strategy to- get him to converse on the
subject at all. though he was splendid
company excepting when one wanted
him to talk about himself, l am re
minded of characteristic anecdote
relating to his dislike to telling any
thing OF himself. 1t was in July, 1855.
L. B. Maxwell, the owner of the inn
mense ranch in New Mexico which
still bears his name, on the fourth OF
that month determined to celebrate
the day at his own fine home. By the
premature explosion OF an old cannon
brought into requisition out OF its
hiding place undersa group of elms,
where it had lain since the march soi
General Kearney across the plains to
conquer New Mexico, Maxwell SO in,
iured his thumb that the army surgeon
at Fort Union decided that the wound
ed member must come of. / invited
him to make my quarters at the fort
his, where he could have the operation
quietly done, and I also asked Carson
to come with me to assist me in caring
, for and entertaining him during
, his stay. One morning, while
Kit was there, one of the officers
went down to the suffers store,
which was as well the postofice, fol
our mail, the coach which brought II
! from the Missouri River having arrived
a few minutes before. While waiting
: for the letters to be assorted, the Of
, ficer's eye CHANGED to rest on a copy
| of one of the cheap illustrated journals
living on the counter. He would no
! ordinarily have noticed such sheet
, but his attention was attracted to it b.
! a full page woodcut, adjoining its out
: side, one of those sensational and i'm
probable scenes for which journals o
0 its character are notorious even to
day. 1t represented an opening il
the forest, in the foreground OF whicl
stood an immensely tall man dresses
8 in buckskin, one hand holding hug
e rifle, while the other grasped tn
: waist of a woman who was elegantl
8 attired-the conventional woman {
q such sheets-in laces and founces. l
!, front of this impossible woman, lynn
!, u fat on the ground, were seven or eigf
It dead savages, presumably killed b
Is the remarkable hero in defense of til
n more remarkable woman. The legen
e at tie bottom of the crude sketch,
IL large type, related how Kit Carson
q at some time in the remote days OF b
- youth, had accomplished the might
% deed. 1t so amused the officer that |
If bought q copy of the paper ar
/ brought it to my quarters, showing
i to oil of us in turn. When Kit g.
1T hold of it. he looked at it intently Fl
:. few seconds, read the legend, thu
- handing it to Maxwell, smilingly I
- marked: "Well. gentlemen, that tn
20 may be true, but amt got no rect
20 lection of it.
The absurd illustration drew 4
re out, and he related several amusil
~ anecdotes which had occurred durl